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Microsoft Denies the Windows Kill Switch

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the pirates-beware dept.

WindozeSux writes "Microsoft has denied that WGA will kill pirated copies of Windows. According to Waggener Edstrom,"Microsoft anti-piracy technologies cannot and will not turn off your computer." Microsoft also says that WGA is a necessary part of its campaign to catch those illegally using Windows XP which leads one to think what WGA really does then."

8 of 513 comments (clear)

  1. why bother with a kill switch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    because windows will crash & burn and need reinstalling often enough without any help from a killswitch...

  2. Obscure? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Laputan Machine / Flatlander Woman.

  3. Up to no good by FridayBob · · Score: 0, Troll
    If M$ doesn't eventually use WGA to kill off illegal machines, I suppose this software could eventually be used in other ways to prompt the owners to do something about it, such as by suddenly:
    • Acting like nagware.
    • Limiting functionality.
    • Limiting performance.
    • Limiting Internet access.
    • Preventing (certain) updates.
    • Preventing further apps from being installed.
    If none of the above, the WGA tool may simply be used by M$ to provide information about you and your machine. If they don't think your machine is properly licensed, perhaps they'll figure this will give them the right to collect additional information on you that they would otherwise not. Hell, it's closed-source malware, written by a convicted monopolist, reporting home to its master -- who the fsck knows what it's up to?! Trust it/them? No way! Glad I'm not using Windows.
  4. Not the first time by uncoveror · · Score: -1, Troll

    This is not the first time Microsquash was working on a kill switch to force more sales, and had to back down due to public pressure. Last time, they were going to kill Windows 2000 and force everyone to buy XP or Server 2003.

    --
    The Uncoveror: It's the real news.
  5. Re:I thought IT communities were meant to be... by hackwrench · · Score: 1, Troll

    Oh sure they may start out rational. But then it's like Guantanamo Bay, where they've been held for four years. They may have been innocent four years ago, but because of the incarceraton, they want to kill you.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDrhecqDoO8

  6. Re:Phoning home by vcv · · Score: -1, Troll

    And I'm sure none of the millions of people that hate Microsoft would have noticed that by now.

  7. You insensimtive clod? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    pr0ject somewhere

  8. Re:How Do They Detect Pirated XP Corporate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Corporate does require a key, and Microsoft will every so often disable your key so you have to waste days or weeks going from computer to computer to do a reinstall.

    WGA has already caused major problems for us. Our office was closed last week for the US July 4th holiday, and early AM Wednesday morning Microsoft intentionally crashed over 400 of our computers by installing WGA. We have automatic updates disabled, but Microsoft installed the software without our permission. I'm really tired of having to drive into the office in the middle of the night to fix problems that Microsoft created.

    I've since spent the rest of the week having to uninstall WGA (yes, there are instructions out there to do just that). Yet once again Microsoft ruined my only week of vacation for the year. It's been 13 damn years since I've been somewhere for a vacation, and it sucked having Microsoft ruin my planned long weekend in Las Vegas. Thirteen years! Screw you Microsoft for finding a way to ruin it for me and my family.