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Anti-Piracy Windows 7 Update Phones Home Quarterly

Posted by kdawson on from the who-owns-your-computer dept.

Lauren Weinstein sends in news of a major and disturbing Microsoft anti-piracy initiative called Windows Activation Technologies, or WAT. Here is Microsoft's blog post giving their perspective on what WAT is for. From Lauren's blog: "The release of Windows 7 'Update for Microsoft Windows (KB71033)' will change the current activation and anti-piracy behavior of Windows 7 by triggering automatic 'phone home' operations over the Internet to Microsoft servers, typically for now at intervals of around 90 days. ... These automatic queries will repeatedly — apparently for as long as Windows is installed — validate your Windows 7 system against Microsoft's latest database of pirated system signatures (currently including more than 70 activation exploits known to Microsoft). If your system matches — again even if up to that time (which could be months or even years since you obtained the system) it had been declared to be genuine — then your system will be 'downgraded' to 'non-genuine' status until you take steps to obtain what Microsoft considers to be an authentic, validated, Windows 7 license. ... KB971033... is scheduled to deploy to the manual downloading 'Genuine Microsoft Software' site on February 16, and start pushing out automatically through the Windows Update environment on February 23. ... [F]or Microsoft to assert that they have the right to treat ordinary PC-using consumers in this manner — declaring their systems to be non-genuine and downgrading them at any time — is rather staggering." Update: 02/12 02:08 GMT by KD : Corrected the Microsoft Knowledge Base number to include a leading 9 that had been omitted in the pre-announcement, per L. Weinstein.

8 of 819 comments (clear)

  1. Who's On First? by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lauren Weinstein sends in news of a major and disturbing Microsoft anti-piracy initiative called Windows Activation Technologies, or WAT.

    Microsoft Phone Support: Thank you for calling Microsoft, all calls may be monitored for training purposes and to ensure quality of service. Now, what seems to be the problem ...
    Customer: That's right.
    *pause*
    Microsoft Phone Support: ... ? Sir, you have to give me more information.
    Customer: I'll tell you my problem. WAT is my problem.
    Microsoft Phone Support: Sir, I don't know the answer to that question, you haven't told me yet.
    Customer: I didn't ask you a question.
    Microsoft Phone Support: Then why did you call? Why do you need help?
    Customer: WAT's wrong. I can't activate Windows 7 but I just bought it!
    Microsoft Phone Support: Okay, let's try to diagnose this problem. What's wrong?
    Customer: Yes, I already said that, I know WAT is wrong! That is precisely why I called!
    Microsoft Phone Support: Wait, why are you calling?
    Customer: WAT!
    Microsoft Phone Support: I said, why are you calling?!
    Customer: WAT! WAT, GODDAMNIT, WAT!!!

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Who's On First? by skuzzlebutt · · Score: 5, Funny

      Customer: What's your name? I need to talk to your supervisor.
      Microsoft Phone Support: Hu.
      Customer: (head explodes)

      --
      My debut novel AMITY now available: http://jeremydbrooks.c
    2. Re:Who's On First? by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

      If you're too stupid to spell it out, you're too stupid to deserve the oxygen you're breathing.

      So you're that guy that repeatedly stood up in the grade school auditorium during the Abbott and Costello sketch and yelled, "The man that is on first has an uncommon given name of 'Who' resulting in the confusion that is unfolding between the two of you. Now that that is cleared up, carry on with the dialogue."

      --
      My work here is dung.
  2. Re:So what do they do by c0d3g33k · · Score: 4, Funny
    Could you please be so kind as to post your name, address and phone number, please? Oh, and leave your keys under the mat.

    All the people who made products you may or may not have in your house just want to stop by once a quarter to make sure they get paid for what they produce. You can't just expect them to do nothing and hope that you'll be nice and pay them. Those books you picked up at the "clearing out old stuff event" at the library? The authors deserve to get paid for what they produce. Representatives for Mr. King will be over shortly to conduct an audit. If you are found to be out of compliance, they will rip out all but the first chapter. You can use the 'downgraded' copy to decide if you want to make a full purchase.

  3. Cant we call it... by coffii · · Score: 5, Funny

    Trusted Windows Activation Technologies

    --
    Bitter and twisted, DON'T ever FORGET the TWISTED
  4. Re:Son of WGA by click2005 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They'll probably never have to deal with This WAT stuff.

    Hmm.. TWAT.. I bet that'll catch on.

    --
    I am a free slashdotter. I will not be modded, blogged, DRM'd, patented, podcasted or RFID'd. My life is my own.
  5. wow by circletimessquare · · Score: 4, Funny

    i've been reading and posting here a long time, and i don't remember anyone coming right out and saying "microsoft employee here"

    i never expected someone to rip off their clothes, douse themselves in a1 steak sauce, and walk into the hyena enclosure

    you are very brave sir

    how well read is slashdot at microsoft?

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  6. Re:False Positives? by rockNme2349 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, at least it would be better than Vista.

    --
    Sewage Treatment Facilities - "Our duty is clear."