Anti-Piracy Windows 7 Update Phones Home Quarterly

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.

Comments

False Positives?

[N3tRunner]

I wonder how many false positives this will generate? The thing is, for every person who pirates Windows 7, there is a fairly decent chance that they will be doing so with an activation code which a genuine user may have purchased. I wonder if MS has figured out some way to deal with this issue? I wouldn't bet on it.

Re:False Positives?

[DeadPixels]

I wonder if MS has figured out some way to deal with this issue? I wouldn't bet on it.

Why should they, at least from their point of view? Corporate thinking here is just "well, maybe we'll get a few false positives, but gee, we'll have stopped those pirates!" They don't give a damn about catching innocents by mistake if it doesn't impact their bottom line. And it won't, because the average user is just going to phone tech support and deal with the grief and hassle, because they don't see any other option.

Re:False Positives?

[Anonymous Coward]

The thing is, for every person who pirates Windows 7, there is a fairly decent chance that they will be doing so with an activation code which a genuine user may have purchased.

Nearly all the Windows piracy out there either uses corporate versions (hence the key is used thousands of times already) or they involve hacks that disable/neuter/replace the WGA components. As a general rule, they don't involve using the individual license keys that you get when you buy a retail or system builder version of Windows.

Re:False Positives?

[calmofthestorm]

I think it's more an extortion on the law-abiding clueless to get people to pay yet again for the same software, thus moving toward the renter model MS has been after for years.

As if the windows tax wasn't bad enough. Windows 7 could be nothing more than a picture of Hitler with flashing eyes and still sell millions of copies hitchhiking on new PCs.

Re:False Positives?

[jcrousedotcom]

Actually they do. The agency I work for has a VLK agreement with M$ and we have VLK's for both Vista and 7. They come in two flavors (just like 2008) - KMS or MAK (if you have a system that can't or won't ever see the KMS server). We've got activations on both.

Re:False Positives?

[Targon]

A big problem isn't from those who intentionally pirate, but from those who place an illegal copy of the operating system on the computers of other people. It is amazing how many customers have had "someone come fix their computer" and that person used a Windows XP Pro CD with key to "fix" the problem. Then they turn off automatic updates. The moment the customer does an update of the OS, the key used flags the OS as not being genuine.

One thing that I feel is needed when dealing with this sort of thing is for the OS to be the same, with the key used just being used to enable or disable features. In this way, you can "downgrade" from an Ultimate or Pro version to Home if you have this sort of thing happen to you. The so-called experts who put illegal copies of software on computers are the ones who need to go away, because they cause more trouble than they solve.

Re:False Positives?

[h4rr4r]

There are two kinds of windows 7 keys KMS and MAK. I have win7 MAK keys available to me that have 5000 allowed activations. As I am not a dishonest person and have no need nor want for windows I do not use them.

The KMS version authenticates with a local server, and that could be faked to avoid this.

Re:False Positives?

[rockNme2349]

Well, at least it would be better than Vista.

Re:False Positives?

[hot soldering iron]

***Warning: Linux Advocate*** ***Warning: Linux Advocate***

Sorry I'm late to the party. One of us should have been in the first 3 posts.

Users DO have an option. My wife and teenagers use Linux at home all the time (only my wife is semi-"tech savvy"). Admittedly, they do have a resident "expert" to provide support and lessons, and fix the hard stuff (drivers, etc..). But they love not being bothered by malware, not needing anti-virus software, and the systems just work. In fact, my wifes' wifi card works fine under Ubuntu, but we couldn't get the drivers to work under XP. I'm setting them up with virtual machines soon, to run optimized images of XP for their games, and whatever else they want, in a secure sandbox.

Yes, not all printers, video cards, or wifi cards are supported by all flavors. But apparently, that's the case with Windows, too. We just purchased a NAT, wifi router, and network color laser printer that all work fine with Win and Linux (the router and NAT came loaded with embedded Linux from the manufacturers). No special research involved. "Computer" doesn't have to mean "owned by Microsoft", and you don't have to worry about "drive-by" malware, or getting hijacked by cracked warez (sure, I believe your kids downloaded Visual Studio).

You don't have to get bent over by your OS distributor. But you will as long as you let them.

Who's On First?

[eldavojohn]

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!!!

Re:Who's On First?

[Anonymous Coward]

>enter trapdoor
Yes, probably just as well to give up looking, and heaven knows there's enough packing to do, what with the rest of the family in uproar. Oh well.

      *** You have missed the point entirely ***

In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 550, in 3 turns, giving you the rank of hapless Tourist.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, give the FULL score for that game or QUIT?
>

Re:Who's On First?

[skuzzlebutt]

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

Re:Who's On First?

[eldavojohn]

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."

Now with Continuous Auditing! (aka surveillance)

[Statecraftsman]

WAT? WATTF!

Like serial numbers, product keys, and activation before, automatic auditing like WGA is proving not to be as effective as Microsoft would like... this is surveillance plain and simple. Looks like I'm going to need to update my article on problems with non-free software... (Free Software or: How I Learned...).

Son of WGA

[tepples]

I wonder how many false positives this will generate?

Probably no more than Windows XP, whose "Windows Genuine Advantage" module has the same behavior.

Re:Son of WGA

[Knara]

Not to mention that it's trivial to get your machine re-authorized over the phone if you actually did buy your copy of the OS and end up being a false positive.

Hell, Microsoft reauthorized my OEM copy of Vista Home Premium twice when I moved the install to a new system, in spite of the license saying they don't allow that. Awfully kind of them, I thought.

Re:Son of WGA

[poetmatt]

it's a lot less trivial for folks who never bought it (and thus pirated) by just disabling this WAT. Nice to know MS is treating their paying customers almost as well as it treats the ones that don't pay.

Re:Son of WGA

[Ephemeriis]

it's a lot less trivial for folks who never bought it (and thus pirated) by just disabling this WAT. Nice to know MS is treating their paying customers almost as well as it treats the ones that don't pay.

Yup.

Once again, the assorted DRM measures only affect paying customers.

Anyone who is actually pirating the software has already cracked or bypassed the activation process in some way. They'll probably never have to deal with this WAT stuff.

And some poor soul who actually purchased a legitimate copy of Windows (either retail, or with an OEM box) is going to get their software de-authorized because of a false positive.

Re:Son of WGA

[Anonymous Coward]

In my book, any piece of software which requires getting on the phone is defective by design. You may not mind the ridiculous waste of time and effort which is calling tech support, but I sure as hell do.

Re:Son of WGA

[smartin]

Yes awefully kind of them to let you use the software that you bought and paid for.

Re:Son of WGA

[click2005]

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

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

Re:Son of WGA

[Anonymous Coward]

Can you give me the name of the tech support people you talked to, so that I can ask for them specifically? Your experience is quite different from mine. I had Windows XP on a Dell system. I had to replace the motherboard, Afterwards, I got messages that the software was no longer valid. I called a Microsoft support number. I think I was talking to someone in India who told me I would have to speak to Dell tech support. I said I thought it was a Microsoft Windows issue, since it wasn't Dell software, but was "Windows Genuine Advantage" from Microsoft telling me the software was invalid. When I kept insisting that I thought it was a Microsoft problem, the Microsoft support person kindly gave me a phone number. I hung up and called the number. It was a nonworking number. I called Microsoft support again. A different person also seemed to want to get me off the phone as quickly as possible - I'm sure that makes their performance metrics look good when they "solve" problems so quickly. I was given another different number to call. I hung up and again found that I had been given a nonworking number. I called back again. I was given yet another number to call, but I was told that, since it was a weekend, I would have to wait until Monday morning to get anyone at that number. I've just ignored the "WIndows Genuine Advantage" message since then, since the system is a game server for friends and family where no one actually sits at the console normally.

That's not the only time when I've replaced hardware that I've encountered problems, especially when I've replaced a motherboard that wasn't the exact same model of motherboard. If you're replacing hardware in others' systems, they don't want to hear that now they've got to buy another copy of windows for several hundred dollars for a system that is several years old. In some cases, you might as well throw the system away, just because a new copy of Windows can cost more than a system is then worth, just because you upgraded or replaced a failed motherboard. Because Microsoft will say that the OEM copy only goes with the exact hardware in the system when it was purchased.

Re:Son of WGA

[nine-times]

Yeah, because it seems perfectly reasonable for my OS to require me to call the developer periodically in order to remain functional. I'm shocked the contractor who built my house doesn't periodically change the keys to the front door so that I can validate every 6 months that I do, in fact, still own the house. Or that my car doesn't connect electronically every few months to make sure I still have the manufacturer's permission to drive it.

Why would anyone have a problem with this sort of thing? As long as any malfunction can probably be fixed with a phonecall, I don't see how anything could possibly go wrong.

Re:Son of WGA

[Anonymous Coward]

Blame Dell - OEM license says they'll handle all tech support queries for the software. If you're not able to accept that you called the wrong person despite being told several times, I'm pretty sure it's your problem, not theirs.

Re:Son of WGA

[NeverVotedBush]

Linux is always Genuine. And with the open distros, it doesn't cost a cent. You can put copies of it on as many computers as you want. You have server functionality if you want it - for free.

As Microsoft keeps tightening up on people, I really have to wonder why anyone still puts up with it.

I understand that they are a company, entitled to sell licenses to their stuff, and to enforce those licenses. But this seems to be changing the rules on legitimate users after they already bought the licenses.

Doesn't matter to me. I run XP on a system not on a network and don't need to patch it for anything. Everything else I run is Linux and I haven't booted the XP box in over a year - probably more like two.

I voted with my feet a long time ago.

Re:Son of WGA

[Runefox]

That sounds like a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of issue, to be honest. Of the years I've been activating (and transferring) licenses of all sorts in the local PC repair business, I've never once had Microsoft refuse to activate a legit license, regardless of the OEM (I also once screwed up and used a known illegit license just to get Windows installed for the sake of time and forgot to change it afterwards; The guy at the other end actually ended up giving me an activation code for it, too).

Hell, the shop I worked at bought CoA's on the side from a vendor in Ontario. They were usually pulled from VLK systems and so on, and a few of them even had OEM branding. They basically always worked if you told the IVR that you had made an upgrade. :P

Usually, I don't end up having to even talk to a rep over it. If I do, it's mostly "I'm a tech at a PC repair shop, I'm activating this for a customer after a reinstall due to [your choice of: severe malware infection, motherboard failure, hard drive failure, hardware upgrade, etc]. This is the key on the side of the system." - They usually comply.

Re:Son of WGA

[nine-times]

Has anyone ever thought that people in business might want to make sure that the copies of Windows they have on their machines are valid and thus would want to install this patch to ensure it.

No. I've honestly never thought that.

I am one of these "people in business" and I personally wouldn't trust this tool for that purpose. Microsoft could do an awful lot to make my software auditing easier, but this isn't one of them.

If this was Microsoft's intention, then they should have included a license manager in their server software that allowed me to control my level of enforcement without reporting back to Microsoft. The fact that they force you to report back to them demonstrates that their intention is not to help users or businesses.

Re:Son of WGA

[nine-times]

Don't run Win7.

I don't.

Totally honest and dead serious: I run an IT department. I've tested Windows 7 and Windows Vista. I would considering buying upgrades to Windows 7 (I even put space in my budget for it) if not for all their "activation" and anti-piracy nonsense. For now I'm sticking with the volume licensing version of Windows XP and avoiding WGA as much as I can, while looking to OSX and Linux as possible upgrade routes *largely to avoid activation*.

I don't pirate software, but I view any activation scheme as potentially dangerous, generally inconvenient, completely unnecessary, and even insulting.

Re:Son of WGA

[Nadaka]

Every piece of hardware does not work with windows. There is a huge backlog of hardware that does not have windows 7 drivers and never will. Linux, for the most part, supports far more hardware than windows.

Re:Son of WGA

[butalearner]

As Microsoft keeps tightening up on people, I really have to wonder why anyone still puts up with it.

I've always felt it was a kind of technological Stockholm Syndrome, or perhaps it should be called Redmond Syndrome.

There are reasons to continue being Microsoft victims, of course, such as all those content providers whom Microsoft pays handsomely to ensure their products only work or only work reliably on Windows. And they provide their own proprietary development tools for everything - some of which are the best in the business, don't get me wrong - so that more and more new software (and more and more developers) only works on Windows. Other than that, people just stay because Windows is familiar. So people happily accept their abuse - indeed, they defend it - in return for these things. I'm sure people will jump in with anecdotes about "trying" Linux and failing miserably, but the counter-anecdotes are just as numerous. The only conclusion you can draw is that people accept the abuse because they don't know any better.

And if that's not just like Stockholm Syndrome, I don't know what is.

Re:Son of WGA

[torkus]

Dead on.

Remember Spore? It was released with some of the most restrictive DRM to date. PRIOR to it's release date it was easily found on P2P, cracked, and with literally 10,000+ seeders. This stopped piracy in what way?

Oddly enough the backlash from legal, paid users was so harsh they stepped back from that DRM scheme.

Of all the popular products out there only the PS3 comes to mind as not being fairly quickly cracked (though I read something recently this may have been done). Everything from hardware-interlocks (dongles) of CAD/CAM, device OS restrictions (iphone, droid, etc.), gaming consoles locks (NES to Wii), serial numbers, online registration (windows activation, etc.), DVD/Blu-Ray have all been hacked/cracked.

Funny thing though - Apple is *notorious* about controlling your experience with their hardware and software yet their OS updates have no restrictions, no serial numbers, no registration. It's the honor system that you don't share the DVD with all your friends. Plus there isn't multiple versions of the same OS to worry about *AND* it's cheaper than the least expensive Win7 build. I'm not a applefag but seriously - take a hint MS.

Re:Son of WGA

[Darinbob]

Well, if they can't get the pirates to pay, at least they'll get the honest consumers to pay twice.

Re:Son of WGA

[kimvette]

Of the years I've been activating (and transferring) licenses of all sorts in the local PC repair business, I've never once had Microsoft refuse to activate a legit license, regardless of the OEM

I have; I have five MSDN subscriptions. One of those subscriptions is mine so I often have a bunch of test and staging workstations (or servers) installed, and to install some of the updates I've had to activate workstations which are going to be wiped after a few days. I always answer honestly when asked "Is this installed on more than one system?" and one asshole on their staff argued that MSDN is no different than any other license. I had to demand to speak to that moron's supervisor and explain that the employee is an idiot and needs to learn their product lines because MSDN explicitly allows for 10 concurrent installations on all of the software (with a couple of exceptions), a couple of items are allowed for production (not Exchange or SQL Server, obviously. I think it was XP and Office), and that I should not have to deal with activation for a suite of products which is intended for use in development and testing environments where the OS is reinstalled regularly, and where imaging may not work due to varying configurations. The manager was apologetic and agreed that I was right about the MSDN licensing, but that doesn't fix things when you have to wait on hold for anywhere from a minute to 20 minutes to speak with a supervisor when the void of a phone grunt doesn't know MSDN subscriptions exist.

You could say to just lie and get off the phone quickly, but I disagree. Honesty is the best policy, and on top of that, supervisors and managers at Microsoft need to be made to feel the users' pain, and hopefully enough irate users will drive the incompetent phone grunts into quitting, resulting in a net gain for Microsoft and end users alike.

Re:Son of WGA

[pwizard2]

Not to mention that it's trivial to get your machine re-authorized over the phone if you actually did buy your copy of the OS and end up being a false positive.

And you see nothing inherently wrong with the concept that you have to call Microsoft and essentially beg them to reactivate a product you already bought and paid for? If your Windows 7 can be deactivated and essentially blacklisted on Microsoft's whim, what exactly did you purchase? Do you actually own a copy or are you just renting it? Phone reactivation may not be a long drawn-out process, but I still oppose it on principle. It's not my problem that Microsoft is supposedly losing money on piracy, so why should I be inconvenienced in the slightest by it?

Not to mention that I would consider any program that phones home without my concept to be malware, even if Microsoft wrote it.

Re:Son of WGA

[drooling-dog]

Microsoft reauthorized my OEM copy of Vista Home Premium twice when I moved the install to a new system, in spite of the license saying they don't allow that. Awfully kind of them, I thought.

Good lord. You had to ask permission from Microsoft to upgrade your own rig, and you think they're just swell because they gave it to you.

If only there was an OS that you could install on whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted, without asking permission or paying a fistful of money each time. Oh, and free too. Well, that could never happen...

Re:Son of WGA

[Comboman]

Apple is *notorious* about controlling your experience with their hardware and software yet their OS updates have no restrictions, no serial numbers, no registration. It's the honor system that you don't share the DVD with all your friends.

That's because Apple is a hardware company; they don't care if you copy the OS since you need a nice shiny MacBook to run it on and they are the only ones who sell them.

Re:Son of WGA

[TheRealGrogan]

No, stuff like that isn't that important as computers with obsolete buses are likely incapable of running Vista or Windows 7 anyway.

But what about all the perfectly good sound cards that had to go in the trash because they don't play ball with Microsoft's DRM? I recently tracked down some hacked drivers so a customer could use his first generation Sound Blaster Live card in Vista. Guess what? With mere changes to the .inf files the card works perfectly.

What about perfectly good 10/100 network adapters that will never work in Vista or Windows 7 because Microsoft didn't think it was necessary to port drivers?

What about analog game ports? Some people still have those and they are unsupported. I have a perfectly good Microsoft Sidewinder Joystick and guess who doesn't support it anymore? It actually works perfectly in Linux... too bad I don't have anything I'd want to use it for anymore.

How about perfectly good USB scanners? So what if they are 5 years old? I got my parents a new computer the other day. Their HP ScanJet 2200c doesn't work in Windows 7 at all (XP is the last supported OS according to HP). I plugged it in thinking that had to be some kind of mistake but nope, it doesn't work. It's just a PlusTek scanner rebranded. There are zillions of scanners from different vendors based on Plustek. Plug that thing into a Linux computer and udev rules will detect it and with the help of HAL and friends, the appropriate SANE backend will be invoked and it just works.

I'm sorry, but Linux and Linux distros' inclusion of various userspace driver subsystems trump Windows for hardware support any day. The fact that new hardware is only supported in Windows out of the box with third party drivers is the fault of the vendors, not the Linux community and does not praise Windows in any way.

Note to self....

[Itninja]

...skip update KB71033.

Re:Note to self....

[Nimey]

You'll be skipping the service packs, then.

Re:Note to self....

[Spad]

Get spare box (or VM, or even your own machine if it's beefy enough), install WSUS (Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7; Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista; Windows XP Service Pack 3, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Small Business Server 2008, Windows Small Business Server 2003), point clients at WSUS either with a GPO or in local policy (gpedit.msc), decline KB71033 (if it even gets pushed through WSUS, which it probably won't; WGA didn't), sit back and relax.

This is also handy for any other "critical" updates that you might want to avoid, or any updates that are incompatible with your system, or may cause errors (Like KB977165), especially in environments where other people have administrator access to your machine and like to click things without reading them or you're managing several machines (friends, family, housemates, girlfriends, etc).

Just going to annoy legit customers

[Alcimedes]

I have a machine, purchased by my employer that has to be validated against the key server at the office.

The machine however is at my house. The only way to make it validate is to ensure that I'm connected to the VPN when it attempts to find its key.

Does this mean once a quarter (if I have this update) my machine will downgrade itself, make me hop on the VPN, revalidate etc.?

That's just damn annoying. I'll probably end up cracking my legit install to stop this stupid behavior. When the cracked version of your software is less obnoxious than the legitimate version you have a problem.

Re:Just going to annoy legit customers

[nmb3000]

I have a machine, purchased by my employer that has to be validated against the key server at the office.

The machine however is at my house. The only way to make it validate is to ensure that I'm connected to the VPN when it attempts to find its key.

You shouldn't be using a KMS-licensed computer away from the KMS server for such a long time. The whole point of KMS is to reduce licensing headaches by having clients automatically aquire a volume license and activate themselves, all without going over the Internet. Removing such a machine from the local network completely invalidates this.

If you have a computer at home, it should be converted to a MAK license so that it doesn't need to communicate with the KMS server. Anyone mildly familiar with Windows 7 volume licensing should know this. I suggest you (or your system administrator) take a look at the Win7 Volume Activation Deployment Guide and the Volume Activation Planning Guide. You know, the things you should read before you do a wide-scale deployment of a new system.

I'll probably end up cracking my legit install to stop this stupid behavior.

So instead of connecting to your VPN four times a year, you'll put yourself in a position of almost certainly getting blacklisted? That makes sense.

Not news

[El Gigante de Justic]

I don't see how this is in any way news or shocking. WAT = rebranded WGA.

The only major question I would have, is if it's only calling back every 90 days, how many false positives will it get from people doing major hardware upgrades over that three month span. (I'm assuming it compares the system specs with the license key as WGA did to determine if it was actually the same computer or not)

And at least they just downgrade you - they could instead just shut your system down for a suspected license violation and prevent any log-ins.

Hoooly crap...

[TheDarkener]

Ok, conspiracy theorist point of view here, apologies... but... I mean, they can basically disable/cripple anyone's computer for any reason without notice.

Think of what governments would like to do with this little feature, during wartimes, etc...

Do you really trust Microsoft that much? Do you really want them to have that much control over your computer at any point in time? Your ability to communicate online?

Come on, this is really getting ridiculous.

Re:Hoooly crap...

[Bobfrankly1]

Which is why instead of upgrading my trail version of Windows 7 I'm switching to Ubuntu 9.10.

From everything I read on Slashdot, Ubuntu IS the windows 7 upgrade.

Can it be avoided?

[Killer Orca]

You could manage to avoid WGA by unchecking the checkbox when it asked to install via update, then making sure it didn't mention un-selected updates. I wonder if judicious users can keep an eye out for this and do the same?

The 1960s called...

[wandazulu]

...they want their mainframes back. This is not unlike IBM charging for use of their hardware and software on a per cycle basis. One of the people I worked with back in the 90s remembers earlier models of mainframes actually had mechanical car-like odometers that were read by a "meter reader" like the gas company, and IBM would send them a bill.

And it is a guarantee that enterprising individuals will come up with a solution to WAT as my former co-worker did; crack the box and reset the numbers. Not enough to arouse suspicion, but just enough that they wouldn't be charged for a huge end-of-month load on the processor.

Re:Giving up on the server market, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Someone who needs application software for which there is no reasonable Linux/Unix equivalent. Such software includes mid-range accounting systems and point of sale systems.

Bah

[T Murphy]

Windows would be so much better without Microsoft.

Re:Bah

[twidarkling]

No, it's really fucking not. Linux is fine for what it is, but what it is not is Windows sans MS.

News flash

[1s44c]

If you buy a computer with windows on it you own the hardware. You never own the software. You license it on the condition that you agree to the EULA. Microsoft's EULA states that you give up all rights, they are not accountable for anything.

Microsoft users have been and will always be slaves to the evil empire.

Re:News flash

[linux_geek_germany]

Microsoft's EULA is - for example - not legally enforcable in Europe. If they shut down your software I'm pretty sure you could go to a court and get at least reimbursement. They can't override local laws with their EULAs.

Calling every 90 days

[aBaldrich]

That means I have at most 90 days left!

I'll start spinning counter-clockwise.

Re:So what do they do

[Attila Dimedici]

Steps like these need to be taken because, well, people pretty much can not be trusted to do the right thing without the fear of a reprisal looming over their head.

The problem with steps like these is that they will mostly cause problems for people who tried to do the right thing by buying Windows 7 legitimately but now Microsoft identifies it as a pirate key (either because they got it from a shady character who was selling illegal copies with some pirated key, or because the legitmate key they got has since been pirated--or at least identified as pirated). People who knowingly are using a pirated copy will either have developed a work around that avoids this problem, or will be expecting this to come up and have a plan in place to deal with it.

WAT is Voluntary and Doesn't Impact OS Usage

[VTBlue]

//Microsoft Employee here//

If you read the blog post it has some valid points about how it works:

1. Voluntary patch
2. When non-genuine copies deteced, OS functionality is NOT reduced
3. Yes, Microsoft does decided to notify/annoy you that you're not using genuine software which is a good thing because most people don't know they are.
4. The goal is reduce the number of Windows installations using pirated copies many of which include malicious code.
5. No personally identifiable information is transmitted. Details on this can be found in ANY of our privacy policies which are standard across all Microsoft products.
6. It does not apply to any enterprise installations where Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is used. @FranTaylor, lots of people use Windows on a server...what planet are you one? :)

The slashdot headline is a little too Orwellian considering the body of the blog post. Looking forward to all the responses...I think.

Re:WAT is Voluntary and Doesn't Impact OS Usage

[tomtomtom]

I would really pick you up on your point (1) - I'm assuming this will be like Windows XP's "WGA Notification" patch which is also "voluntary".

In that you can avoid installing it, IF you (i) don't use Automatic Updates; and (ii) remember to click "custom updates", then find it in the huge list of patches that comes up on a fresh install, then realize what it is, then deselect it, then click the box saying "no I really don't want this, don't ever show it to me again".

Oh, and if you do have the bad luck to happen to accidentally install it, you can only uninstall this patch with a third-party crack.

All in all, I'd say this patch is less "voluntary" than a lot of malware trojans are.

Re:WAT is Voluntary and Doesn't Impact OS Usage

[VTBlue]

This is not true. Go to parts of the world where system builders sell illegal copies of Windows along with their computers and you will see that normal non-technical people wouldn't know the difference. Microsoft doesn't go after individual pirates. Microsoft anti-piracy goes after those that profit from the reselling of pirated Windows.

Re:WAT is Voluntary and Doesn't Impact OS Usage

[Targon]

You have clearly never encountered machines that were illegally upgraded to Windows XP Pro by some "tech" who put it on the computer of his/her customers in an attempt to fix said machines. Here is how it works:

End user never makes a recovery CD/DVD set, and one is never provided with the computer. When Windows get badly corrupted(root kit, nasty piece of malware, etc), and the tech can't fix the problem without doing a clean install, many of these techs will do a clean install from a pirated Windows CD they have with them. Initially, there is no problem until that key gets flagged. The next Windows Update that comes through then sees that the machine is using a bogus key, and starts screaming about the copy being illegal.

Now, the problem is that the key that came with the computer does not work on the version that has been installed, and there is no way to fix the problem with the bogus version. So, end user calls a new tech to deal with the problem. Even if the customer has a valid key, if the OS refuses to accept it because the current install is a Pro or Ultimate version, there is no good solution. The end user never asked for the "upgraded version", but is now stuck with it, and with no way to downgrade.

What I wish Microsoft would do would be to have a downgrade method to go from Ultimate down to Home based on the key, even on a system that is up and running, just to protect end users who get scammed like this.

failure mode

[Lord Ender]

What happens if the domain name and IP addresses used for validation are null-routed?

Re:Now with Continuous Auditing! (aka surveillance

[Jeng]

Funny how this is happening right after Microsoft won that lawsuit regarding WGA.

Re:Statecraftsman's free software article

[poetmatt]

clearly you don't understand - it has nothing to do with "proprietary doing better" and everything to do with DirextX (and it's focus on all gaming) being owned 100% by Microsoft.

When does DirectX release new versions? Shortly after when wine cracks the full functionality of the existing DirectX.

Re:Riiiiight!

[stonewallred]

Let me see if I understand this correctly. When I finally migrate to Win 7, I will download a cracked copy with all annoying and useless crap stripped out, that fast installs and does not have this call home program in it. So explain how again this stops piracy?

I'm tired of paying money to rent software

[Anonymous Coward]

Essentially we don't buy anything anymore. Everyone out there seems to have control of my computer but me. Yes I can spend the time and disable some of the functions but it's constant cold war of disabling the latest functions only to get hit with the next round. I want to use software not fight OSs. Also I'm tired of fighting software licensing, period. I'm not from the camp that wants free software I pay for every piece, except I do love some open source like Open Office. The point is why do I constantly have to deal updates? My bloody HP Printer driver constantly demands to be updated. I'm not stupid and I know they aren't releasing updates that fast. Many of pay thousands of dollars just for our desk top let alone software and yet everyone insists they should have control of our machines at all times. 10, 15, 20 years ago this was not the case. 15 years ago due to corruption issues I used to reinstall my OS and all software once a month. The machine ran better and the software crashed less. It took me a couple of hours and gave me a fresh machine each time. These days I live in terror of redoing a machine. I have a lot of software and at best we're talking days and generally it's weeks before I can get all the licenses squared away again. It's reached the point where I dread buying a new machine.

Re:Statecraftsman's free software article

[The MAZZTer]

Video gaming on Linux has come a long way thanks to Wine. I tried TF2 a few versions ago and was surprised how well it ran and how free it was of any graphical glitches. Only thing it was missing was DX9 support. The performance was almost as good as under XP.

Re:Statecraftsman's free software article

[mystikkman]

I am sorry but there are many other reasons. Linux audio is a pain for game developers. The tools are lacking. OpenGL standards developers sided with CAD companies thereby screwing over game developers. I know I'll be downmodded for saying things that are meant to be brushed under the carpet on Slashdot but I don't care about karma.

Re:So what do they do

[c0d3g33k]

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.

Re:Riiiiight!

[calmofthestorm]

It nags the non computer-elite into picking up your tab, and hating your for it.

Cant we call it...

[coffii]

Trusted Windows Activation Technologies

It's been phoning home all along.

[thePowerOfGrayskull]

Every time I don't have an Internet connection,win7 informs me within a few minutes that I "may not be running a legitimate copy". The link it provides to "resolve" this is a essentially a "buy win7 now" page. Without fail a few minutes after the Internet connection is restored, the warning goes away and the desktop watermark accusing me of piracy also disappears again.

I'm actually more than a little peeved about being called a thief every time I resume my session from suspend -- during the few seconds it takes to reconnect -- or use my laptop out of range of my wireless. But my point is that if it wasn't phoning home, it wouldn't be telling me this *only* when there was no Internet connection; and it wouldn't stop telling me *only* when my connection was restored.

Of course, no matter how peeved I am - as long as it doesn't get in my way, it's not worth waiting on hold for 20 minutes of my life to get a solution which may or may not resolve it.

Re:It's been phoning home all along.

[Skuld-Chan]

You have a corporate license it sounds like... And yes - it does check the license server for a valid license (KMS - Key Management Service). They do have a voluem license called MAK (multiple activation key) for machines that are connected and disconnected from the corporate network constantly that you can use.

I have a regular retail license for Windows 7 and do not have this issue at all.

Re:Giving up on the server market, eh?

[Ephemeriis]

Who in their right mind would use Windows on a server any more?

Folks who've spent their entire lives working on a Windows GUI and can't imagine a computer without a Start menu or a C: drive.

We're a Microsoft shop... That's generally what we sell and install, including servers. Myself, I don't much care what we run. I'm familiar with various flavors of *nix and support them as well. My boss, on the other hand, can't deal with anything non-Windows.

You should have seen his face the first time he sat down in front of a machine running XenServer. He had no freaking clue what to do with it. He kept shaking the mouse around and looking puzzled.

Re:New Upgrade Path

[Sechr Nibw]

Virus? I believe you mean "urgent security update".

wow

[circletimessquare]

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?

Re:wow

[VTBlue]

Microsoft circa 2010 is very misunderstood on Slashdot. I also had my doubts before being assimilated by the collective.

Microsoft is fundamentally a different company now than in the 90s. We have to be due to competition, compliance, and regulation.

History is very important, but holding grudges only impedes progress. Even Linus Torvalds has said, "Microsoft hatred is a DISEASE."

Re:Really bad strategy

[Ephemeriis]

The false positives will turn into real positives. When a machine gets marked as non-genuine, it stops receiving updates. Which means is WILL get 0wned by the next zero-day attack.

They are basically just manufacturing more spambot machines with this strategy.

Unless they've changed their policy very recently, non-genuine Windows machines will still receive security updates.

Re:Well that pretty much settles it for me.

[Jaysyn]

Three words: False Positive Lottery. As a legit customer who has already been stung by WGA during a hardware upgrade, I don't want to even think of it being an every 3 month thing.

Re:So what do they do

[BronsCon]

The problem is that... well... it doesn't work the way they say it does.

I have a legit copy of Win7 Ultimate, received directly from MS at the Win7 launch event. Installed in October, not genuine on November 1st. Called, got reactivated. Not genuine on December 1st. Called, got reactivated. Not genuine on January 1st. Installed WGA crack. February 11th, still "genuine".

It's been legit all along, and I only had a problem with it until I used the same method used by pirates.

This does NOT affect piracy and it never will. It does, however, ensure that I will be attending every Microsoft OS launch event in order to never give them another red cent, eat their free food, and get my free copy of their shiny new toy.

If I had paid for this, I'd be outraged. Knowing that it WILL happen IF I pay means I'll NEVER pay. Period.

Re:Statecraftsman's free software article

[jim_v2000]

>When does DirectX release new versions? Shortly after when wine cracks the full functionality of the existing DirectX.

WINE causes Microsoft to release new versions? lol!

Wait...you're serious, aren't you?

End of life

[Bert64]

What happens when MS stop supporting windows 7 and turn the activation servers off?
Does that mean it will become useless 90 days afterwards?

What about for machines which aren't networked, or are on isolated networks which can't or aren't allowed to access the internet?

If they provide a corporate version which doesn't need to phone home, then pirates will simply pirate that instead, just like they did with the corporate versions of xp that didn't need activation.