Microsoft set to push out updated antipiracy tool

Microsoft set to push out updated antipiracy tool

In response to feedback submitted by users, Microsoft has made some changes to Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Notifier, its antipiracy tool. Microsoft antipiracy program actually has 2 components, WGA's validation and notification. The validation component checks the copy of Windows and determine if the copy is indeed genuine while the notification component, when a copy is found not to be genuine, will inform the user that the copy is not genuine and prompt the user to obtain a genuine copy. The validation component is mandatory while the notifier, at least for now, is not mandatory. However, Microsoft has included the WGA notifier as a critical update. Thus, if a Windows user is not careful and automatically install all updates, he/ she could inadvertently install WGA notifier, which is why many critics consider the antipiracy tool to be spyware. To address this issue, Microsoft has made some subtle but helpful changes. The installation and use of WGA is spell out clearer to the user. When a copy of Windows, which has failed the validation process, the user will get the following message "Your system did not pass genuine validation" instead of the more accusatory This copy of Windows is not genuine."

Despite the changes, many critics still consider the validation process to be very deceptive and invasive. Critics concede that Microsoft does have the right to protect its intellectual property but they don't think the WGA program is the answer.