Re: WGA General Queston

Any files downloaded and installed from the Microsoft or Windows Update
web site are digitally signed by Microsoft Corporation. I have yet to see
one instance of "spyware" that came with a digitally signed certificate,
have you?

Microsoft Online Privacy Notice Highlights
http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

Microsoft Online Privacy Statement
http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/fullnotice.aspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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"Jeff" wrote:

| Pop,
| Glad I could help.
| This is a very contentious program;to many people; none in the
| least,counterfeiter's (which is "supposedly" what WGA was designed to stop).
| I can totally agree with MS stance on this issue;as one has the right to
| protect their property.
| The issue is not about the purpose of WGA; the main issue is the method.
| KB905474 is the update that is the little program that try's to "phone
| home".
| MS methodology about designing and deploying KB905474 is VERY suspect!
| In fact;akin to Sony's use of rootkit technology;which;by the way;got Sony
| into allot of HOT WATER.
| KB905474 utilizes the very same methods that MS itself defines as
| SPYWARE.And I would refer anyone;including MVP's to peruse this OFFICIAL MS
| website.
| http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/msft/analysis.mspx
|
| Also,
| When did the onus of responsibility shift to the end consumer to have to
| prove;repeatedly!! that they obtained MS software legally?
| Again, a VERY touchy subject for MS;and also it seems;for some MVP's
| that spout company rhetoric. I would challenge anyone to refute these facts
| about KB905474.
| In closing; many people just won't care;and will say;it's only the bad
| guys who are worried. Ah the times we live in I guess. But I still have a
| choice. And being a lessee of legally obtained MS software; I choose not to
| have KB905474 spying on me. Genuine Advantage Validation tool is one
| thing;it only interacts if I want it to. Genuine Advantage
| Notifications(KB905474) is however; a totally different matter.
|
| Jeff
|
| "POP" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
| news:O2haYsahGHA.3996@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| > Hi Jeff,
| > Inline:
| >
| > Jeff wrote:
| >> Hi,
| >> To question#1-yes it is creating a database.
| >> Question#2-use search-and type in WGA and it will show you
| >> where they(multiple entries) are.
| >
| > Hmm, guess I should have looked a little harder before asking: Thank you!
| >
| >> Question#3-There are text files associated with WGA;that
| >> not only validate your O.S. but also gather info on
| >> installed programs-even non-MS applications;
| >> Very interesting about this last point; even if WGA is
| >> justifiable; what do 3rd party applications have to do with
| >> validating MS O.S.'s?
| >
| > That's an excellent question. I'm not very crazy about WGA and trying
| > hard to hold my tongue on negatives about it until I learn whether that's
| > a good thing to do or not<g>. I'm still making it ask me every time
| > before I let it call home, and it doesn't seem to matter whether it does
| > or not, which is another interest I have. I do have some monitors I could
| > use to see what it's actually doing but they're so much work to interpret
| > I was hoping to avoid doing that since it's changing every few days it
| > seems.
| > Mostly, at this point, I'm interested in what's taking how long to do
| > what during and immediately after bootups/restarts. So far, unrelated to
| > WGA near as I can tell, I've found 2 thirty-second (30,000 mS, or 30
| > Second) delays in the boot while it's waiting for something to finish
| > starting or to ack itself. Turned out to be services I didn't need anyway.
| > I completely denied WGA for two days while I was doing that
| > investigation and, related or not, the machine started doing things a lot
| > slower, and as soon as I re-allowed it, the speed came back, but not back
| > to where it was. That could easily have been conincidence and something
| > self-healed, but ... I've got too much time on my hands (I WISH!), so ...
| > .
| >
| > Thanks!
| >
| > Pop
| >
| >
| >
| > "POP" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
| >> wrote in message
| >> news:%23y7myPZhGHA.4864@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| >>> Hi,
| >>>
| >>> I find the problems et al with WGA interesting to read,
| >>> and it does appear some people are having problems with
| >>> it. This question is only one of curiousity so far,
| >>> however. My WGA excursions have always been successful so
| >>> technically I'm fine; so far, I think, anyway<g>. My question:
| >>> Is WGA creating a database or something similar on my
| >>> disc? If so, anyone know where it's located and what
| >>> its size is? What's in it and why?
| >>> And at which parts of the boot process is it
| >>> checked? Mostly, I want to see if it's responsible for a noticeable
| >>> slow down in boot times and initial programs-ready-to-run
| >>> times. Yes, I'm aware there are many, many variables that
| >>> determine the timing of various boot time functions, but
| >>> this coincides with the last two WGA installs. Probably
| >>> unrelated, but: Shut down times have also lengthened to
| >>> an easily noticeable degree and Hibernate has extended
| >>> itself to be minutes in duration where it used to be much
| >>> faster. And a comment about downloads: It's irritating to Shut
| >>> Down and discover the installing updates, don't touch
| >>> anything messages interruption to the shut down process. Installations
| >>> need to hold off until the next boot up.
| >>>
| >>> TIA,
| >>> Pop
| >>> --
| >>> I'm broke: Don't even ask!
| >
| >
| >
|
|

.

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