Re: Is WGA used to violate your privacy or not?

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gw wrote:
Possible scenario:

Clueless (or not) person buys "cheap" software from ebay.
Installs software and fails validation.
Cries wolf to MS.
MS *does* keep a list of cracked keys.
MS inquires as to source of product.
I'm sure they're building up a database when the complaints come in: Key, where & when purchased, etc.
User points MS to ebay auction.
Seller has sold a known cracked or invalid key.
MS goes after seller.

There is no way the evil WGA program could track the key back to the seller, only the user. How could they tie an invalid key back to an ebay seller? I don't see any big effort to prosecute individual users, only those who distribute.

But if you read the quoted paragraph from the article, it says that only SOME were phoned in. It also says that MICROSOFT TRACED MOST through WGA.

I don't think that equates to ALL being caught through being reported over the phone. I see nubian's point.

--
capitan



"nubian" <nubian@#.not> wrote in message news:dvcbl5$286$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I was reading this article, then I came to this paragraph and was shocked!

"Microsoft traced most of the pirates through its online validation program, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA). Some of the defendants were reported to the company's antipiracy hotline."

http://www.sci-tech-today.com/news/Microsoft-Sues-eBay-Software-Pirates/story.xhtml?story_id=10000B5Y3NUO

If WGA is touted to protect and respect the privacy of thos who use Windows, how could it do this without violating privacy?!?

I checked the FAQ and privacy policy of WGA:

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/PrivacyInfo.aspx?displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/FAQ.aspx?displaylang=en

"Q: What information is collected from my computer?

A: The genuine validation process will collect information about your system to determine if Windows is genuine. This process does not collect or send any information that can be used to identify you or contact you. The only information collected in the validation process is:

* Windows product key
* PC manufacturer
* Operating System version
* PID/SID
* BIOS information (make, version, date)
* BIOS MD5 Checksum
* User locale (language setting for displaying Windows)
* System locale (language version of the operating system)

Q: How does Microsoft use this information?

A: The information serves three purposes:

* It provides Web page flow, tailoring the pages you see based on your responses.
* It conveys demographics, which help Microsoft to understand regional differences in Windows usage.
* It confirms user input. User input is often compared against data collected from the PC in order to determine whether to grant a user’s request for additional access."

And I repeat,

"This process does not collect or send any information that can be used to identify you or contact you."

Then how the heck did ""Microsoft trace most of the pirates through its online validation program, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA)."?!? Is it just me, or is this a gross misuse of WGA?

--
nubian

http://protectfreedom.tripod.com/vista.html


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Relevant Pages

  • WARNING LONG - Brian Livingstons take on Windows Genuine Advantage
    ... Genuine Advantage is Microsoft spyware ... Some tech writers have said categorizing WGA as spyware is arguable. ... It causes serious problems for some legitimate Windows users and was sprung on customers with no notice other than a press release the day before. ... If an instance of Windows doesn't seem to have a valid license, display notices to the user and prevent any updates being downloaded from Microsoft.com except security upgrades that are rated "Critical." ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)
  • Re: Windows Genuine Advantage - Big Brother is watching you
    ... Microsoft Provides Additional Clarity About Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications ... Some tech writers have said categorizing WGA as spyware is arguable. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)
  • Re: WGAtray.exe (Windows Genuine Authentication) spyware. Can this be disabled?
    ... To disable WGA Notify, with minimal risk, download Sysinternals ... Microsoft discontinuance of supporting pirated versions of Windows ... I disable or remove their startup entries from the registry, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • WGA - the most recent phase
    ... Microsoft has bowed to public pressure, releasing a version of WGA that no longer validates Windows using a server-side configuration ... Responding to pressure from irked Windows users, Microsoft released an updated version of its antipiracy program on Tuesday that changes the frequency with which the program checks for pirated or counterfeit copies of its client operating system. ... "Our customers have told us that they were disappointed with their WGA Notifications experience, and we have made an effort to improve that with this update," a company representative said in a statement. ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)
  • Re: windows update out of commission (OOC)
    ... Speak to us at Microsoft! ... Once you get the system Validated then, hopefully, Windows Update will function, too. ... "Why didn't my machine complete validation? ... Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)