Non-Legit Windows Users Get Amnesty

Expanding its Windows Genuine Advantage program, Microsoft will now compensate customers in the United States that unknowingly purchased counterfeit versions of Windows XP with complementary genuine Windows copies. There is one catch, however: customers must first file a report on the unscrupulous reseller.

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is a carrot and stick initiative that requires users to validate their Windows license in exchange for special perks at the Microsoft Download Center and full access to updates. Microsoft asserts that WGA protects customers by ensuring the security and integrity of Windows installations, and protects resellers by reducing the number of competitors that practice counterfeiting.