WGA to evolve into a Windows "Kill Switch"?

[Morse2]

"...Why are you here? In the time you posted you could have probably uninstalled some Microsoft product...""

That's a bit combative, isn't it? I thought this was a free and open forum for discussion. Since the topic is "will M$ take an action and what do you think of it", I posted my opinion. As someone who has spent literally thousands of dollars on M$ products over the years, spent God knows how many hours installing/maintaining/reinstalling their OS I do think that my reaction to M$ actions has some standing.

"...I would presume Microsoft must have done something previously to upset you so that it should not be taking you this long for you to make the complete switch...<<<

Not that it's any of your business, but it's not like some kid with one gaming PC to switch over. As a matter of fact, my timetable has been to pull all M$ products by the end of my usual maintenance cycle on the cluster.

Morse

[ROF]

WOW! How long is your maintenance cycle? WGA has been around almost a year now. I am glad you do not perform maintenance on our network. We'd be infected and shutdown.

[Dv8ted2]

Not really, 95 and 98 were consumer versions - built on a weird 16-bit/32-bit hybrid platform with all the pitfalls of 3.x - i.e., one program crashes and goodbye everyone. XP (even the Home version) is based on the NT kernel. A different beast and worth protecting. MS made some money from 95 and 98 but not as much as from NT3.51 and NT4.0 in the corporate world.

You missed my point. I know the difference in the kernels. Microsoft chose to ignore security for so many years. It was only until shortly before SP2 that their focus shifted. Microsoft could have done something about the mass copying even back then, but they chose to turn a blind eye to it. They had the mindset that if they did not see it, it did not exist.

[ROF]

Not really, 95 and 98 were consumer versions - built on a weird 16-bit/32-bit hybrid platform with all the pitfalls of 3.x - i.e., one program crashes and goodbye everyone. XP (even the Home version) is based on the NT kernel. A different beast and worth protecting. MS made some money from 95 and 98 but not as much as from NT3.51 and NT4.0 in the corporate world.

You missed my point. I know the difference in the kernels. Microsoft chose to ignore security for so many years. It was only until shortly before SP2 that their focus shifted. Microsoft could have done something about the mass copying even back then, but they chose to turn a blind eye to it. They had the mindset that if they did not see it, it did not exist.

So you are suggesting they should continue that trend?

[Dv8ted2]

Not really, 95 and 98 were consumer versions - built on a weird 16-bit/32-bit hybrid platform with all the pitfalls of 3.x - i.e., one program crashes and goodbye everyone. XP (even the Home version) is based on the NT kernel. A different beast and worth protecting. MS made some money from 95 and 98 but not as much as from NT3.51 and NT4.0 in the corporate world.

You missed my point. I know the difference in the kernels. Microsoft chose to ignore security for so many years. It was only until shortly before SP2 that their focus shifted. Microsoft could have done something about the mass copying even back then, but they chose to turn a blind eye to it. They had the mindset that if they did not see it, it did not exist.

So you are suggesting they should continue that trend?

No, I am just suggesting that this is something that should have been done a long time ago.

You cannot put the cat back in the bag.

[ROF]

Not really, 95 and 98 were consumer versions - built on a weird 16-bit/32-bit hybrid platform with all the pitfalls of 3.x - i.e., one program crashes and goodbye everyone. XP (even the Home version) is based on the NT kernel. A different beast and worth protecting. MS made some money from 95 and 98 but not as much as from NT3.51 and NT4.0 in the corporate world.

You missed my point. I know the difference in the kernels. Microsoft chose to ignore security for so many years. It was only until shortly before SP2 that their focus shifted. Microsoft could have done something about the mass copying even back then, but they chose to turn a blind eye to it. They had the mindset that if they did not see it, it did not exist.

So you are suggesting they should continue that trend?

No, I am just suggesting that this is something that should have been done a long time ago.

You cannot put the cat back in the bag.

No you can't, but you can put a cork in the hole and prevent the ship from taking on more water. So if they should have been doing this long ago I would suppose that like me you fully support Microsoft taking these actions now?

[Dv8ted2]

So if they should have been doing this long ago I would suppose that like me you fully support Microsoft taking these actions now?

The implementation leaves something to be desired, but they should have the rights to protect their property. I do not believe that attacking the public is the answer. There has to be a better way.

[painkiller]

Microsoft denied a Kill Switch

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=s...&taxonomyId=18

[Cobra]

Didn't this start with the pirate-copy on-screen flag thing?

I sometimes like to stop certain updates being installed because they aren't needed. However, I have a genuine copy of Windows XP so I don't have a problem with a "kill switch". I don't like the fact that I have to install software that will check if it is genuine, though. I thought that was what the authentication system was meant to do.

I overclock my PC. This meant that I botched plenty of Windows installations. As a result of repeated reformats, I must call an 0800 (toll-free) number and speak to Microsoft on every installation to get it activated. No problem - yes, it's another six minutes (on average, no more than eight, though) to get my copy working properly. But more checks? That's going to be annoying. Can't they sort out geniune from non-geniune using their current systems, or are there ways to bypass this?

Perhaps Microsoft should make the activation more secure in their new Vista system.

[JohnnyMalaria]

You cannot put the cat back in the bag.

Have you ever wondered what the cat was doing in the bag in the first place? Well... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat-o-nine-tails

[ROF]

Microsoft denied a Kill Switch

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=s...&taxonomyId=18

This tends to make this entire topic null and void. OH well, it sounded good though. Kill the pirates, support the corporation, improve the economy what a wonderful world this could be.

[Tom Saurus]

When I had my computer built, I purchased Windows XP Pro. It added $200.00 to the cost of the computer to do so. I use it mostly to capture video, edit the video and make DVD's. I read about some of the drawbacks to WGA, and so was watching for it and didn't install it. I don't like the idea of popups that nag at me. What if I am half way through capturing a tv show I like a pop up appears and all of a sudden I have dropped a bunch of frames. It has happened before. Sometimes McCafee sends popup telling to update my anti-virus definitions or advertise some product of theirs and I have dropped a frame or two.

The way Microsoft behave at times, is making future versions of their products, less and less attractive. They will look if Windows Vista is the biggest flop they have ever had, instead of a cash cow. I registered my Version Of Windows XP Pro, and I remember going through a validation process to keep getting Windows Updates. But after reading about WGA, it has gotten to the point that it seems more trouble than what it is worth, so I keep refusing to download the WGA. I check the box to ignore it, instead of download it.

[ROF]

When I had my computer built, I purchased Windows XP Pro. It added $200.00 to the cost of the computer to do so. I use it mostly to capture video, edit the video and make DVD's. I read about some of the drawbacks to WGA, and so was watching for it and didn't install it. I don't like the idea of popups that nag at me.

No worries. I have no pop ups appear on any of my systems with WGA installed. As long as you are Genuine.