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Community weekly poll: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage?
- 8/24/06 1:08 PM
You have changed my sex I am Mrs not Mr. BUT
by joycee98 - 8/28/06 8:00 AM In reply to: great, anyway very time consuming by balongaI let you off for changing me into a man, I am actually a Granny PC repair person. I used to troubleshoot computers for H.P till they relocated to Idea. BUT I think the WGA should be dumped all together, and I always recommend just putting the builders version into machines where they have not got the genuine disks. If I am to be retained I keep a back up of everything I put on the machine in their file, and give them the genuine, then they can pick and choose any extra software. Most people take half the software off anyway on OEM machines, like Roxio and change to Nero or take off Microsoft Works Suite and replace with office. If they have them then I would use the manufactures originals.
WGA intrusive
by jsmiyasaki - 8/25/06 5:13 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
Yes Microsoft has a right to try to prevent piracy of their product. They also have the responcability to ensure that while in the process of stopping that piracy they do not interfear with the legitmate day-to-day use of products that have been payed for. Microsoft however seems to think that something in the order of under 2, 3 or 4% of there product being rendered ''UN-USABLE'' as the result of that piracy prevention is an acceptable number... Well, that is just as UN-acceptable as the original piracy and is nothing more or less, than the reverse side of the exact same coin!
If 'MICROSOFT' can not find a remedy for this situation (and since it is a situation of their creation it is up to them to remedy and not the customer) Microsoft should be forced to provide these people with new hard drives and Operating systems for those drives that will funtion. So the affected parties could install (or have installed) the new drives and use there existing drive as back-ups and be able to retrieve there information from the originall drves so nothing is lost to them.
In addition to this remedy microsoft should in the interests of ''Customer Relations'' be forced to provide some type of compensation for the loss of time to these consumers, in as much as Microsoft itself charges a fee for it's ''custmer services'' (ie. Time Spent). Perhaps, the monies for all of this could be generated from the vigorous prosecution of real pirates. ''That would be as opposed to 'Wining and Dining' Them when they visit from Asia Mr. Gates. Since something on the order of one in five windows operating systems are pirated and the VAST majority of those are in China (That's called ''sleeping with the Enemy''). Anecdoticaly, Why would you be surprise when you wake to find a ''Figurative'', Knife to your throat?
These people that find themselves in this situation should seek each other out and begin to confront Microfoft with one voice since there is strength in numbers. Hopefully Microsoft would see the wisdom in voluntarily agreeing to something on this order. Then at least restitution could begin to be made. Since Piracy is going to be part of our reality for some time to come, so should the cure for these thousands of innocent affected individuals.
That's my oppinion on piracy with just a little ''Sauce for the Goose'' added.............
Dave ''Grrrumpy'' Bell
"Strength In Numbers"
by cgarofalo1 - 8/25/06 8:24 AM In reply to: WGA intrusive by jsmiyasaki''These people that find themselves in this situation should seek each other out and begin to confront Microfoft with one voice since there is strength in numbers.'' by Dave Bell
Hm..class action..let me know when that occurs and I'll gladly sign on!
strength in numbers two
by joycee98 - 8/28/06 10:30 AM In reply to: "Strength In Numbers" by cgarofalo1ME TOO
Strength in Numbers
by gbear1970 - 8/28/06 12:13 PM In reply to: "Strength In Numbers" by cgarofalo1Sign my up!!
Over the top - Save me from Microsoft!
by BroJohn - 8/25/06 5:55 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
Personally, I agree that Microsoft has the right to protect from piracy, but in this case I believe they are over the top. This software sends information to Microsoft and they know what you have and who knows what else, then they can shut you down if you don't register with them, even though you purchase the OS from them or from a reputable dealer.
Of course you must use IE if you want to download updates from their website, or use automatic update, which can put some spyware on your system too. I use firefox and windizupdate to download just what I need in the way of updates to my system.
If Linux was just a little bit easier to install and use, I would be gone from ever using this OS again.
The internet - becoming the destroyer of society
by humorguy - 8/25/06 6:08 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
What is happening is due to technology, ie, what is allowed to be put on audio and data CD's to stop so called piracy, what is happening with thing like Windows Genuine Advantage (what advantage?) and generally the total ability of any company on the internet to get around/drive a truck through privacy laws is now moving into society as a whole. The UK with it camera's on every street corner, the US Government snooping on people phone calls, etc.
The internet is leading the way for eventully citizens in the West having no privacy right's at all. Along with that will be many if not all freedoms being denied.
When I think of the World Wide Web, I always think about that fairy story. You know the one: 'The King has No Clothes'. This is another 'King' that we are being blinded by. Unfortuanatly, by the time some kid points out the King does not have any wonderful, the best, the brightest, clothes (ie the internet is mostly bad not mostly good) it will be too late and the future 'internet' will be all pervasive. We seem to think '1984' cannot happen bacause we have gone past that year. But we are heading toward a '1984' at this very moment, and we refuse to believe it, believing that it has something to do with either security, terrorism or just to make our live's better. The dumbing down of westerners through it's various media's is also a part of that. Who can seriously say we are not more like sheep than we were 20 years ago?
So Windows Genuine Advantage - it means the advantage of Corporations (and Governments through those Corporations) to snoop on us and to direct us at their will. It is the advanatage to look through our 'windows' and see what's going on in our PC's, our homes, our live's.
Microsoft Trying to Legitimize Spyware
by benoddo - 8/25/06 6:47 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
The only thing that separates WGA from the dictionary definition of spyware is that it is installed on your computer with your knowledge. Other than that it functions as spyware. It gathers and transmits data about your computer and who knows what else to an offsite location. Microsoft along with every other software vendor puts you through the ringer with their EULAs before you can use the software. Conversely, we should at least be offered the oppourtunity to inspect and either accept or reject the data that is leaving the computer for parts unknown or untrusted.
And I trust Microsoft as far as I can toss Bill Gates net worth.
Windows "Advantage"??? What are they???
by sbarrmed - 8/25/06 6:56 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
I just ordered a new Apple Mac and cannot wait to escape the Windows nightmare!
Anyone remeber when ID theft was just theory?
by pearl298 - 8/25/06 7:04 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
Does anyone remember when Identity Theft was just something that geeks ranted about? Its been 20 years or so now.
I have to wonder what true criminals will make of the ''right'' to do whatever is required to ''stop piracy'' on their software/songs/videos/images?
Sony/BMG has already illustrated the problem for us. I am just waiting until the embedded Windows used to manage so many cars causes some disaster like random brake lockups due to a ''copy protected'' CD in the radio or something similar.
All of the pieces are in place for this to happen folks, just like the tools for Identity Theft were laying around for the first criminal to misuse them.
MGA - outside America - how would you know?
by squarehead - 8/25/06 7:06 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
I live in Thailand and the computers come with Windows installed and no key that you might be able to use. You paid the bucks but won't get any help from shops even when everything is legit. If Microsoft won't stop this nonsense soon it's either Mac or Linux for me next time I upgrade my hardware. Given that my son just started High School it will probably be Mac. If Microsoft wants to alienate people they are doing a great job. If I have to pay for Windows on top of the computer and -let's face it - outside of America get none of the perks, I'm better off looking for alternatives.
WCA and human rights
by balonga - 8/25/06 7:09 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
Every democratic country accepts that everybody has the right to do not declare against himself.
WCA is a way to declare against yourself.
This is true whether or not the installation were not tricky as it is now.
We all ought to fight piracy as we fight crime in the streets, but in doing so we must respect the essencial human rights.
Pablo Balonga, PHD
Microsoft Genuine Advantage Tool
by joycee98 - 8/25/06 8:22 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
The title alone is a lie, it is of no advantage to me. ot most people.
When I build a computer, I put a genuine Microsoft operating system in the machine, and hand the disk onto the buyer. All the software on the machine is what the person has requested to be put on. They have not requested a software that is going to be constantly connecting to the internet to see if the operating system is genuine. Then find out they cannot take it off.
Also if someone goes into a computer retailers, and buys a ready made computer, with bundled software already installed. They go home and uninstall the software they dont want on the machine, such as Microsoft Works, and put in Microsoft office or whatever. They cannot remove the added Microsoft Genuine Advantage Tool. I only want, WHAT I WANT on my machine, NOT WHAT I HAVE TO HAVE, AGAINST MY WILL. There should be a choice after they have checked the validity, and let you know the outcome legal or not, that you can if you wish remove it. I consider it to be an intrusion and Spyware, I see Microsoft as no different to any hacker that acceses a machine remotley
RE: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage?
by protagonistic - 8/25/06 8:27 AM In reply to: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by Marc Bennett
While MS does have a right to protect against piracy, they do not have the right to do so at the expense of my privacy. They also do not have the right to do so in the disingenuous manner in which they did. In fact, I would have to say the method they used was downright underhanded.
The reason I say underhanded is because they placed an update in the Critical Update section that in no way impacts the security of my system. In fact, the only people this update is critical to in MS itself. Not installing it does not put my system at risk either from hackers or from a system stability aspect. It does absolutely nothing for me as an end user.
If you want to have a bit of fun get a computer without WGA installed and then go into the update site. Uncheck the WGA update and then check the do not show me this update again box. Now sit back and be prepared to be nagged by MS. They will nag you every time you go to the update site. And going even further they will nag you every time you unlock your firewall and allow them to go on the internet. You will see a pop up nag box over the Security Center icon in the system tray. The only way to stop that BS is to turn off the auto-loading of Security Center on startup.
I bought and paid for my copy of Windows and it is a legitimate copy. MS has decided that everyone is a suspected pirate until proven innocent. We can't be trusted so it is up to them to check every copy of windows. Sorry, MS, but there are other OS's out there that presume I am innocent and can be trusted. Guess who is going to get my next business purchase... I don't need to deal with someone who thinks I can't be trusted.
But That's the American Way
by benoddo - 8/25/06 11:09 AM In reply to: RE: How do you feel about Windows Genuine Advantage? by protagonisticFor the sake of security, everyone is "Guilty until proven innocent."
WGA - You are a software pirate, until you can prove you are not.
Airport Security - You are a potential terrorist, until you surrender that bottle of water you are carrying, and take off your shoes.
Microsoft's real enemy are those that mass produce illegal copies and it's their software pricing that spawned the market for pirated software in the first place. But it's easier for them to go after the little guys (users) rather than the big fish or scrutinize their pricing policies.
I don't know about you, but I resent being treated as a suspect only because I have a computer, or being treated like a potential terrorist whenever I travel. I have resorted to driving more despite higher gas prices. Perhaps it's time I unplug myself and start buying postage stamps.
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