Vista SP1 kills the WGA kill switch

Microsoft's anti-piracy system known (and loathed) as Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is set to lose its bite. When Vista SP1 launches in early 2008, WGA will still identify -- ad-nauseam -- what it thinks to be non-legal copies of Vista. However, it will lose its ability to disable said systems. The change was announced in a presentation by WGA senior product manger, Alex Kochis, who said, "Based on customer feedback, we will not reduce user functionality on systems determined to be non-genuine." That should bring a swift end to WGA customer complaints related to false-positives, spyware concerns, or server glitches. Score one point for law-abiding citizens everywhere.

[Via ZDNET, thanks Daniel S.]

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 9:17AM]

It doesn't really make a difference removing the 'reduced user functionality' "feature" of Vista. All it does is reduce the users access to things, it doesn't totaly restrict them, I ran lots of programs while in it, just by downloading a file that was assosiated with a certain installed program. From a program like Word, you still have the ability to open explorer and modify files!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 9:32AM]

In other words, "Nobody is using Vista, and we need to fix that pronto. We'll loosen the noose a bit to get more adopters before our next OS."

WGA is what drove me away from Windows. Activation was the punch in the face, but WGA was the kick in the groin. They'll have to turn WGA OFF and say they'll never do it again to get me back.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 10:37AM]

I'm really impressed with Microsoft on this one. They've done the right thing here. I could actually see myself upgrading to Vista at some point in the future now.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 11:39AM]

wow. good thing my pirated copy didn't have that "WGA" thing. that sounds like it would suck.

[octoberasian Posted Dec 4th 2007 11:46AM]

Wait, wait, wait... did I read that right? Microsoft actually listened to customer feedback??

The world has almost teetered into the apocalypse at such news. So, they'll keep the WGA, but not reduced functionality. Sounds so un-Microsoft like given their past experience regarding anti-piracy methods.

Now, to only change that god-forsaken activation scheme and re-code or get rid of Vista and work on something that... actually works.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 12:12PM]

I've been using Vista since February of 2007. I have never seen this WGA thing. All I did was install the genuine copy of Vista Business Microsoft sent to me, and it's worked like a charm ever since.

[Branhower Posted Dec 4th 2007 12:24PM]

I think WGA needs to be reformatted. We got the internet, why not link your name to computer hardware purchases back to Microsoft and they'll register the change? Then, when you put the hardware in your computer, it will register the serial number and not bug you with any messages telling you to reactivate the product, or spam you with messages that your version of Windows is not genuine. Any takers?

[blash Posted Dec 4th 2007 1:14PM]

who cares? You know that command you can run from the command line that allows you to extend your Vista trial to nearly 3 months? Well it turns out that with a registry hack you can extend that to up to 1 year - not bad considering the fact that you should be reformatting well sooner than every year anyways. As far as I'm concerned once you've got a legal Vista disc you can install it on as many machines as you want, and it's all legal since you didn't try to use a rogue pirated CD key or anything.

[vbtwo31984 Posted Dec 5th 2007 7:40AM]

Except that MS is disabling that hack in SP1. It's also disabling the other hack that's been widely used with Vista of emulating some OEMs bios so it thinks you've got a valid Dell PC or something.

But your hack will work as long as you never update.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 2:06PM]

And score about a million points for the non-law-abiding ones.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 4:39PM]

I really don't mind buying ONE legal copy of windows, but I have two computers. I wish MS would let it be installed on more than one machine.. mabey two?!? So... well, you can pretty much guess what I did.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 5:30PM]

Oh noes, lame+annoying "click >here

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 4th 2007 5:31PM]

Oh noes, lame+annoying "click [here]" links now creep to off-line UIs :(

(Engadget's anti-XSS filter is over-reacting)

[Iceman721 Posted Dec 4th 2007 10:41PM]

I am still running XP but I am currently shopping for a new laptop. After reading this thread about the evil empire. I may need to just go buy a Mac. I'm really sick of Microsoft making things so difficult on those of us they should be working hard to please. Especially computer builders. Build a solid OS without all the bugs that works with people's existing hardwire before you try to milk every penny out of us for your buggy malfunctioning wait til SP 3 OS!

[Cyberdyne Systems Posted Dec 5th 2007 5:02AM]

Well folks, hades has frozen over and the devil is serving lemonade. Who wants one with a little umbrella? ... The only problem that I ever had with it really was one day I was in bio taking notes, then it(windows) started pestering me with activation... so I guess it couldn't have picked a better time. So I just saved it to a text file in my swap partition and booted fedora :) problem solved.

[realar Posted Dec 5th 2007 7:03PM]

There was nothing genuine about Windows Genuine Advantage, unless your Microsoft, and they knew it.