Microsoft is still preparing Vista SP1 though a public beta before the end of the year is not out of the question.  Vista SP1 will loosen WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) restrictions for the operating system.  WGA is the DRM tool responsible for checking if Windows is a genuine copy and if not, forces you to activate or put up with reduced functionality mode.

We reported earlier that this will no longer be the case but what does all this mean?  InformationWeek proposes an answer, that this enables anyone and everyone to run Vista with Sp1 for free, forever, without paying.  Of course, that is far from legal and those that did so would have to put up with a nag box reminding them to activate but reduced functionality mode and all the other horrors will be gone.

As to why, it’s common sense.  Even if people didn’t pay for that copy of Vista they are running, it’s still a win for Microsoft.  The more copies running, no matter how they were acquired means more market share for the company.  It may even stop some people from switching to Linux.

A second, possibly more reasonable explanation is that WGA itself is severely flawed since doing something as insignificant as upgrading drivers can cause the WGA system to falsely identify some systems as being pirated and activate the reduced functionality mode.  This happened to some people who ended calling Microsoft support.

Then there is even a discount program in place for those who report non-genuine installations of Vista to Microsoft.  Call it an “amnesty” program if you will.  Report someone and you will get a discount on a genuine license key/copy of Vista.

As for businesses, well, they’re smart enough not to mess with Microsoft and the Business Software Alliance so all copies of Vista for them will be/must be genuine.

Even if Microsoft is loosening the strings a little, it’s still not a smart idea to run a non-genuine copy of Vista or any of its software as those may not be eligible for all the security updates.  If that’s not enough, remember, it’s illegal to run pay-for software without having a license key for it.

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, December 5th, 2007 at 1:43 pm under Microsoft, Upgrading, Vista.  Print This Post

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