WOW, Microsoft has a real "winner" with WGA :s

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Stumps
Nice one Microsoft...way to screw up people who do the right thing....I think that my next windows upgrade, I might just have to screw MS out of purchasing it.

If you're fed up with Microsoft and product activation, pirating their software isn't the answer. Use an alternative operating system if you want to make a statement.

Statement? Sure, you first show me an alternative OS that can run all the software I need to use. Even if pirating isn't the answer as you claim - it's sure as heck looking like the much smarter way to go.

Really, I thought the point of WGA was not so much to twart the pirates, but to inform the unknowing innocent that are using pirated software. See, the "pirates" just never allowed WGA to be installed in the first place - while most all paying customers are receiving the wonderful benifits of daily background internet chats with Microsoft, and periodic phone calls to reps pleading for permission to use the computer.

What are these daily chats WGA has with MS servers doing to help stop piracy? Not a darn thing.

Oh, that new windows downloads that windows update bugged me to download? I cancelled that thing because I didn't trust it, I know if my PC is pirated or not, I don't need some piece of Microsoft software checking it for me that provides no actual benefit to me.

I asked the operator how they got that info, because even when I register I don't get asked that infomation, only my name, address, ocupation and a few other pointless details.
the operator informed me that this info is collected at activation, this is when the arguement really started to get interesting...I informed the operator that my pc a not connected via then network, nor the network is setup up for them at the time I do activation(which is right after WinXP finishes it's instalation).

That seems to be a privacy issue, even if windows collects that data, there is no reason for it to be anything other than a hash code, the operator shouldn't be able to see your hardware config. (even though it can be gotten through internet explorer anyway)

 

[Boo Boo]

next time dont install there piece of crap WGV its intrussive and malicious spyware

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Boo Boo
next time dont install there piece of crap WGV its intrussive and malicious spyware

I bet it will be standard in Vista.

 

[OvErHeAtInG]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Stumps
I think you missed the point....I setup and activate my PC's BEFORE I hook them up to MY home network...this is the info that MS isn't supposed to have but do...they could give me details about my Private home network...and this is what is worring me...they shouldn't have this info.

So how exactly do you activate these copies of windows? I assume you either Phone in for activation, you have multiple independent internet connections (dialup maybe), you disconnect your whole lan from your internet connection and jack it directly into the new machine, or you connect your new pc to the lan and activate it while it's still connected to the other machines. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to point out your whine's major flaw if it's the latter.

Even with one internet connection, it's very simple to create a separate internal network with no routing between the 2. If what Stumps says is true, it is disturbing indeed. I believe stash, but if MS has lied to its customers, it wouldn't take much to lie to support staff as well.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: stash
I don't want to say you are a liar, since I have no way to verify what you are telling us, so I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt. That said, Windows activation does NOT send any of the information you say the operator gave you. Activation sends a hash of the hardware on your system, but there is no way for someone with that hash to figure out exactly what components you had or the machine name.

This article discusses exactly what is sent when you activate: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/evaluate/xpactiv.mspx

You will notice that the article shows that there is no way to determine the components in your PC, nor the names of your PCs from activating.

WGA sends the following information, and it is not hashed, because it is used for statistical purposes.

* Windows product key
* PC manufacturer
* Operating System version
* PID/SID
* BIOS information (make, version, date)
* BIOS MD5 Checksum
* User locale (language setting for displaying Windows)
* System locale (language version of the operating system)
* Office product key (if validating Office)
* Hard drive serial number

Again, there is no PII (personally identifiable information) sent here. And the 'phone home' thing that has been getting a lot of play in the media is a complete misnomer by the media. It does not phone home at all, all it does is check to see if there is an updated version of the WGA bits. No information whatsoever is sent from the client to Microsoft during the daily ping.

Microsoft takes privacy seriously, and meaures are taken to prevent PII from ever being transmitted. If you believe that PII has been transmitted (which again, does not appear to be likely), I would suggest posting at the WGA forum. Those guys can answer definitively about the mechanics of WGA. But I can guarantee you that they will tell you that no PII should ever be sent, and if you have evidence to the contrary, they will take it very seriously.

http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=125&SiteID=25

But will it be big-men-with-baseball-bats seriously or hush-money seriously?