Anti-piracy tool to be upgraded

Microsoft's controversial anti-piracy application, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), is to be upgraded next week.

The WGA Notifications tool allows Microsoft to see whether or not your copy of Windows and other Microsoft software programs were purchased and installed legally when your PC is connected to the internet.

The WGA programme has caused a storm in some quarters, with many claiming that it is an invasion of privacy. Some argue that because Microsoft can find out what software you are using on your PC, there is nothing to stop them going further and recording your online activities, for example.

However, Microsoft has countered this by saying that WGA is a perfectly legitimate way of preventing software piracy, something that it is perfectly entitled to do.

The updates to WGA will incorporate user feedback, according to Microsoft, and it aims to make more information available about how the program works to those who download it, presumably to calm any privacy fears.

Though the update is officially optional, if you have Automatic Updates installed on your PC, the new WGA tool will be downloaded without your knowlegde.

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/

More news via RSS Post item to Del.icio.us Post item to Digg.com