8 Comments

Hi we are Microsoft… we secretly watch you… sorry we didn’t mention it earlier

June 9, 2006 by in Tech with 8 Comments

Microsoft Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it needs to better inform users that its tool for determining whether a computer is running a pirated copy of Windows also quietly checks in daily with the software maker.

Seems that the Windows Genuine Advantage software we all remember hitting the PC scene a while back had some dirty little secrets.

Once installed, the program checks to make sure the version of Windows a user is running is legitimate, and gathers information such as the computer’s manufacturer and the language and locale it is set for.

Oh is that all?

[switches currency to Francs, and Timezone to Asia]

The good news is in the future they won’t spy on you and your system nearly as much :D

Lazar also said the company plans to tweak the program soon so that it will only check in with Microsoft every two weeks, rather than daily.

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  • http://walkingsnake.net Jake Hamilton

    So what? :\ It’s just a way to see where illegal copies of Windows are showing up most. Trust me, Microsoft isn’t watching you look at porn. ;)

  • Roy

    no the problem is that Microsoft is not a trustworth company… if they have been doing this much what else are they doing?

  • http://walkingsnake.net Jake Hamilton

    You know what? This website tracks your broswer, your IP, your country, and even your OS! And so does every other website in the world. OMG! Conspiracy!

  • Capitalist

    Microsoft is very trustworthy, they are too big, there are way too many lawyers and governments who want a piece of the microsoft pie for them to do something stupid. And I am not a brainwashed microsoftie… I am typing this on my newly acquired macbook! So let’s ease up on the paranoia. Now open the blinds everyone and look outside, it’s beautiful ;)

  • Martin

    You know, I bet Google knows more about you than Microsoft — email, calendars, spreadsheets, what you search for, and with the latest firefox plug-in google knows your cookies, surfing history and favourites.. complete identity theft kit?

  • POW

    Get Linux, I would suggest Ubuntu… After you have installed it, there is no way turning back. And after the installation, http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/ helps you with enabling some features that arent enabled by default.

    I found it odd, that people wont even care for this big corporation receiving data from home computers back to their servers… It would be somewhat ok, if I could see a warning “Yes, this software you are forced to install to get updates is calling home every week. The data includes the IP, GUI, Your locale settings, e-mail address book and pictures from your “My pictures” folders.”

    I dont have the WGA software installed so im not concerned my privacy, as a matter of fact im running SP2 without any major updates (Excluding the patch for WMF vulnerablitiy).. Why should I, because XP is installed just because some games I like to play wont run in Linux.

    And yes, this is Linux that I’m using right now…

  • Patrick

    ” [Microsoft] plans to tweak the program soon so that it will only check in with Microsoft every two weeks, rather than daily.”

    Oh! Well… thats a lot better! Instead of not spying on me, Microsoft promises to spy on me less!… At least they are honest :D

    I agree with Roy on this one… Its not that what Microsoft admitted doing is so bad, but that they are just now telling us! I like the way Roy sums it up: “If they have been doing this much what else are they doing?”

  • http://www.xbandx.com/ jason

    i think microsoft needs people to run the os illegally.. its the only way they can stay on top of the popularity game. i just wish we could ifnd out how they get the info! i havent read anywhere about ethereal or firewalls sniffing hidden MS traffic… dun dun dun

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