Friday, June 30, 2006
Is Microsoft Readying A "Kill Switch" For Windows?
Posted by Ed Hansberry in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 09:00 AM
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=84
"Two weeks ago, I wrote about my serious objections to Microsoft’s latest salvo in the war against unauthorized copies of Windows. Two Windows Genuine Advantage components are being pushed onto users’ machines with insufficient notification and inadequate quality control, and the result is a big mess. Guess what? WGA might be on the verge of getting even messier. In fact, one report claims WGA is about to become a Windows “kill switch” – and when I asked Microsoft for an on-the-record response, they refused to deny it." (Emphasis added)
A week or so ago, I wrote about how Windows Genuine Asininity (WGA) phones home daily to see what it needs to do, a "feature" they have recently removed via the June 27 WGA update. Now though, it seems MS is forging ahead with WGA to the point where the system may essentially revoke your license if it sees fit to do so. I actually hope they push ahead with this at 200mph. Then, I am going to sit back and wait for the Wall Street Journal headline where some Fortune 500 company had a mission critical server disabled by WGA and is in the process of filing a lawsuit against MS for the financial cost of the downtime. I am trying to think of something stupider MS could do here and the only thing I can think of is to collaborate with their hardware partners to put a credit-card swipe mechanism on the front of the computer that the user has to swipe at least weekly before logging in, renting more Windows time from Microsoft.
I guess Windows Mobile is somewhat shielded from this. We often can't get legitimate updates for our devices because they simply don't exist. MS probably isn't worried too much about illegal ones. Yet. :?
Update: Microsoft officially denies Kill Switch technology. Microsoft anti-piracy technologies cannot and will not turn off your computer. :clap:
"Two weeks ago, I wrote about my serious objections to Microsoft’s latest salvo in the war against unauthorized copies of Windows. Two Windows Genuine Advantage components are being pushed onto users’ machines with insufficient notification and inadequate quality control, and the result is a big mess. Guess what? WGA might be on the verge of getting even messier. In fact, one report claims WGA is about to become a Windows “kill switch” – and when I asked Microsoft for an on-the-record response, they refused to deny it." (Emphasis added)
A week or so ago, I wrote about how Windows Genuine Asininity (WGA) phones home daily to see what it needs to do, a "feature" they have recently removed via the June 27 WGA update. Now though, it seems MS is forging ahead with WGA to the point where the system may essentially revoke your license if it sees fit to do so. I actually hope they push ahead with this at 200mph. Then, I am going to sit back and wait for the Wall Street Journal headline where some Fortune 500 company had a mission critical server disabled by WGA and is in the process of filing a lawsuit against MS for the financial cost of the downtime. I am trying to think of something stupider MS could do here and the only thing I can think of is to collaborate with their hardware partners to put a credit-card swipe mechanism on the front of the computer that the user has to swipe at least weekly before logging in, renting more Windows time from Microsoft.
I guess Windows Mobile is somewhat shielded from this. We often can't get legitimate updates for our devices because they simply don't exist. MS probably isn't worried too much about illegal ones. Yet. :?
Update: Microsoft officially denies Kill Switch technology. Microsoft anti-piracy technologies cannot and will not turn off your computer. :clap:
