WGA Bolsters Frontline in Anti-Piracy Fight 

A new press release from the MS office suggests Windows Genuine advantage is spearheading the fight  against software piracy and counterfeiting. Or does this mean they found another way for it to continue spying on all us mere mortals who use Windows?

But never the less a Microsoft press release says

 REDMOND, Wash., June 27, 2006 – Every year, millions of consumers and businesses are hurt by counterfeit software. Companies and individuals that license legitimate software have difficulty competing with artificially low prices offered by software pirates. Those who have unwittingly purchased counterfeit software may not have access to the latest features, security and support that help improve productivity and enhance the capabilities of their PCs.

Microsoft is committed to protecting consumers and software resellers from counterfeit software and other forms of software piracy. The company recently announced an expanded focus on those efforts through creation of the Genuine Software Initiative (GSI). As part of the Genuine Software Initiative, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) has played a critical role in Microsoft’s efforts to help consumers learn whether or not they have a genuine copy of Windows and counter the growth of software piracy.

In July 2005, Microsoft launched WGA Validation, which asked users to make sure their copy of Windows was genuine when using Windows Update, Microsoft Update and the Download Center. The first phase of the WGA Notifications pilot was launched in Norway and Sweden in November 2005. In February 2006, five additional countries were added, and the program was further expanded in April 2006. On May 30, Microsoft expanded the pilot to all major markets in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. WGA Notifications is software that is distributed through Automatic Updates and Windows Update that reminds users who fail validation that they are not running genuine Windows, and directs them to resources to learn more about the benefits of using genuine Windows software.

The updated package includes some notable changes to the software based on customer feedback from the previous version.

To help clarify some details about WGA Notifications, Microsoft is providing the following list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. Also, screenshots of the WGA Notifications Customer experience are available on the www.microsoft.com/genuine website.