Ted the Penguin

Yet another reason to ditch Windows

So you read my tirade about Vista’s EULA, read on for one about XP.

One of Microsoft’s ‘critical updates’ to Windows XP is WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage). Essentially what this tool does is check to see if your copy of XP is genuine or pirated. Well, it tries to anyway. It might falsely accuse you of having a pirated version, denying you updates and/or ‘convincing’ you to repurchase it.

You can select if you want to install the software, and if you do, it will send information to Microsoft about your usage of the tool. In the User Agreement that you accept in the installation process, it does say that it will do this.

The surprise comes when you cancel or quit the WGA update. Without agreeing to or viewing the EULA, it STILL sends information to MS about your usage of the tool, some of which is encrypted. The end user is not informed that any information will be transmitted, nor given the option to disallow it. Sounds like malware to me.

[UPDATE 3-8-07: So I was quick to judge... it was so easy!  I'm sorry.  You are informed of this submission of data in the Windows Updates Privacy Policy.  You can read more, and compare what data Microsoft vs. Apple sends, here.]

Microsoft ‘says’ that this information can’t be used to determine who you are, but who trusts them now days?

Here’s a suggestion, install Linux or buy a Mac. It’s cheaper and safer.