by Jo | July 28th, 2005
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: New “key” mandatory in Windows for updates
Get ready to register with Microsoft if you want to update your Windows operating system.
In a shift toward greater monitoring of personal computer systems and potentially less copying of software, Microsoft will require users to let the company place a software “key” on their systems if they want the free, regular system updates it provides.
Privacy advocates are concerned, but Microsoft said the system is anonymous and won’t be used for anything other than verifying the operating systems’ authenticity.
Called “Windows Genuine Advantage,” the system is designed to limit the spread of copied software, a widespread practice that has grated on co-founder Bill Gates since the earliest days of personal computing.
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July 28th, 2005 at 4:43 pm
I just got this new machine about 6 weeks ago. It of course is loaded with XP and Microsoft wanted me to register it.
Now, I have a great distrust of anyone who wants to poke about my life but this seemed perfectly logical and since I did register, I have gotten nothing but great service from MS.
That’s not to say it would have been otherwise had I declined (which was an option) but in this age of having pirates ready to steal everything from your name to your kids’ school grades… it seemed a good idea!
Let’s face it… had it not been for Bill Gates and few others, we could still be limited to surfing channels on TV…