XP Phone Home Feature Partially Disabled by Microsoft

The “pirate checks” that are performed by Windows XP machines with WGA installed have been stopped by Microsoft. The decision to bury the details about Windows Genuine Validation (WGA) in the endless legalese of a confusing EULA caused a backlash from consumer rights organizations and sparked class action lawsuits in the US.

Computer repair facilities and technicians also complained that Microsoft left them holding the bag by not telling them about the implementation of and functionality associated with its WGA software update to Windows XP. “I bought my software legitimately, I validated it, I go to Microsoft for updates, and if they want to check it then, that’s okay, but coming back every day is too much,” said Ian Smith, an XP user who has been adversely affected by the situation.

Microsoft certainly has the right to protect its intellectual property, but it was not a good policy for them to hide the true nature of the WGA update from customers.

It was largely the unified and overwhelming reaction of the market against the WGA update that finally caused Microsoft to capitulate and disable the daily phone home feature of the program.

Unfortunately, the rest of the features of WGA remain in tact. Including “occasional” phoning home to Microsoft to verify that the copy is genuine, (annoying) on screen “helpful reminders” for users who have a  copy of XP that doesn’t pass muster, along with the eventual possibility of Microsoft deciding one day to create a new add-on to WGA that would disable the functionality of a users system all together unless Microsoft gives it the OK.

The “pirate checks” that are performed by Windows XP machines with WGA installed have been stopped by Microsoft. The decision to bury the details about Windows Genuine Validation (WGA) in the endless legalese of a confusing EULA caused a backlash from consumer rights organizations and sparked class action lawsuits in the US.

Computer repair facilities and technicians also complained that Microsoft left them holding the bag by not telling them about the implementation of and functionality associated with its WGA software update to Windows XP. “I bought my software legitimately, I validated it, I go to Microsoft for updates, and if they want to check it then, that’s okay, but coming back every day is too much,” said Ian Smith, an XP user who has been adversely affected by the situation.

Microsoft certainly has the right to protect its intellectual property, but it was not a good policy for them to hide the true nature of the WGA update from customers.

It was largely the unified and overwhelming reaction of the market against the WGA update that finally caused Microsoft to capitulate and disable the daily phone home feature of the program.

Unfortunately, the rest of the features of WGA remain in tact. Including “occasional” phoning home to Microsoft to verify that the copy is genuine, (annoying) on screen “helpful reminders” for users who have a  copy of XP that doesn’t pass muster, along with the eventual possibility of Microsoft deciding one day to create a new add-on to WGA that would disable the functionality of a users system all together unless Microsoft gives it the OK.