I have no problem with MS wanting to deny services, upgrades and
whatnot to users of illegal copies of Windows. The latest "critical"
update, however is going one too far.

It ain't critical, and it confers no advantage to me to have it running
on my machine, I didn't mind to validate my copy of Windows for
downloading updates and I didn't mind to validate my copy again when I
wanted to download some MS tools/utilities.

But to have a piece of software continuously running on *my* machine
for no reason at all, just totally goes one step too far.

So there goes the usability of the "critical" updates. I'm not
downloading that and I won't be able to differentiate between a genuine
notification of a critical update and the bogus notification of the WGA
update. Makes a mockery of the Windows Critical update process. I'm
pretty sure MS couldn't point to *one* single reason that piece of
software is "critical* to me.

Just when I've started to think that perhaps the Borg isn't so bad,
they again try and assimilate my property to perform to their
requirements.

Screw you Microsoft! You've lost a good number of brownie points with
this stupid trick!

MikeB

You always have the option of installing another OS - say Linux. No one is
forcing you to use Windows.....

MD




"MikeB" wrote:

Mike, I am as appalled as you are. Having finally almost convinced myself to
obtain the Critical Updates post-SP-1, would you please tell me, if you
know, what is the Update Number of the offending update. I have a legal copy
of Windows and do not wish to invite the MS Police into my computer room,
which also happens to be my bedroom!
Thank you.


MikeB wrote:

xyz wrote:
KB905474 Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool

This is only listed as critical if you have automatic updates turned on, if
you go to windows update manually it is listed as uptional.

I find it funny that the biggest areas for piracy are China,Russia and India
yet the new WGA download is not offered to people from those places.

--
Mike Pawlak

Thaks for the info, MAP.

Yes, that is funny. At the moment MS seem to be working on establishing the
concept that people in those countries you mentioned are obliged to pay MS
*anything* at all for their software. WGA will have to wait a
bit...Meanwhile, stick it to the Deep Pocket People, who mostly avoid
committing piracy in the first place.

Go figure. Maybe we're all just being too "nice" about it. If housewives and
accountants rioted in the streets over WGA, things might start to change.

Oh really? Can I get my money back that I paid for Windows XP? Do you
think I can just stop doing the work I do on my computer and continue
to make a living? Do you think Linux have the drivers and software I
need to run my computer? I didn't agree to any of this running software
for Microsoft deal when I agreed to the EULA by breaking the seal on my
retail copy of Windows XP CDs. I'd say that I'm pretty much forced to
use Windows and that Microsoft damn well knows it and knows we'll
swallow the insult and injustice of doing what they are compelling us
to do.

Your observation is simply a smartass blow-off remark.

MikeB

MadDog wrote:

Microsoft has really gone too far, I totally agree!! In fact;even with a
valid XP copy; I still totally diagree with their underhanded methods. It is
up to me as to what programs I want to have installed and I didnt catch it
at first,because at a glance it looked alot like the Windows Genuine
Validation tool; and I figured it was just a patch. Then I come to find out
that;# 1-there is no easy uninstall in add/remove(in fact if you try;it
states that you cannot remove KB905474) and#2 (which is what truly offends
me) it reports back to MS ;everytime I connect to the internet; it's
"findings" . MS better straighten this out or Apple and open source will
have alot of new customers. I'm lucky enough to have the luxury of not
having to use windows; but I truly feel that MS is going to shoot themselves
in the foot over this. Especially when the media catches on.
Jeff
"MikeB" <MPBrede@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1146547448.295245.179190@i40g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

No I don't,but this is not about me personally; However-even based on MS own
criteria for spyware as defined in their Defender website-This qualifies!!
And I do have a valid copy of Windows;and yes I do believe it will offend
many people. Not so easy of an issue as you would like to think.
"Leythos" <void@nowhere.lan> wrote in message
news:%jG5g.24931$mh.15575@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com.. .

And is not such a simple fact for many people who do not have a choice to
use other operating systems
"Leythos" <void@nowhere.lan> wrote in message
news:%jG5g.24931$mh.15575@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com.. .

Leythos wrote:
Um, and how does that make the WGA fiasco a good thing? How does the end
user benefit from WGA?

Alias

Today Jeff commented courteously on the subject at hand

While I obviously agree - in principle - I am a practical man. M
$ didn't do this on a whim. You, me, and the hundreds of
millions of people that have made him a couple hundred
/billionaire/ willingly gave him your Visa card and eagerly
snapped up each new, more invasive/instrusive "authentication"
scheme.

There really isn't a viable solution except to boycott anything
M$, which right now will be about as successful as bailing out
the Pacific Ocean. But, the Chinese say "a journey of 1000 miles
begins with a single step", and that step is to vote with your
Visa card, and /not/ whine in a M$-sponsored peer-to-peer NG.

--
ATM, aka Jerry

"Gentleman, you can't fight in here, this the War Room!" - From
the movie 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and
Love the Bomb'

MikeB wrote:

All MS cares about is conditioning its users into doing whatever they
want them to do. And so far, the Sheeple have been following the
MicroShepard.

What most people don't realize that this so-called piracy crisis, that
has been manufactured by the corporate copyright elite, is almost as
made up as the WMDs in Iraq. Before PA, the software piracy rate was
falling every year since 1994. The piracy rate was much higher before
the PC was in everybodies home. Since the introduction of PA to the
masses by MS, the piracy rate has actually stopped its decline.

Copy-protection doesn't work, and considering all the money spent on
development and running the copy-protection infrastructure, is a losing
proposition for shareholders. Then consider all the consumer
disatisfaction this anti-consumer technology is causing, it doesn't any
business sense at all to continue use copy-protection.

When shareholders wake up and see that copy-protection is hurting them,
and they start raising havoc over it, then and only then will MS and the
rest of the corporate copyright elite listen!

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

All Things Mopar wrote:

LOL! Both are steps. Don't know which is the more productive one.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

kurttrail wrote:
Or maybe when Gates boots up and XP tells him his copy is not legit?

Alias

Alias wrote:
LOFL

I can't wait!

--
Mike Pawlak

kurttrail wrote:

People have grown unaccustomed thinking for themselves. It's easier just to
allow someone else to do it for them.


--
Mike Pawlak

"MikeB" <MPBrede@gmail.com> wrote in news:1146537524.991218.209420
@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com:

It doesn't run continuosly. It runs at login and promptly goes away (at least on my XP machines). And you
already stated the reason is to validate your Windows.

Fuzzy Logic wrote:

LOL! Like your install is suddenly gonna become illegit from one login
to the next. It's amazing the crap ya'll will accept for no good reason
at all.

You indeed live up to your name!

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

"kurttrail" <dontemailme@anywhereintheknownuniverse.org> wrote in news:ujX1qPibGHA.3344
@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

Yes indeed things are not black and white. Lots of things run at login and promptly go away. If you don't like it
move on. You apparently have a very low tolerance for pretty much everything.

Fuzzy Logic wrote:

LOL! Just a low tolerance for things that are totally useless to me.

That MS is sneaking this crap on to people's computers through Auto
Update as a critical update makes this crap even worse.

What is sad is that out of the few that even know about this, so many
don't see it as a problem at all.

Sheeple! Baaaaa! Baaaaa!

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."