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View Full Version : windows genuine advantage what do u think



jonathan21
July 17th, 2006, 12:08 PM
for those who hate talking about windows sorry.but what does everyone think of the whole windows genuine advantage saga.personally its sad to see microsoft turn on its own customers

slimdog360
July 17th, 2006, 12:19 PM
What is supposed to be the advantage?

NESFreak
July 17th, 2006, 12:21 PM
IE 7 beta :P

MaximB
July 17th, 2006, 12:24 PM
if you install it you will be able to install more of MS's "free" programs.
if you don't - you will get only the critical updates

Kvark
July 17th, 2006, 12:26 PM
It's obviously spyware so any sane anti virus program should remove it and any sane user should refuse to have it on their computer. But so far it's only yet another spyware on the Windows platform.

If the rumours are correct in that it calls home to Microsoft daily and that future versions of it will disable Windows if a genuinity test fails then it might get interesting... Next time US gets really agry at some country they force MS to make WGA diable all Windows computers(which is like 99% of all computers) in that language, with IP addresses from that country or with serials sold in that country. The next day that poor country will be using pen and paper.

koshari
July 17th, 2006, 12:30 PM
"The next day that poor country will be using pen and paper."

or linux!

koshari
July 17th, 2006, 12:33 PM
at the end of the day MS is a private identitiy and if they require their customers to spin round in circles with one finger on there noses and the opposate hand outstretched so be it,

however given that the vast sums of monies for MS come from there entiprise editions that generally dont include stuff like GA and WPA there only pi$$ing of the small fish.

%hMa@?b<C
July 17th, 2006, 01:05 PM
Seems like a real **** thing to do. So, people pirate your software, make it more difficult to crack, dont lock them out, because that has the potential of false=positives, which many people have already seen.

slimdog360
July 17th, 2006, 01:17 PM
The thing is they dont put any copy protection on windows, I used the cd copy utility built in to windows to make a 'backup copy' myself. I also didnt like the windows genuine on my legal copy of Windows so I removed it, very rare updates or no very rare updates.

MaximB
July 17th, 2006, 01:45 PM
by the way - if you happen to go to microsoft.com
they offer to install their genuine "upgrade" from there site too
so be ceraful on what you install !!!

digTro
July 17th, 2006, 01:49 PM
Its a piece of crap.

At our workplace, all the systems are legit Win XP boxes. Normally the sysadmin group reviews the patches and implements them across the organization. But some of the workers had enabled the automatic update option (thinking that their system would be up to date and hence safe from any attacks). XP happily downloaded WGA and started reporting a few copies as "not genuine".

We had paid for their licenses and in return MS has branded us as "pirates". And there's nothing we can do about it. We can't ditch windows as there are very few people who are comfortable with Linux, thanks to number of pirated windows copies floating around. I really wish that they crack down all pirated copies. At least then people will start using Linux.

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 02:00 PM
for those who hate talking about windows sorry.but what does everyone think of the whole windows genuine advantage saga.

Microsoft users deserve whatever happens to them. Viruses, trojans, spyware, Windows Genuine Advantage: if you use Windows, you deserve the consequences.


personally its sad to see microsoft turn on its own customers

I think it's comedy gold.

jason.b.c
July 17th, 2006, 02:11 PM
Microsoft users deserve whatever happens to them. Viruses, trojans, spyware, Windows Genuine Advantage: if you use Windows, you deserve the consequences.I think it's comedy gold.

Well that's a stupid comment..!!! That's like saying: If you get in your car and drive across town to go grocerie shopping you deserve to be in a car accident and die..!!

I think that windows geniuine advanage thing only applies to XP ., If you don't want to worry about it then don't use XP.! Use an older version of windows like "Win 2000" ..

I have that WGA thing in this system . , Only it's an older version of it , Not the one that everybody's talking about.. Besides that, I've blocked out alot of things from being able to "Call Home" through my firewall...

mech7
July 17th, 2006, 02:23 PM
Well they have the right to protect their own software.. most of the users have probably got an illegal copy anyway :-k

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 02:25 PM
Well that's a stupid comment..!!! That's like saying: If you get in your car and drive across town to go grocerie shopping you deserve to be in a car accident and die..!!

Using Windows has consequences, just like driving. Deal with it, and don't expect sympathy from people who know better than to use Windows.

jason.b.c
July 17th, 2006, 02:46 PM
Using Windows has consequences, just like driving. Deal with it, and don't expect sympathy from people who know better than to use Windows.

And was i asking for sympathy..??

And what are the consequences to using windows..?? :confused:

I think at least half of the users in this forum are still using windows for at least something, Like playing games, or using programs that they need that won't run in ubuntu...:cool:

PapaWiskas
July 17th, 2006, 02:51 PM
I dont use Windows, so I dont think about it at all.

slimdog360
July 17th, 2006, 02:56 PM
you can also use a firewall with program control like zonealarm to stop it from sending anything back to microsoft.

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 03:03 PM
And what are the consequences to using windows..?? :confused:

Viruses
Worms
Trojans
Spyware
Adware
WINDOWS GENUINE ADVANTAGE

Any further questions?



I think at least half of the users in this forum are still using windows for at least something

They're not my problem, especially the gamers. Let 'em buy consoles.

Yossarian
July 17th, 2006, 03:16 PM
Yeah, I'm not happy with it, personally. Some of the software you get from it is nice, too. Windows defender, maybe ie7.

Is anyone else getting a weird thought shape from their use of the word 'genuine'? Like genuine leather, maybe? "Go ahead, feel the case. This baby's got nothing but 100% genuine windows."

jason.b.c
July 17th, 2006, 03:24 PM
Viruses
Worms
Trojans
Spyware
Adware


I don't have problems with that stuff...I do a preaty thorough job of keeping that stuff out..


Let 'em buy consoles.

Computer games are better.. Faster , Looking , Entertaining , etc

:D

Dragonbite
July 17th, 2006, 03:27 PM
Since I have Windows at work and at home I ran the darn WGA plug in here at work and refuse to at home.

If I need something then I'll wait until I can come in to work and download it from here and take it home. Works fine when there is a redistributable version available.

What I can't understand is how can Microsoft be flubbing so badly lately? It's like they're shooting themselves in the foot on purpose!

G Morgan
July 17th, 2006, 03:37 PM
Computer games are better.. Faster , Looking , Entertaining , etc

:D

I agree that PC games are better. Console games are generally infantile and you have little option bar Windows at the moment unless you want to play an arcadey piece of junk. Fortunately most of Windows flaws can be solved through disabling the network connection on the box leaving you free to play all the games you like without the risk of exploits.

Having said all this I will dump Windows completely if M2:TW comes out on a console.

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 03:54 PM
Computer games are better.. Faster , Looking , Entertaining , etc

Sure, if you're talking about real-time strategy. FPS? Screw 'em. MMORPGs? Screw 'em. Sandbox RPGs like Oblivion? Screw 'em. Let me know when Prince of Persia 4* and the next Shin Megami Tensei game hits PC and I'll start caring about PC gaming.

*I know that Prince of Persia started out on the Mac, but that was back in the day.

FISHERMAN
July 17th, 2006, 04:28 PM
I've disabled the Automatic Windows Updates on my WinPartition(which I only have for 1 program that doesn't work in Wine) so it is not installed on my system and thus it doesn't bother me.
However if most Windows-users tolerate WGA(which they will probably do), it's here to stay.

WildTangent
July 17th, 2006, 05:15 PM
especially the gamers. Let 'em buy consoles.
Consoles aren't the same, and they never will be. PC gaming for life. Anyway, WGA doesn't bother me, it's falsely identified me, but I don't mind because it thinks I'm genuine :D Technically, you're not allowed to reuse OEM licenses with a new computer, but that's just BS

-Wild

G Morgan
July 17th, 2006, 05:25 PM
Consoles aren't the same, and they never will be. PC gaming for life. Anyway, WGA doesn't bother me, it's falsely identified me, but I don't mind because it thinks I'm genuine :D Technically, you're not allowed to reuse OEM licenses with a new computer, but that's just BS

-Wild

The technical difference between consoles and PC's is so small to be irrelevant. The real problem is the devs that work for console environments have a different opinion of what makes a good game than anyone with any sort of activity upstairs. Consoles have always been the domain of hype and gloss with throwaway titles while PC Games have always been a more difficult market in terms of games needing something new to sell generally.

Another concern I have is in terms of modding. If everything goes console then modding is dead but hopefully the modders will throw their weight behind OSS then and it won't matter so much.

//edit - also since I tend to buy PC Games because of mods then I might dump proprietry gaming all together.//

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 05:30 PM
The technical difference between consoles and PC's is so small to be irrelevant. The real problem is the devs that work for console environments have a different opinion of what makes a good game than anyone with any sort of activity upstairs. Consoles have always been the domain of hype and gloss with throwaway titles while PC Games have always been a more difficult market in terms of games needing something new to sell generally.

Who the hell are you kidding? What did Half-Life 2 have to offer in terms of gameplay that could not be found in Doom or Wolfenstein 3D? Networked deathmatches? That was available in the first Quake. What does World of Warcraft offer that can't be found in an oldschool MUD? Don't pretend that PC gaming is exempt from the lack of creativity and tendency towards slapping fresh, shinier chrome on the same old crap.

G Morgan
July 17th, 2006, 05:43 PM
Who the hell are you kidding? What did Half-Life 2 have to offer in terms of gameplay that could not be found in Doom or Wolfenstein 3D? Networked deathmatches? That was available in the first Quake. What does World of Warcraft offer that can't be found in an oldschool MUD? Don't pretend that PC gaming is exempt from the lack of creativity and tendency towards slapping fresh, shinier chrome on the same old crap.

FPS's are the biggest rehashing joke on the market but each one was a slight improvement over the other but I find that console games are generally weak, Halo on the XBox was an easy joke for example. Any game that can be played in less than a day on any difficulty level deserves distain.

Strategy is the best area of PC Gaming anyway and as far as WoW goes I don't see the draw in MMO's anyway, if I want to chat I'll open an IM client, if I want an RPG I'll open a RPG. As for RPG's they are all stroyline driven, Planescape Torment offered nothing technologically over Baldur's Gate but was a very different game despite using the same infinity engine. Definately an area where the creativity of the author trumps the technology in the engine.

I'll admit that there are areas in the PC gaming world that lack creativity but its less of a problem than it is in the console world where prehaps you'll get 2-4 really good games in a consoles life time and none of them will be really creative.

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 05:53 PM
I'll admit that there are areas in the PC gaming world that lack creativity but its less of a problem than it is in the console world where prehaps you'll get 2-4 really good games in a consoles life time and none of them will be really creative.

I don't buy games for their creativity. I didn't look at the back of the box for Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and say, "I bet the hackers at Atlus got really creative." I said, "Hmm... this'll probably be entertaining." I can name a couple of dozen PS2 games that have entertained me. I can name three PC games that did the same, and Planescape: Torment was one of them. Furthermore, most games are disposable, which is why I rent them. Sure, I'll fire up Devil May Cry to kill a couple of hours, even though I've beaten the game a couple dozen times, but most games are only worth playing once.

Carrots171
July 17th, 2006, 06:00 PM
I like PC games because of the mods. They add replay value and extend the life of the game. I beat Doom 3 recently, for example, but I'm just beginning to play the fan-made maps and mods for it.

jason.b.c
July 17th, 2006, 06:04 PM
I like PC games because of the mods. They add replay value and extend the life of the game. I beat Doom 3 recently, for example, but I'm just beginning to play the fan-made maps and mods for it.

Try F.E.A.R. , Alot of fun....:-D

WildTangent
July 17th, 2006, 06:24 PM
Yes, mods are awesome. I couldn't live without Garry's Mod for Half-Life 2 :D Gmod never gets boring :D

-Wild

Polygon
July 17th, 2006, 07:00 PM
until the miracoulous day when all computer games have ports for linux, i will be using windows for my games

i dont care if YOU think that pc games lack creativity. I have fun playing it.

And besides, the computer will always be better then the console. The computer has had internet access for like ever, and consoles have only gained that feature with the xbox in like 2000 or whenever it came out. When the xbox came out with its wonderful 733 mhz processor and 64 mb of ram, i was running computer games on my 2.1 ghz processor and 512 mb of ram. with an internet connection, without having to shell out an extra 10 dollars a month just to play online.


and yeah i installed this windows genuine advantage tool, it hasnt given me any problems. but i will be pissed if it does like "shut down" my windows eventually, and in that case, i will simply just reformat my drive and reinstall xp again.

Stormy Eyes
July 17th, 2006, 07:23 PM
The computer has had internet access for like ever, and consoles have only gained that feature with the xbox in like 2000 or whenever it came out.

Some of us don't give a damn about online gaming. I certainly don't. The last time I tried playing a game online, I spent three hours just looking for a server that wasn't populated by ignorant teenaged griefers. Why in Angra Mainyu's name should I bother with online play?

G Morgan
July 17th, 2006, 09:18 PM
Have to agree that online gaming is pretty limited from my perspective. FPS's have become less interesting* and RTS's haven't recovered from Total Annihilation being so brilliant**. Other than that whats there to play online. Space Combat sims might have been interesting but for Total Annihilation read Freespace 2, same result no more interesting space combat sims. Then theres the expensive chat room known as WoW.

The best games are the lone ones. I play Gal Civs 2, Civilisation 4, R:TW and a few RPG's here and there (these are drying up, far too much effort on gloss here. What happened to the days where the infinity engine was reused about 10m times). On occassion I'll pull out FS2 (which is fantastic and one of the few games I've been able to replay a few times) or some other classic. X3 is quite good as well (I don't count it as a Space Combat sim) for an Elite clone.

The internet is crucial for gaming but its the 3rd party mods not the online gaming that are most crucial.

*As in there hasn't been one thats been a classic since HL. Since then they have all copied it pretty much.

**R:TW rules of course but its hardly an online game and isn't really RTS either.

Derek Djons
July 17th, 2006, 11:14 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong but Microsoft's Genuine Advantage Program is also a checktool. The application verifies that the end-user is working on a legal copy of Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Office XP.

For a closed-source company I don't find comments like: "they are turning down on their own customers" an appropriate one. Everybody knows that there are millions of illegal copies worldwide. Why should Microsoft ignore that?

The Genuine Advantage Program is not only here to exclude illegal copies from software-updates and etc. It's also there to help both end-users and companies from being crossed. Especially small businesses are being framed on a relative high scale, paying for a full copy but getting a illegal version installed on their computer. Even here in The Netherlands it happens frequently to small businesses.

pchr
July 18th, 2006, 12:41 AM
<mild rant>
Windows Genuine Disadvantage is yet another little gift from microsoft to make tech guy's jobs harder. I mean we don't do anything illegal, but windows and office just occasionally disagree with the definition of what's legal and what's not, right?

I have to fiddle about installing Windows XP on machines quite often and it's a pain in the @rse when there's some odd reason why it won't accept your key, because you've mislaid your CD and your other CD has a different license or something along those lines so it won't accept the key that matches the machine you're reinstalling on. (even though it's the exact same software)

We had a customer last year who bought a laptop and wanted office on it. I foolishly installed and activated the copy of office before delivering the laptop, then they said the lap top wasn't the one we quoted (not my fault on this occasion) It was a right pain to persuade some guy on the end of the phone in another country that my bosses couldn't afford to waste money on buying another Office license for the replacement lap top. He just kept repeating the OEM mantra.

I'm glad they don't have copy protection on their CDs, I have to carry around about 20 or 30 CDs with different versions of Office and Windows to help fix customer's problems.

One day I plan on working for a company that lets me dish out the final solution to all their problems. Linux :-)

Well it would be if it wasn't for all the legacy DOS and Microsoft Access apps and proprietary accounting software out there. Still got a long way to go :-(
</mild rant>

blastus
July 18th, 2006, 01:29 AM
You buy a new PC from a reputable dealer. Then you need to activate it to prove to Microsoft that the copy of Windows on your machine is legal--yet you already bought the damn PC from a reputable dealer. Then you need to download WGA and prove to Microsoft, over and over again, that the copy of Windows on your machine is still legal. Heck, why don't they just check your computer every hour just in case; just in case your legal copy of Windows turned into an illegal one by some stroke of voodoo magic. :rolleyes:

WGA is BS and for that reason, along with others, I refuse to accept their licensing terms and use their software. Why should I spend three hours with a legal dictionary on hand trying to decipher their licensing agreement only to find out that the agreement gives them the right to do whatever the hell they want and gives me absolutely no rights, no assurances, no warranties, no recourse, no nothing whatsoever. I say no thanks, I'm not buying that.

macogw
July 18th, 2006, 03:42 AM
There's WGA (saying "not genuine") on one of my computers because when the harddrive got wiped and stupid stupid stupid HP didn't give us a reboot disk (IDIOTS) we used someone else's.

I do have IE7 Beta 2 on the computer that does show up "genuine" though. It's nice to see if Microsucks is finally going to make a browser that doesn't totally blow. IE7's getting there. Still not as good as Mozilla, though (especially from a web design standpoint where they eliminated the hacks that let you fix things but didn't eliminate what needed to be fixed).

I would like to see Best Buy or Circuit City or Comp USA or another big chain store (or manufacturers) offering to sell computers without OSes, because when you think about it, I'm about to pay for a copy of Windows XP that I really never intend to use because it comes with my laptop. I could save about $200 if they'd let me buy it without stupid Winblows, but noooo they have to put it in there and charge for it and give that company more money for an OS that isn't even in use. I know you can get them online, but if I want to have any sort of service plan, I'm going to get it in a name-store and get a name-brand computer just for the warranty. I just wish name-brand computer + name-brand store + no Winblows = possible.

koshari
July 18th, 2006, 03:58 AM
why wingge that you cant get a box from best buy and co wiithout an OS,

just buy a mobo case vid card and hdd and stick em together,

gratefultux
July 18th, 2006, 04:57 AM
just buy a mobo case vid card and hdd and stick em together,

Personally that is how i usually buy my computers. The biggest problem with that is obviously laptops. There are so many great laptops out there, that are $200 too expensive.

And the entire WGA thing is just a hunk of crap. I cringe everytime i have to install windows on a computer, because of all the "helpful" popups about "security" and "usability". How is a computer usable when it takes me 2 hours to dejunk it? Now i'll get even more crap, because the software I just bought for $200 isn't considered "genuine"? No thank you.

I can't wait for vista. I can see myself mailing in the store receipt to prove that i bought the damn OS.

Rhapsody
July 18th, 2006, 05:00 AM
I used to blame system instability in Windows XP on hardware problems (this system has had serious heat problems in the past). But then I start using Linux, and the system remains perfectly stable during the worst heatwave I've seen for 10 years.

This means the problems must have had something to so with Windows itself. I'm thinking Windows Genuine Advantage may have had a hand in it...