Windows Genuine Headache

While the naming of the next version of Windows was the most covered news out of Redmond last week, another announcement will probably be of more interest to you and might even cause you more headaches than Windows Vista.

The company rolled out the drolly-named "Windows Genuine Advantage" last week. It's a program to ensure that only legitimate versions of Windows can get updates and upgrades in an attempt to stop the threat of bootlegged and counterfeit software which, according to Microsoft, amounts to billions of dollars in lost sales.

Under this new program, you will be required to register your software, something many of us skip because it's time consuming and there's always something more important to do. The system works by identifying characteristics of a computer system (software and hardware) and creating a software key that's stored on the machine and can be read by Microsoft when updates are requested. The only way to remove the key is to reformat the hard drive.

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While the naming of the next version of Windows was the most covered news out of Redmond last week, another announcement will probably be of more interest to you and might even cause you more headaches than Windows Vista.

The company rolled out the drolly-named "Windows Genuine Advantage" last week. It's a program to ensure that only legitimate versions of Windows can get updates and upgrades in an attempt to stop the threat of bootlegged and counterfeit software which, according to Microsoft, amounts to billions of dollars in lost sales.

Under this new program, you will be required to register your software, something many of us skip because it's time consuming and there's always something more important to do. The system works by identifying characteristics of a computer system (software and hardware) and creating a software key that's stored on the machine and can be read by Microsoft when updates are requested. The only way to remove the key is to reformat the hard drive.

Privacy advocates are upset, claiming that this will allow Bill Gates & Co., to track users, snoop on their computers and do all sorts of "big brother" type activities. In a story in the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002402071_microsoft26.html, Chris Hoofnagle, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center's San Francisco office, is quoted as saying that he is "...concerned Microsoft may share its user database with the government, or limit usage somehow." Microsoft's response is that it is tracking computers, not people! (How many of your users share a PC?)

According to a Genuine Windows FAQ on Microsoft's Web site http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/FAQ.aspx?displaylang=en the program isn't about catching bootleggers and counterfeiters, but to give you the "Confidence and Peace of Mind" that "Your software is authentic, properly licensed and supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner." Well, that will certainly helps me sleep easier!

Expect to have problems with this system if you don't use different key codes for each installation, if you don't bother to register your software or if - as happened in Australia a couple of years ago: http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/nt/2003/0616nt1.html - Microsoft's servers go down or develop a glitch.

Eventually, I'm sure, all the bugs will be worked out and the process will be smooth, easy and efficient. Unfortunately, you don't get to keep it in the lab and test it - it's being implemented right now, worldwide. You'd best start checking your machines now, before you need to install a mission-critical bug fix.

Read more about software in Network World's Software section.