Windows Advantage Not So Great

For around 19 hours, beginning 8 pm Friday, a Microsoft server problem cause the Windows Genuine Advantagesystem, which validates the OS legitimate, to falsely accuse users of running pirated software, and disabling some features for those users until the problem was corrected.   The cause a lot ofharsh words in forums and e-mails, especially as one of the disabled features was Vista’s Aero graphical interface.   One everything had been corrected,  affected users wereinstructed to revalidate, although the cause of the error hadn’t been found.   “I know you all are looking for an explanation/root-cause,” wrote Phil Liu, a Microsoft programmanager in the Windows Genuine Advantage group. “We are aware it is a server-side issue — the cause is unknown at this current time.”   There’s been controversy about the WGAprogram since Microsoft introduced it two years ago in the hope of stemming piracy of its OS. It operates by checking a user’s PC and sending data back to Microsoft to be sure all the licensesare proper.   There have been protests. And last year a class action suit was filed against Microsoft, claiming that the checks constituted spyware.   Although the latest incident happenedon a weekend, and so affected fewer users, it simply adds to the problems Vista has encountered since its release – and will perhaps make a few wonder whether it’s even worth being honestwhen they’re still treated as criminals.