Microsoft Uses WGA To Obtain Record Jail Sentences 311
theodp writes "According to Microsoft, 'No information is collected during the [Genuine Advantage Program] validation process that can be used to identify or contact a user.' That's little comfort to the software counterfeiters who were just handed jail sentences ranging from 1.5-6.5 years by the Futian People's Court in China, especially since Microsoft contends that much of the estimated $2B in bogus software was detected by its Windows Genuine Advantage program. 'Software piracy negatively impacts local economic growth,' explained Microsoft VP Fengming Liu in a celebratory New Year's Eve press release. But then again, so does transferring $16B of assets and $9B in annual profit to an Irish tax haven, doesn't it?"
Re:Tenuous Summary (Score:5, Informative)
In this case it sounds like we're talking about commercially-pirated-and-passed-off-as-genuine software, rather than end-user-pirated software.
FTA: The counterfeit software was found in 36 countries and 11 different languages. It was so sophisticated that it contained legitimate computer code written by Microsoft for programs such as Windows XP and Vista and Microsoft Office, but also had touches of the criminals' own coding as well. That was allegedly added to mimic security programs and fool users into believing the product was authentic.
So it may actually be the case that some of the end users actually thought they had authentic products, and were alerted by WGA. I doubt this happens often, but Microsoft is bound to mention it if it does happen.
WTF? (Score:4, Informative)
Short version for those who can't be bothered to RTFA: WGA doesn't send personally identifiable data, and the people sentenced were not end users but pirates (yeah, I said pirates. Suck it bitches.) who sold on illegal copies.
Re:GOOD! (Score:5, Informative)
Could you provide the link?
I have thought about this for a while, 'free' software here doesn't make much sense as windows vista cost less than 1$, and 98%+ software here are pirated.
Our government is switching to FLOSS software, and I think stopping piracy in my country will be a good thing to FLOSS.
It seems the original was finally taken down in leu of more recent entries, but it has been mirrored verbatim elsewhere [autotelic.com] if you wish to take a look
Re:WGA forum (Score:1, Informative)
I bet it's just that MS was replacing the copies for folks who'd been duped in exchange for the info of where they obtained the pirated version, then just followed the chain backwards.
Ratting on suppliers (Score:3, Informative)
So did MS lie when they assured me that no personal information was collected when I installed WGA?
As I understand it, WGA includes a tool to submit an anonymous tip against your supplier. So it collects no personal information about you but instead about your supplier.
Re:The moral of the story... (Score:5, Informative)
Whatever you are, you are no socialist.
Yea but ... (Score:3, Informative)
Didn't Ballmer get the memo?
Re:Not good! (Score:5, Informative)
I call them up every time I reinstall. "Hello, how can I help you." "I reinstalled windows because of a virus." "Ok, enter this key:"
It only takes a couple minutes.
Re:The moral of the story... (Score:4, Informative)
"Wouldn't a better paradigm be..."
Oh yes, because that works so well for us now!
You realize that notion has been tried and continually tried only to see abused by corporations. Some months ago there was a story where Houston gave incentives to a company to move into their location. In the end, that company ended up sending the job-creating part of its business outside of the US because the labor was cheaper. Houston then sought to recover its incentives offering and as I recall, the fight is still ongoing.
Giving to business in hopes that things will "trickle down to benefit the community" is a dream that has never been shown to work. It has been tried and has failed in every example I am aware of.
A previous responder says something to the effect of not blaming businesses for finding legal ways to shelter themselves from taxes while absorbing benefits of the communities they exist within. This is showing a LOT of taking and nearly no giving back. This is standard operating procedure for the bean-counter-run businesses who seek short term gains on investments. The same person said "...at least they are legal!" Yes, they are legal, but they are immoral. They lobbied and "contributed" heavily to legislators to create these holes in the system to allow them to "legally" do the things they do. I should hope that people begin to see there is no connection between legal and moral. There are many laws that serve immoral ends and tax shelters for big business are among them.
Article Summary implies bullshit. (Score:2, Informative)
WGA wasn't used to throw users of the pirated software in jail. WGA was used to determine the pirated keys being used, and the number of them in circulation led the the charges that put the pirates in jail.
And please tell me, why do I have to tell NoScript to allow doubleclick.net before my comment will preview?
Seriously, WHO'S tracking users?