Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is now fully functional

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is now fully functional
The Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) notifications service introduced by Microsoft to ferret out pirated copies of Windows is out of testing and will not scour millions of computers to test their Windows software. While the testing program had a lot of annoying glitches like the notification popping up every time Windows was booted, the current program has been tweaked up a bit to take care of this problem.

The updated package was released Tuesday and will be distributed to millions of Windows XP users through Microsoft's Automatic Update and Windows Update features. Microsoft launched this program last year initially in Norway and Sweden in November 2005 followed by an additional five countries including U.S., United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand in February this year.

Prominent among some of the updates to the program, Microsoft has slightly changed the End-User Licensing Agreement (EULA). This agreement will now clearly reflect the purpose of WGA program. Microsoft said that depending on the license, periodic checks will be carried out. "The frequency varies depending upon license type, but typically takes place every 90 days or so. This enables Microsoft to update our list of bad keys, and ensure that newly discovered counterfeits are not proliferating," the company added.

Redmond also said that customer participation could be mandatory in future, "As we have mentioned previously, as the WGA Notifications program expands in the future, customers may be required to participate. Microsoft is gathering feedback in select markets to learn how it can best meet its customers' needs and will keep customers informed of any changes to the program."

One disconcerting feature of the program is that if users with illegal copies do not validate them, their Windows OS could be crippled. Microsoft neither confirmed nor denied this feature.