Windows Genuine Advantage

As more and more consumers adopt broadband internet connections, content delivery systems are evolving in a way to excise traditional retailers and physical storage media. The growing popularity of Apple's iTunes music store and the Direct-to-Drive PC game delivery are just two examples of this.

But this prevalence of true “all digital” content makes piracy even more of a concern than it already is. Traditionally, software required the actual disc to be in the drive to operate. When CD writing technology became widely available, the industry began using CD-keys and copy protection to ward of piracy. The problem is that all of the currently employed methods have required the disc itself to be physically present, something users are beginning to decry.

New anti-piracy measures to cope with disc-less installations and content are in high demand. Unfortunately, no one has yet managed to get the proper balance of bottom-line protection and user satisfaction. This isn't stopping Microsoft from taking another swing.

As is the norm for many of its announcements, Microsoft is raising the ire of users from one of its new OS features, a little thing called Windows Genuine Advantage. For seasoned watchdogs of MS the name itself raises the hair on your neck.

At it's core WGA is an anti-piracy maneuver from the company. PC's running the company's forthcoming Windows Vista will use an internet connection to connect to Microsoft and verify the authenticity of the Vista license. And it's this constant connection that has users worried.

And who can blame them, when the last sweeping attempt to stem piracy resulted in Sony's root-kit fiasco of 2005? It's especially concerning when you consider MS's less than stellar security track record; if its current flagship products are so riddled with security holes that patches are being issued at a startling rate. Can we really believe a guarantee from Microsoft that the frequent (and, for all intents and purposes, invisible) transmittal of system information will not pose a security threat?

Well, yes and no.

Obviously, MS will do its utmost to prevent that from happening. But that doesn't mean that some time down the road what was once secure will still be safe. CNN'esque fear mongering aside, it's a valid point of worry. Cyber crime has proven to be resourceful and creative when exploiting potential security.

It clearly isn't THE solution to OS piracy, Microsoft would be naïve to think so. But it's a step in the proper direction. And with big corporate support for downloadable software and upgrades it may be the push that starts the tech ball rolling.