Microsoft WGA Program Continues To Irk Users

It’s unfortunate, but Microsoft’s WGA program is one their ‘acceptable losses’ programs that they allow to continue even though it is totally obvious that it does not work as it should.

Microsoft’s program for testing whether a PC is running a genuine copy of Windows, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), has drawn considerable fire from users since it was launched last July.

This week Microsoft gave users another reason to complain when the company confirmed the version of the program it is delivering as a “high priority” automatic update for Windows PCs is a test version. Usually, Microsoft distributes test versions of software separately from updates and users are given the opportunity to sign up for the software before test versions are downloaded.

Microsoft said users still can opt out of downloading the update, called WGA Notifications, and that its user license makes it clear it is pre-release software. However, many users don’t read an entire license agreement, which can be lengthy, before they download software to their computers. And some download all Windows updates without looking too hard at the fine print…. Source: InfoWorld