A “genuine” advantage?

Another one of Microsoft's seemingly endless attempts to halt piracy is evolving, following a trial period.

Starting July 26, Microsoft is expanding its "Windows Genuine Advantage" program, which requires users of its software to verify their copies of software in order to receive add-ons to Windows XP.

The only plug-ins exempted from this program are security updates, like patches, due their importance in avoiding the spread of viruses and the necessity to stop hackers.

The Microsoft website explains that the validation process is simple. Upon connecting to the Internet, users will be prompted by Microsoft Update that there are available updates for them to download.

Then, once connected, all updates other than security updates will require that the user agrees to a validation process; after which an online tool will quickly validate that the user’s copy of Windows is genuine. The tool does so by scanning the PC’s operating system to determine whether or not it is running genuine Windows.

After successful validation, the tool stores a Microsoft Windows Download Key on the operating system for future use, and the updates become downloadable.

The pleasant and unexpected surprise is that customers who are found to be running illegitimate copies of Windows will have two options.

The first of these options seems like a very forgiving one, and quite a departure from Microsoft's usual hard line. The user is required to send in the pirated CD from which he/she installed the software, and fill out a 'piracy form' found on the Microsoft website. Then, that user will receive a legitimate copy for no charge! Imagine that.

The catch, though, is that Microsoft wants users to send in counterfeits of certain quality, not just any copied CD bought off the street.

To quote the Microsoft site, “for a limited time, if you submit a qualifying counterfeit Windows compact disk (CD) that meets certain requirements (high quality counterfeit, hologram) and a proof of purchase, Microsoft will send you a genuine copy of Windows for free.”

If, however, the user does not have a CD that qualifies, he/she will be expected to buy a new copy of Windows XP Home for $99 or Windows XP Professional for $149.

Back to option one, imagine what an investment Microsoft is planning to put into this initiative. It could, potentially, be committing to distributing hundreds of thousands of free software licenses of Windows XP worldwide.

Users will be going through their stacks of CDs to find those pirated CDs from which they've installed Windows XP, to see if they qualify.

For now, though, not every country in the world will benefit from this program.

Microsoft has adopted a phased approach with its "Genuine Advantage" program. It initially started on a trial basis last year, then expanded the program to more than twenty countries from February onwards, and is expected to include more and more countries in the near future.

zeid@maktoob.com