Microsoft Will Relax Windows Genuine Advantage Watchdog

Microsoft's representatives have announced that WGA will be relaxed. 14 days will eventually separate two of the program's consecutive checks that now take place at every boot. The Redmond company faced intense criticism regarding the non-discriminating character of the application that made no difference between genuine and counterfeit copies of Windows XP.

The fact that WGA was checking with Microsoft on a daily basis, even from the PCs that were running licensed XP, determined the labeling of the program with a spyware tag.

Windows Genuine Advantage comprises WGA Validations, component implemented in order to detect counterfeit copies of Windows XP and WGA Notifications, which notifies directly on the desktop the persons using an unlicensed copy of XP.

"Broadly speaking, spyware is deceptive software that is installed on a user's computer without the user's consent and has some malicious purpose. WGA is installed with the consent of the user and seeks only to notify the user if a proper license is not in place. WGA is not spyware, " said Microsoft in a press release.

The information sent to home servers by WGA Validation include: the Windows XP product key, PC maker, operating system version, PC bios information and the user's local setting and language.

In its statement, the Redmond company also said that after a firs step in which the checks in with Microsoft will be two weeks apart, the settings check will be canceled altogether with the final WGA Notifications' wide release later this year.