Despite Microsoft's relaxation of its anti-piracy tool as part of a series of consistent efforts to remove the application from a controversial down spiral it has entered, yet another issue has risen. This time the subject orbits around speculation that Microsoft will use the controversial Windows Genuine Advantage as a XP kill switch in its trajectory to eliminate piracy of its products. The scenario will have the Redmond Company make WGA installation mandatory for all copies of Windows XP operating systems. Users who will not comply with this condition after being prompted by a Windows issued warning will face an inoperable operating system within a month.

Microsoft's initial failure to deny these speculations has only assured their propagation, but now the software giant is back on track, and has taken an official stand on the matter.

"No, Microsoft antipiracy technologies cannot and will not turn off your computer," said a spokeswoman with Waggener Edstrom, Microsoft's public relations firm. "The game is changing for counterfeiters. In Windows Vista, we are making it notably harder and less appealing to use counterfeit software, and we will work to make that a consistent experience with older versions of Windows as well."

Microsoft has however recommitted to changing the way in which businesses manage Volume License Keys in the upcoming company's software products starting with Windows Vista, in order to prevent piracy.

"80% of all WGA validation failures are due to unauthorized use of leaked or stolen volume license keys," claim Microsoft representatives.