LINK

Also see:

LINK2

Am I the only one who doesn't like this?

This is why I still use windows 2000, install it on as many computers as you want, no problem on its side.

I don't see why anyone would be worried as long as they have a legit copy. Back in high school people got upset because they started doing random drug tests on athletes, I didn't have a problem with it because I didn't use drugs. DOn't get mad at microsoft, get mad at the pirates that forced their hand to do this.

People are bitching about it because WGA is incrediably unsecure, you can kiss all your anti virus software goodbye because they can be bypassed, with WGA you're operating unsecured; not to mention how annoying having your computer locked down is even though you've got a legitimate copy of windows. Mircosoft openly crushs competition, it is the game the choose, ensuring consumers have no/little alternative, now it would be all good blaming it on the pirates if it was a free market but its not.

It is most definately a free market. Just not a fair one.

ThePerson98 answered my question right off - you don't get this with windows 2000. That's just another reason I like w2k over wxp. Wouldn't it be interesting if everyone went from windows XP to windows 2000 or even to Linux or other OS's. But no, people won't do that .. they'll go along with whatever MS makes them do to keep their XP running.
I remember when we rejected Windows ME and went back to Windows 98. Just called it a bad purchase and stashed the disks for some customers who wouldn't care about the endless backing up of files crippling efficieny.

I can't honestly believe though that even Microsoft can make an update that disables the entire OS of windows XP that you legitamitely bought from them - wouldn't they have to refund people's money at least if they made their own product unusable as it was at the time people bought it in good faith?

Well, I guess if anyone could get away with this, Microsoft could. After that - it could work everywhere:

You pay $20.00 to get yourself and a date in to see a movie, $15.99 more at the snack stand and then when you get to your seats ... you are told that if you don't buy $15.00 each special update glasses - you won't be able to see a thing that is happening on the movie screen!

You buy your favorite new awaited game at the gamestore, rush home, install it, enter the unique code that is your legal proof you bought the game .... & .... the whole game materializes ... except the characters. Turns out you have to "update" online at a seperate price for each of the 8 player characters to be downloaded.

So even if MS isn't charging money for these updates, they are forcing people to use them or the OS won't work? I don't see how that could be legal. Use W2K people - it is so less intrusive.

I've actually made (sad) attempts at linux, though debian is easy to setup, I didn't know how to use it.