The Last Genuine Copy of Windows XP

When will the last genuine copy of Windows XP fail to successfully run Microsoft's ever-growing gauntlet of anti-piracy weapons? If you think about, it would seem to be just a matter of time until all copies of XP are deemed counterfeit. The only question is just how long after Windows Vista ships that day will come. Back when Microsoft first rolled out what was then the "voluntary" Windows Genuine Advantage (WG

"How is it that my same version of Windows that Microsoft said was 'genuine' last year is now not genuine?" another reader wondered. "I bought this machine directly from HP, and the HP service center is the only ones who have touched it other than me. Microsoft says the HP techs must have re-installed Windows incorrectly -- HP says no way. The only thing everyone agrees on is that it's my problem. This is just a 'genuine' rip-off!"

Of course, the revelation that the WGA Notifications has been phoning home to Redmond once a day, and Microsoft's rather feeble explanation for it hasn't lightened anyone's mood. "I have read quite a bit on this issue as it has emerged in the media over the past week, trying to understand it, and I really think this crosses the line," one reader wrote. "I do not believe Microsoft needs to be installing software that reports back every 24 hours, passes data re: our computers to Microsoft, and has the potential to allow Microsoft to remotely make changes to our computers based on some programmatic algorithm at their end. Not only that, but insanely enough, this is BETA software. Moreover, Microsoft has publicly admitted in the past few days they started pushing this out without revealing what was happening, without full disclosure, and without final testing. Yes, I know, final testing and Microsoft define oxymoron, but that is another story."

Speaking of untested software, it would also appear that even passing the WGA validation process can kick up bugs that trigger XP's product activation. "Did my Windows Update yesterday which included a new Windows validation thing which must be installed," another reader wrote. "The subsequent updates were applied, the computer rebooted and everything was fine. Today when I turned the PC on - a Dell purchased a year ago with XP preinstalled -- I was greeted with a Windows activation screen that wouldn't go away, and two phone calls to Microsoft support because of that. The first rep hung up after saying my product ID is no good. The second finally gave me a registration number allowing access again to my paid-for computer, after grilling me about where I bought it and the number on the silver tag. The question of why my licensed software insisted on being licensed again, when there had been no hardware changes or re-installs, went unanswered."

Also left unanswered is the question of just when all copies of XP will be invalid. But, between the perennial bugginess of Microsoft software in general and Redmond's desire to move everyone to its latest OS, it would seem like such a day must inevitably dawn. Just how far in the future will depend on just how long it is before Windows Vista actually ships.

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