WINE passes Windows Genuine Advantage

[solo]

Slashdot posted about a fellow who used WINE to pass the WGA test and downloaded DX9. Since then Microsoft seems to have fixed the error halfway, as my WINE succeeds and the page says validated, but it then asks to validate again. Could be firefox not dealing with the IE-centric crap that is microsoft.com though.

A lot of people raised the question: wtf is GenuineCheck.exe actually *doing* if a completely different implementation of the Windows API can pass, even though they expect real versions of Windows which are pirated to be disallowed.

EDIT: Btw, I'm back at MES baby! Heard Refalm's in charge now, great news!

[TB]

It doesn't really matter what Genuine Advantage does, since it's already been cracked:

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/07/28/microsoft_genuine_ad.html

Yep, this whole DRM thing really works. [/sarcasm]

[solo]

All Microsoft ever does with DRM is seperate themselves from their users just a little bit more. The legal users are bothered, the illegal users crack it, the alternative OS users laugh.

[Jenda]

For us not-so-educated ones: What is MS Genuine Advantage?

[piratePenguin]

For us not-so-educated ones: What is MS Genuine Advantage?

It's a (new) program in Windows XP and Vista to prevent piracy (yea right). It's run anytime you try to update, and if it fails it asks you for the source of the pirate software and if you cooperate and tell them, then you get updates (or do you get a free copy of Windows? I dunno.). Otherwise, you don't.

That's my knowledge of it anyhow.

[MarathoN]

When I tried to update stuff like DirectX on Windows 2000 I got the WGA crap too.

[hm_murdock]

If you change your PID or CD Key to a randomized one, apparently WGA is happy with it.

[Jenda]

Thanks, pP. Well, as long as they get screwed over, I'm happy with it. As long as poor Windozers are annoyed... the better for the future of FLOSS.

[skyman8081]

This is a no-win scenario for MS, at least for you guys.

Allow WINE: "lolz, M$ sux, they let WINE through"
Deny WINE: "zomg! M$ sux! they blocked WINE from windows update!"

[CrazyOne]

There is an "Windows update Validaiton Bypass" on the net !!!
And its working .:cool:

[Orethrius]

This is a no-win scenario for MS, at least for you guys.

Allow WINE: "lolz, M$ sux, they let WINE through"
Deny WINE: "zomg! M$ sux! they blocked WINE from windows update!"

You realize that they'd have been better off using Ruby, PHP, ASP, anything but JavaScript?  If that kind of security is all Windows users have to look forward to, then I'm glad I switched when I did.

[jtpenrod]

This is a no-win scenario for MS, at least for you guys.

Allow WINE: "lolz, M$ sux, they let WINE through"
Deny WINE: "zomg! M$ sux! they blocked WINE from windows update!"

Of course. Kinda like the deal that Spyglass signed with MS: Spyglass gets a percentage of each copy of Mosaic sold with Win 95, and MS turns around and gives it away. No sales; zero $$$ regardless of percentage.

[Refalm]

There is an "Windows update Validaiton Bypass" on the net !!!
And its working .:cool:

Easily done by disabling some ActiveX components in Internet Explorer.

[Aloone_Jonez]

That also has the added advantage of makeing IE more secure just in case you need to use it.

[Jenda]

That also has the added advantage of makeing IE more secure just in case you need to use it.

 Not that that's ever gonna happen - or not on my computer anyway.