Microsoft Says Be Legit...or Else!

Starting today, users of the Windows Operating System will have to first prove that they have a legitimate copy of Windows, or they will not be able to download any add-ons from Microsoft. We told you a few months ago that this was coming...and now it is here.

Believe it or not, there is one exception...and that is for security-related patches. Regardless of whether a system passes the test, security updates will be available to all Windows users via either manual download or automatic update. However, the Microsoft Update and Windows Update utilities, which provide notifications of new patches, will require validation.

All this is part of Microsoft's "Windows Genuine Advantage," a program that is designed to increase the number of Windows users that are actually paying Microsoft for its software. Currently, the company estimates that roughly a third of Windows copies worldwide are not legitimate. And, no doubt about it, that is a huge loss of revenue for the company that they would like to recapture.

With Windows' share of the desktop market estimated to be well above 90 percent, cracking down on illegal copies of the OS is seen as one of the few ways for Microsoft to grow its Windows business. The two other main ways that Microsoft has identified are increasing the number of PCs per household and expanding computer usage in emerging markets.

So what happens if you fail to pass the validation test? You will then be presented with two options: First, if you bought your PC with what you thought was a legitimate copy of Windows and you have the CD that was supposed to come with the system, you would fill out a piracy report and become eligible to get a legitimate copy of Windows at no charge.

If you don't have the CD or proof of purchase, you still fill out a piracy report. Then, you will have to pay for a licensed copy...$99 for Windows XP Home and $149 for Windows XP Professional. Those prices are higher than the upgrade cost for Windows XP, but lower than the price one would have to pay for an entirely new copy of the OS.

Just thought you would like to know.