Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is almost there and Microsoft kept their word related to changes to the WGA, Windows Genuine Advantage, system currently in place in Windows Vista. There are actually two different scenarios in place, the first is called Reduced Functionality Mode which Vista will start in if the user does not activate the product in time.

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The group Eth0 has released a new version of their crack for Windows Genuine Advantage Validation today. This new release updates several WGA files with patched versions so that every Windows system, even those that are not legit, can use Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center with all options. That means that non-legit Microsoft operating systems will appear to be legit to Microsoft.

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I’m really curious why companies try to enforce DRM like protections into their products even though they should know that this is on a large scale only affecting the customers who actually purchase their products. This is in my opinion counter productive, but lets analyze this a little bit further.

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Microsoft must be desperate. That was my first thought when I read that Microsoft made the decision to remove the Windows Genuine Advantage validation check from the download and installation of Internet Explorer 7. I was not able to come up with any other explanation why they decided to turn around 180 degrees and head for the other direction.

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We had two reports last week that gave us the reason why DRM and WGA will fail in the long run. The first story was about Google Video who sold videos with DRM and closed down their service leaving everyone who purchased those videos standing in the rain because it will not be possible to play those videos after Google Video shuts down.

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