Server outage reveals Windows' weakest link
Seems there was something of a server meltdown at the weekend that left genuine Windows Vista and XP users being tagged as pirates. According to BoingBoing; "Every single Windows XP and Vista installation -- except possibly those with volume license keys -- is being marked as counterfeit when it tries to check in. Installations which are flagged as counterfeit switch to a 'reduced functionality mode' which results in features like Aero and DirectX being disabled."
The problem lay with the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) servers, and Microsoft Technical Support initially told users to leave trying to validate till today (Tuesday).
A later post from Phil Liu, Microsoft's WGA Program Manager, denied the reduction in functionality and promised, "I guarantee that I will personally resolve this issue before I go to sleep -- whether or not it is Tuesday I sleep."
The issue was resolved some time later, but as this isn't the first time this has happened it's left me wondering whether WGA is a single point of failure in the wired world. Forget financial institutions, government buildings and nuclear powerplants. If a terrorist group wants to bring the Western world to its knees, maybe they only need to take out Microsoft's server farm.
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Comments
Now, who owns your computer?
If MS were serious about customer service over revenue gathering, they would stop this rubbish. IMHO, heads should roll over this. MS should be told, "take that crap out, or we dump you".
Is everyone/every business surrendering control of their PCs to Microsoft WGA HQ?
No doubt everyone has already consented by agreeing to the WGA EULA which nobody reads!
Posted by: Marcus | September 3, 2007 8:12 AM
Obviously very embarassing for MS but to be honest I don't see how not having Aero threatens civilisation as we know it. :-D
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2007 11:12 PM
Whenever I see stories like this (which confirm the fundamental flaws in Windows' design), I am amazed that people - lots of people - still pay a large amount of money for what is a steaming pile of crud!
Just amazing (shakes head in disbelief...)
- Andy
Posted by: Andy | August 29, 2007 8:40 PM
Your last paragraph sounds like a good idea :-)
Posted by: TuxMan | August 29, 2007 8:26 PM