Vista SP1 kills the WGA kill switch (and Fiat vs. bike)

It's IT Blogwatch: in which Microsoft backs down on Vista's "Windows Genuine Advantage" anti-piracy features. Not to mention how South Africans advertise cars...

Aunty Beeb has the scoop: [Yay for the TV tax -Ed.]

Microsoft is to withdraw an anti-piracy tool from Windows Vista, which disables the operating system when invoked, following customer complaints. The so-called "kill switch" is designed to prevent users with illegal copies of Vista from using certain features. [more]

Ed Bott adds:

WGA is about to get a huge overhaul. If you’re looking for a reason to install SP1 when it’s released next year, this might be it. [more]

Microsoft's Alex Kochis speaks fluent Redmondese:

Building on the success we've had over the last year, as evidenced by the recent strong earnings announcement, we're making some changes to the customer experience of a system that isn't activated or that has failed a validation ... I'm very excited about these changes and am looking forward to feedback from you. [more]

Thomas Ricker is relieved:

That should bring a swift end to WGA customer complaints related to false-positives, spyware concerns, or server glitches. Score one point for law-abiding citizens everywhere. [more]

But John Biggs bites:

Whereas previous version of WGA blacked out your screen and only allowed you to surf the web, the new version will just nag and nag until you decide to be a good person and call Microsoft. [more]

And Nick Farrell inquires:

[Vista users] will be bothered with a Chinese water torture of pop-ups accusing them of theft ... Well it is a move in the right direction we guess. Insulting customers ... is a step up from shutting them off completely. [more]

Harry McCracken says it's not enough:

It doesn't represent fundamental change to WGA ... [which] will continue to be an affront to Microsoft customers ... I have no confidence at all that we've seen the last instance of WGA misbehaving and declaring that paid-for copies of Vista are fakes. [more]

Scott Gilbertson muses:

Interestingly enough, part of the warning that Vista will issue to those without a valid license key includes a link to purchase the software at a reduced rate. For instance ... a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate for $200 ... odd that you can pick a legitimate copy of Vista cheaper by starting with a pirated copy. [more]

And finally...

• A giant step backward in driver-cyclist relations
  

Buffer overflow:

• Jack Schofield: In court, Google's nudes ruled "fair use"
• Freedom to Tinker: Latest voting system analysis from California
• Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols: Red Hat prepares for the very top end of enterprise servers
• 4sysops: How to secure and automatically backup your USB memory stick
• Daniel Berninger: Harsh Reality Of Verizon's Open Network - GigaOM
• Jacqui Cheng: Apple, AT&T dial up patent infringement lawsuit with Visual Voicemail
• Simon Phipps: Getting Paid to Develop
• Robert Scoble: Where the hell is Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook?
• Data Center Knowledge: IDC: Sales of Blades Hit $1 Billion in 3Q07
• Small Business Trends: Don't Let This Happen To Your Network

Other Computerworld bloggers:

• Evan Koblentz: Apple challenger Klausner: Real inventor, not a troll!
• Mitch Betts: Sigh. More signs of a bad start to 2008 for IT spending
• Mitch Betts: In green buildings, employees fight to hang onto personal printers and coffeepots
• Mike Elgan: Rumor: Apple, Dell to ship ultraportables in January
• Shark Tank: Oh, THAT big square box!
• Michael R. Farnum: USAID Tanzania server hacked
• Mike Elgan: Hop-on brings back disposable phone
• Ian Lamont: Wikipedia infighting: Why is this a surprise?
• Ian Lamont: Review: The Flip video camera
• Don Tennant: Video: Bill Coleman on his newest venture and the bust that lies ahead
• Mark Hall: Compliance audits getting cheaper, easier
• Mitch Betts: SharePoint: Too much of a good thing?
• Douglas Schweitzer: For spammers, no one's worse than Kirsch
• Shark Bait: Incompatible "Internet" cable

Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/adviser/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and spam. A 20 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. You too can pretend to be Richi's friend on Facebook, or just use boring old email: blogwatch@richi.co.uk.

Previously in IT Blogwatch:

• FCC's 700 MHz auction deadline: enjoy the silence (and Putin please)
• Facebook privacy Beacon boo-boo (and porcine choon)
• Google does a Digg on search results (and C64 fanboyband)