Windows Genuine Advantage 1.0 Goes Live
Global Anti-Piracy Initiative Ensures Software Authenticity, Performance and Support While Providing Ongoing System Improvements
Mississauga, ON. - July 25, 2005 - Microsoft today announced the transition of the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) pilot to a version 1.0 launch with worldwide availability. WGA is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to protect its customers from software counterfeiting and to help support its partners through education, engineering and enforcement of policies and laws. WGA, designed to differentiate the value of genuine Windows software from counterfeit software, enables customers to enjoy the capabilities they expect, provides them with the confidence that their software is authentic, and delivers ongoing system improvements, including approximately CAD $450 in software offerings available only to genuine users.
Every year, millions of consumers and businesses are hurt by counterfeit software which they have purchased unwittingly, and many companies that sell legitimate software have difficulty competing with low prices offered by software pirates. According to an independent study conducted for the Canadian Alliance Against Software Theft (CAAST) and the Business Software Alliance (BSA), 36 per cent of all software applications in use in Canada are pirated, costing the economy CAD $1.1 billion in lost retail software sales. Globally, software piracy resulted in a loss of CAD $41 billion in 2004.
One way to fight counterfeit software is to ensure that users recognize and receive all the benefits of genuine software. Customers who participate in WGA will have easy access to updates, added-value software offerings and other benefits of genuine Windows.
"As we introduce this program into Canada, we are excited about the large number of global customers who chose to participate in the ten-month pilot of WGA because they were concerned about piracy and wanted a way to determine whether their Windows software is genuine," said Elliot Katz, Product Manager, Windows Client at Microsoft Canada. "By providing customers with an easy way to get the updates they need and access to special offers, we can offer Canadian customers the peace-of-mind that their software will deliver the features, options and performance they need. In addition, we are offering qualifying customers who unknowingly acquire a counterfeit version, complimentary genuine Windows software."
With the release of WGA 1.0, Microsoft has made a number of enhancements, including the following:
| • | Validation via WGA will be required for all customers using Windows Update (WU), Microsoft Update (MU) for Windows content, and the Download Center (DC). Security updates remain available to all Windows users - with or without WGA validation - via the DC or Automatic Updates. |
| • | Microsoft has provided ongoing added-value software offerings for genuine users throughout the WGA pilot as a way of providing these customers with richer Windows experiences. Microsoft has augmented its initial offerings with additional offers for a total value of over CAD $450. |
| • | Microsoft has enhanced and simplified the validation process by automatically checking participants' PCs to determine whether they are running genuine Windows software. All Windows users will no longer be required to enter their 25-digit product key in order to validate their software. |
| • | Two offers of genuine software will be available worldwide for Windows XP Professional and Home Edition for customers who unknowingly purchased counterfeit software. Qualifying customers who fill out a piracy report, provide proof of purchase, and send in their counterfeit CDs may receive a genuine copy at no cost. Qualifying customers who submit a piracy report may receive a genuine copy of Windows XP Home for $129 CAD Windows XP Pro for $199 CAD. The latter offer will be fulfilled electronically and via postal mail in order to help customers get genuine Windows as quickly and conveniently as possible. |
"WGA is a necessary program for maintaining the authenticity and trustworthiness of Windows software," said Warren Shiau, Lead Analyst - IT Research, The Strategic Counsel. "Ensuring customers and partners are protected from counterfeit software is one of the most important quality control and user satisfaction issues Microsoft can address and the WGA program offers this protection through an easy validation process."
The WGA validation process is designed to be quick and simple. Upon their first visit to the Microsoft Download Center, Windows Update or Microsoft Update, customers will be asked to participate in WGA. They will be prompted to download an ActiveX control which checks the authenticity of their Windows software and, if successful in validating Windows, stores a special download key on the PC for future verification. The validation process does not collect any information that can be used by Microsoft to identify or contact the user.
"Software piracy creates significant obstacles for the system builder and reseller community because it creates an unfair price advantage for distributors who sell their counterfeit products at artificially low prices," said Len Motuzas, President, Bolen. "By leveling the playing field, WGA helps Canadian businesses differentiate the counterfeit products we compete with, from the genuine product we sell."
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca
