Microsoft admits WGA cock up

THE VOLE in charge of Microsoft's privacy strategy has admitted that the outfit dropped the ball when it came to Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy tool.

Peter Cullen has been selected as a PR firefighter and to sooth customers who have been upset at the way that Microsoft has presented WGA.

Talking to Arcon 5 he readily admitted that the software maker stuffed up its handling of the affair.

He said that it was possible for Microsoft to make the argument that for the good of the user and even the good of the ecosystem, Automatic Updates should be turned on by default.

People should have patched machines. However, that idea was contrary to Microsoft's belief that users should have some choice.

He said that although the press had focused on WGA being an anti-piracy tool it was mostly about protecting the privacy of users against hackers. However WGA neglected the area of notifications, he admitted.

You can read the whole interview here. µ