Black Screens For Unauthorized Copies of Windows

In a bid to deter people from using pirate versions of Windows XP, Microsoft is now updating its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool to introduce a few uncomfortable niggles for users of pirated versions of Windows. These include replacing the desktop wallpaper with a black screen every 60 minutes, although you can still replace it with your wallpaper of choice in the intervening period. As well as this, copies of Windows deemed to not be genuine will also have a translucent watermark above the system tray, which Microsoft calls a ?persistent desktop notification.??

According to the blog, the scheme will be ?focusing on the product edition that is most often stolen,? which is apparently Windows XP Pro. Users of this OS, according to Microsoft, have ?the highest likelihood of having a non-genuine copy.? While it?s fair to say that any hardened pirate could happily survive this anti-piracy wrist-slap without giving in and buying Windows, the persistent watermark could become an embarrassment for businesses using pirate copies of Windows.

Source: Slashdot