After months of testing, Microsoft has officially launched its Windows Genuine Advantage program. The service basically turns Windows Update into an anti-piracy program; if you're running a bootleg copy of Windows, you won't be able to install updates (other than security updates). The WGA software will automatically scan your hard drive for licensed software. Microsoft is also offering an amnesty program of sorts for people who've "unknowingly acquired" pirated versions of Windows (i.e., through gray-market resellers). Send in a proof-of-purchase and your original CDs and you can get the real deal free. I'm all for protecting intellectual property, but submitting to a mandatory hard-drive scan to install an upgrade seems a little extreme. What ever happened to just being able to register software once and get upgrades?

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