Microsoft 'Genuine Advantage' program continues to irk users

Microsoft Corp.'s program for testing whether a PC is running a genuine copy of Windows, known as Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), has drawn considerable fire from users since it was launched last July.

This week, Microsoft gave users another reason to complain when it confirmed that the version of the program being delivered as a "high priority" automatic update for Windows PCs is a test version. Usually, Microsoft distributes test versions of software separately from updates, and users are given the opportunity to sign up for the software before test versions are downloaded. Microsoft said that users still can opt out of downloading the update, called WGA Notifications, and that its user license makes it clear that it's prerelease software. However, many users don't read an entire license agreement, which can be lengthy, before downloading software to their computers. And some download all Windows updates without looking closely at the fine print.