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WGA this, WGA that; well… The latest in Microsoft’s WGA movement is to passively annoy the dog crap out of non-genuine Windows Vista SP1 users until they fold like (Codename) origami! =) The Windows Vista SP1 implementation of WGA subtly screams changes that Microsoft hopes users will – and I couldn’t even make this one up, folks – “experience a differentiated experience.” (That is a hyperlink, btw. hehehe) Sooo… in other words… Know you’re running Windows Vista SP1 genuinely or not? YAAAAY, I got it right! w00t! +1 for Stephen! *Ahem* Anyway, in an orderly fashion from left to right, top to bottom; I give you the experience of a NON-Genuine Windows Vista SP1 user’s differentiated experience! Why? Because that’s just what you’ve wanted to see your WHOLE LIFE, isn’t it? ISN’T IT!? Admit it, man! (Wow, I’m in an unusually corny mood today and I certainly do apologize for that!)

“Uhhh… How am I experiencing a differentiated experience in these screenshots, Stephen?” The difference you experience in the experience of the differentiated experience of a Windows Vista SP1 user is this, my fine feathered friends:

Screenshot 1: With SP1, users who fail to activate within the grace period or whose systems fail validation will have their chosen desktop background replaced with a plain black background, which will help them see a persistent message placed above the system tray stating that “This copy of Windows is not genuine.” That message will not go away until the problems are resolved. (See: Synonymous with paper cut and no; I can’t believe there is actually a wikipedia entry for “paper cut,” either. lol)

Screenshot 2: This is the end of your grace period, my friend. You can expect to see notifications with the black desktop background and a delayed option to “Activate Later”. Weeeeeee!

Screenshot 3: Here, we see the notification screen that displays when the user clicks “Activate Now” in the previous screen. The user can enter a valid product key to activate Windows online at that time, or they can buy a new product key online. Did you guys ever hear about the Windows pirate who tried to activate using his house key? True story! I’m putting it on the internet now, so it’s a true story. DON’T DISAGREE WITH ME! =)

Screenshot 4: You see that little balloon there? You can expect to see that puppy pop up every hour. (See: Chinese water torture)

Screenshot 5: Upon the clicking of the Chinese water torture, I mean, notification balloon; rinse and repeat the fine details of screenshot 3.

Screenshot 6: HAHAHA, GOTCHA! THERE IS NO SCREENSHOT 6! BOOOOM; HEADSHOT!

Random Fact: According to Microsoft, the piracy numbers of their operating system have been reduced by more than half thanks to their WGA pet.

So, there you have it! All of you lovely, genuine Windows Vista SP1 users have now seen something you would have probably never in your life seen otherwise… and it’s all thanks to ME! MEEEEEE! Me, baby… Me. (No, I haven’t forgotten about all of you non-genuine users who aren’t impacted by WGA, you little haxors, you…) And now, sleep. *ZZzzzzZZzZzZZZzZZZz*

-Stephen

PS: Perhaps I shouldn’t have said, “Go-Go Gadget, CORNINESS!” prior to writing this blog… Or maybe it was the Java Monster “Mean Bean” energy drink I had prior to writing this. MAN, those things are addictive!

PPS: I told you I couldn’t make up the whole, “experience a differentiated experience” thing! See?

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