Thanks MrCobra for the heads up on this update in Back Page News on our forums.
Microsoft defended its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool this week against charges that it acts like spyware because it constantly checks in with Microsoft when a user boots a PC with the tool installed.
A Microsoft representative said that when the WGA Notifications checks in with Microsoft when a PC is booted, it is not providing any information to the vendor if a PC"s copy of Windows has already been validated. Instead, it is checking with a "server-side configuration setting to determine if WGA should run or not." The check-in also gives Microsoft the ability to disable the WGA program, if necessary.