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Microsoft releases IE7 update removing Windows Genuine Advantage validation

6 October 2007 13:16 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 23 comments

In a somewhat surprising move, Microsoft has made their Internet Explorer 7 browser available to anyone running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, in an update that removes Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation software from the browser.

Before the update, only users running genuine Microsoft products could update from the terrible IE6 browser, but now even those with pirated Windows can update.

"Because Microsoft takes its commitment to help protect the entire Windows ecosystem seriously, we�re updating the IE7 installation experience to make it available as broadly as possible to all Windows users," remarked IE7 program manager Steve Reynolds on the IE Blog. "With today�s 'Installation and Availability Update,' Internet Explorer 7 installation will no longer require Windows Genuine Advantage validation and will be available to all Windows XP users."

The move is likely to give some of the browser market back to Microsoft which it has been losing to strong competitors such as Firefox and Opera.

Source:
Dailytech

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Discuss this article!
svtstang (AfterDawn Addict) 6 October 2007 13:48
Sorry M$. I applaud your efforts, but at the end of the day IE is still the worst browser available. Firefox with plugins will forever destroy anything IE offers. [ + quote]
windsong (Junior Member) 6 October 2007 13:57
"Because Microsoft takes its commitment to help protect the entire Windows ecosystem..." Er...someone should let them know just what "ecosystem" means. Hint: It does NOT involve operating systems. [ + quote]
badkrma (Newbie) 6 October 2007 13:57
I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago and never looked back. Now IE seems foreign to me as did Firefox when I first used it. I just feel the program is safer from hijacking and hacking. [ + quote]
wolf123 (Member) 6 October 2007 14:29
*Originally posted by badkrma:* I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago and never looked back. Now IE seems foreign to me as did Firefox when I first used it. I just feel the program is safer from hijacking and hacking. I did the same thing but I will be happy when you don't have too use IE to update windows because it don't work on FF browser. [ + quote]
erjl (Newbie) 6 October 2007 15:02
*Quote:* *Originally posted by badkrma:* I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago and never looked back. Now IE seems foreign to me as did Firefox when I first used it. I just feel the program is safer from hijacking and hacking. I did the same thing but I will be happy when you don't have too use IE to update windows because it don't work on FF browser. Ditto [ + quote]
DVDBack23 (Staff Member) 6 October 2007 15:24
*Quote:* *Originally posted by badkrma:* I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago and never looked back. Now IE seems foreign to me as did Firefox when I first used it. I just feel the program is safer from hijacking and hacking. I did the same thing but I will be happy when you don't have too use IE to update windows because it don't work on FF browser. thats what the firefox IE tab is for :D [ + quote]
Gplanet (Newbie) 6 October 2007 16:02
FireFox 4 life. [ + quote]
chaos_zzz (Junior Member) 6 October 2007 16:04
ff is way better, but operatyng systems belong to an ecosystem, everything belongs to it, thay way you beahve everything belongs to it and of course a OS, i know i just took a course in college :) [ + quote]
wolf123 (Member) 6 October 2007 16:20
firefox IE tab Never seen this where is it located [ + quote]
WierdName (Senior Member) 6 October 2007 16:37
I was wondering what the catch was until I got to the end and realized it's probably just so they can try to get IE back up into the popular web browser class. *Originally posted by windsong:* Er...someone should let them know just what "ecosystem" means. Actually, an ecosystem is: *Originally posted by American Heritage� Dictionary:* An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit. That means that it could mean an ecological community of web browsers but that really doesn't make much sense. Kinda seems like someone at Microsoft needs to stay when they drop their kid off at kindergarden. *Originally posted by badkrma:* I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago and never looked back. Now IE seems foreign to me as did Firefox when I first used it. I just feel the program is safer from hijacking and hacking. Same, except it was from IE to the Yahoo SBC browser to Firefox. *Originally posted by wolf123:* firefox IE tab Never seen this where is it located Just my guess but this might be it. [ + quote]
Slrman (Newbie) 6 October 2007 16:52
I have never used IE at all. Never, not even once. I have used Netscape, and Firefox exclusively. If I could totally eliminate IE from my system it would make me a happy camper. I will probably go back to using a Mac now that I am retired and don't need a Wintel system for clients. [ + quote]
P51ride (Newbie) 6 October 2007 17:50
Echoing the previous posts; I only use IE when a site refuses to work with Firefox. The plug ins and extensions available makes Firefox so much easier to use. I will be switching to Thunderbird soon and I will add the Sunbird extension that enables it to work similar to M$ Outlook Just my .04 (Inflation) [ + quote]
SProdigy (Member) 6 October 2007 18:16
Ahhh... Firefox... and the ability to update bookmarks on ALL PC's that you have Firefox on... and taking your profile with all plugins to each PC, or your flash drive. Everything is seemless between my home PC, work PC, and 2 notebooks. What is this Internet Explorer thing that this article talks about? ;-) [ + quote]
Unfocused (Junior Member) 6 October 2007 20:18
To update Windows from within Firefox, got to http://windowsupdate.62nds.com. The updates are a little behind the Microsoft ones, but you do not need IE. Autopatcher was workking fine for me, but Microsoft forced them to cease development a few weeks ago. UPDATE: This also works with Netscape and Opera. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 7 October 2007 19:30
vinny13 (Inactive) 6 October 2007 20:32
Pointless... [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 6 October 2007 20:33
cousinkix (Newbie) 6 October 2007 21:19
The WGA cracks are still needed if you try to install versions of IE 7 that were customized for Yahoo and other 3rd party services... [ + quote]
vinny13 (Inactive) 7 October 2007 20:02
Oh ya, Safari is the best. [ + quote]
WierdName (Senior Member) 7 October 2007 20:28
*Originally posted by vinny13:* Oh ya, Safari is the best. IF (Post="sarcasm" { Lol. Ya, nothing comes close. }) (Else { What MAC infested, firefox inexistent planet do you live on? However, you are entitled to your own opinion, however wrong it may be, so I will let you think that and ignore your comment. After all, the "best" is a relative ranking. }) [ + quote]
hermes_vb (Senior Member) 14 October 2007 18:28
It's funny. For some reason, even before I started hating MS, I've never used IE as my default browser. I always used the different versions of Netscape, then Mozilla and currently Firefox. There was always something about IE that made me uneasy... [ + quote]
pryme_H (Senior Member) 14 October 2007 19:04
*Originally posted by hermes_vb:* It's funny. For some reason, even before I started hating MS, I've never used IE as my default browser. I always used the different versions of Netscape, then Mozilla and currently Firefox. There was always something about IE that made me uneasy... I still belong to the group of few who still uses IE...not by personal choice but just because. [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 18 October 2007 16:56
All I have to say this is a very smart move from Microsoft. Well done. I finally see some common sense from Bill and his mates :) [ + quote]
rrawding (Newbie) 18 June 2008 16:00
borhan9 !!! Bill Gate$ with common $en$e ???? Whooa!!! The dirty S.O.B. screws people for years, then turns around to start the "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" ... what a dirty piece of $hit he is.... I want to meet him so I can vomit on hima and his bullshit wife... Bill Gates is THE most despicable person on this planet... Screw Micro$haft and all its products.... GO MOZILLA.ORG ~~~ !!! [ + quote]
rrawding (Newbie) 18 June 2008 16:00
borhan9 !!! Bill Gate$ with common $en$e ???? Whooa!!! The dirty S.O.B. screws people for years, then turns around to start the "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" ... what a dirty piece of $hit he is.... I want to meet him so I can vomit on hima and his bullshit wife... Bill Gates is THE most despicable person on this planet... Screw Micro$haft and all its products.... GO MOZILLA.ORG ~~~ !!! [ + quote]