TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

SEATTLE — Microsoft is pulling backwards from a system that disables programs on users’ computers if it suspects the software is pirated, opting instead for a gentler approach based on nagging alerts.

Microsoft said late Monday it module roll out the new edition of Windows Genuine Advantage with the first “service pack” for Windows Vista, due in the first quarter of 2008.

When computer users activate a copy of Windows Vista or try to download destined software from Microsoft’s website, the Windows Genuine Advantage system scans their PCs for signs of pirated software. Today, if the tool finds an unauthorized copy of Vista, the shiny Vista user undergo disappears and other features are suspended.

In the new version, PC users institute to have a pirated copy of Vista module continue to be able to use their computers, but with unmistakable signs their operating system is a fake. The desktop wallpaper module turn black, and a white attending module appear alerting users to the problem. Each instance they log in, they module be prompted to buy legitimate software, and every hour, a reminder bubble module appear on the screen.

Users with a high tolerance for botheration can put off switching to genuine software indefinitely, but those who relent and buy a real copy of Windows can do so at reduced prices — $119 for Windows Vista Home Premium, half the regular retail price.

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