That's the message I got when I finished validating my computer so that I could download the beta version of some new free Microsoft software, called Microsoft AntiSpyware. I tried downloading it using Firefox, but was told that Firefox couldn't run an ActiveX control. So I used Microsoft Internet Explorer to download it. That worked, sort of. I still had to install the ActiveX control and, before I could use it, I had to click between 6 and 10 dialog boxes. Part of that clicking was to allow Microsoft to validate that I am using a Genuine Copy of Windows. Some of those clicks were to tell Spybot Search & Destroy, which I already have installed to prevent against spyware, to allow Microsoft's ActiveX control for validating my computer open the registry of my computer. If you're not confused about this, then too bad: Microsoft had to use the opportunity of giving us a free fix to something that was broken in the operating system to make sure you haven't been stealing software from them! Microsoft also had to make sure that you aren't stealing by using a proprietary standard (ActiveX) that isn't supported by non-Microsoft browsers. Sounds an awful lot like the old days of copy protection: We (Microsoft) might be making a ton of money selling this software, but we don't trust our customers enough to make it easy to use the software. Does Microsoft wonder why customers don't think it has their best interests at heart?
Oh, by the way, Microsoft Antispyware took 4 minutes and 42 seconds to determine that there was no spyware on my computer. I guess Spybot, which is freeware (with donations requested) made by one programmer working on his own and requires no validation and can be downloaded with Firefox, actually already caught all the spyware that might have been on my computer. I used Paypal to donate $20 to that guy, since he seemed to have solved my problem.
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