Later this year, Microsoft will require that you verify your copy of Windows before you are allowed to use its Windows Update website and its happening sooner that you think. Feb 7th, marks the day that the required checks will be begin for users in China, Norway and the Czech Republic. The good news? Well if you are found to be using an unvalidated copy, Microsoft will kindly give you a discount on a legit copy. Isn’t that nice? By the middle of this year, the policy will be rolled out world-wide. Requiring all installations be verified before downloading any updates (new functionality or security updates).

I think that last part, just might end up kicking Microsoft in the ass. Yes there are a lot of priated versions of Windows out there, and no, they really shouldn’t be getting any new functionality for a peice of software that they didn’t pay for. But these people still need security patches. Not for their sake though, if their computer gets fried, fine…who cares right? But what about the people that did buy Windows? If the other, farily large, percentage of people that didn’t pay for it are wide open to a attack like the blaster worm, then the paid machines are going to get blasted by the rouge machines. Lets not assume here that just becuase someone that paid for Windows, and can update, will…and sooner rather that later, they will get blasted by a machine that can’t be updated.

…plus, I give it 3 days after this goes into effect that someone sets up a “Pirated Windows Update” somewhere.