By ALLISON LINN, AP Business Writer
> Microsoft Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it needs to better inform
> users that its tool for determining whether a computer is running a
> pirated copy of Windows also quietly checks in daily with the software > maker.
snip
When Microsoft believes a copy of Windows is pirated, the user begins
> to get a series of reminders that the copy isn't genuine. Such users
> also are barred from downloading noncritical updates, such as the new
> version of its Internet Explorer browser. But anyone who has signed up
> to automatically receive security updates, which repair flaws to
> prevent Internet attacks, will still get those fixes.
I would call not getting more bugs (excuse me fixes) for Internet Explorer a good thing ;-)
-Hudson