Wednesday, 10 October 2007

Microsoft Opens IE7 With No WGA Test Criteria

Microsoft allows all Windows XP users to download Internet Explorer (IE7) from its Web site. Users can now download IE7 without taking Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation test.

WGA is part of Microsoft's Genuine Software Initiative. It intends to help prevent the distribution and use of unauthorized versions of Windows.

Earlier, Microsoft had been restricting downloads of IE7 to genuine Windows users only.

Steve Reynolds, a Microsoft IE programme manager said, "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."

Many people opine that Microsoft had dropped WGA to try to grow IE7's market share and also to be pace with its closest competitor Firefox, which is a more technical browser.

Research shows that Firefox and IE7 are gaining market share, while Internet Explorer 6 is losing market share.

Microsoft says it has dropped the requirement for WGA for security reasons. But it looks like the software giant is deliberately discounting its users on IE7 usage in an attempt to grab lost market share from its rivals.