Microsoft followed through with their anti-piracy threats this past Monday by releasing an updated version of their Windows Genuine Advantage verification software. Anti-piracy measures in Vista was previously alluded to as a hoax and later debunked by Microsoft.  But today, TG Daily reports that constant nag screens and a black desktop background will be displayed after "60 minutes of use if WGA cannot authenticate Windows."

This has caused thousands of people to experience the "Black Screen of Death" in China and the lawyers there are championing the consumer's rights to piracy on the grounds that Windows costs way too much to be purchased legally.  I can sympathizes to a certain extent with that argument.  Windows and Microsoft software is something of an anomaly.  They are so large and permeate so much of the computer world that a user cannot escape it.  Sure there are alternatives but if you truly want to be compatible, you have to use Windows.