Latest Window Genuine Advantage released on 26th August

From:http://www.mydigitallife.info


Microsoft has released a new version of WGA (Windows Genuine
Advantage) Notifications for Windows XP that includes several important
changes, and marks Microsoft departure from low-key anti-piracy effort
in WGA after receiving too much complaint. WGA Notifications version
1.8.0031.0, released since August 26th, 2008, makes the notification of
bogus non-genuine or pirated Windows operating system is now more
prominent, and able to skip future notification of impending update on
the tool.

WGA Notifications is a second component of Microsoft genuine initiative
that provides that warning messages and other on-screen prompts when
WGA Validations (see information about WGA),
detects a non-activated, failed-validation or pirated operating system.
The update v1.8.0031.0, which has been specifically targeted to Windows
XP, especially Windows XP Professional, the most pirated version of
Wndows OS, will bring the ¡°non-genuine experience¡± of Windows XP inline
with WGA software changes made in Windows Vista SP1.
Other than increase the effectiveness of the detection routine and
reduce the risks of false-positives, the most important change is on
the nagware, as according to Windows Genuine Advantage blog:

With this update to WGA Notifications in Windows XP,
we¡¯ve implemented a couple of related features that draw on the
notifications experience we designed for Windows Vista SP1. After
installing this version of WGA Notifications on a copy of Windows XP
that fails the validation, most users will discover on their next logon
that their [color:a4de=blue ! important][color:a4de=blue ! important]desktop has changed to a plain black background from whatever was there previously.

The desktop background can be reset to anything else in the usual
ways, but every 60 minutes it will change back to the plain black
background. This will continue to happen until that copy of Windows is
genuine.
Also, the user will see the addition of what we call the ¡°persistent
desktop notification.¡± This notification is similar to a watermark but
works a bit differently. The image (see below) appears over the system
tray and is non-interactive in the sense that you can¡¯t click on it or
do anything to it.

The notification is, however, translucent and also can be clicked
through and objects underneath it can be interacted with. In the
screenshot here you can see (below) that the [color:a4de=blue ! important][color:a4de=blue ! important]Recycle [color:a4de=blue ! important]Bin
appears underneath our logo. In this case, the Recycle Bin can be
selected and moved about or right-clicked. The notification appears
above any object on the desktop, but underneath open windows or
applications. One of the reasons we¡¯ve implemented the plain black
background is to emphasize this new persistent desktop notification. As
with the plain black background, the notification will continue to
appear until that copy of Windows is genuine.

All the annoyances are on top of existing nag pre-logon message, the
logon interrupt message and the bubble notification messages that
appear from the system tray (notification area). Worse still, Microsoft
has decided to present a modified EULA (End User License Agreement)
that forces user to agree to allow WGA Notifications and Validation
Tool to auto-update and install themselves silently without further
notice whenever new versions are released in future, on laughable
reason to make the process simpler for end-users. Previously, all WGA
related programs will be installed via wizard, which users can safely
canceled.
Microsoft plans to roll out the new WGA Notifications ver.
1.8.0031.0 and its successors to Windows XP Pro, and initially also
editions based on Pro code such as Tablet and Windows Media Center
(which will be bypassed in future too) only. Windows XP Home (and
Windows XP Table Edition and Media Center Edition (MCE) in future) will
continue to experience current WGA nags.
WGA Notifications 1.8.0031.0 is delivered via Windows Update in
phase starting from Wednesday, and the distribution may takes several
months to complete. For users who can¡¯t wait and want to get the ¡®new
experience¡¯, a standalone version of installation file,
WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86.exe, has always available via Microsoft Download Center too. Surprisingly, no genuine Windows validation required to download the WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-Standalone.exe, or WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86.exe.

is it applicable for non-genuine copies also?