Windows Vista is tougher than XP when it comes to piracy. Microsoft’s latest version of Windows has raised all kinds of controversies since it was launched less than one year ago, but now it seems it has at least one major quality: it is much tougher to fake than XP. Although some of us would be ironical about it and would say that even pirates prefer Windows XP to Vista, this wouldn’t be quite fair, because we should admit that Vista is less prone to being pirated.

Microsoft announced yesterday that piracy rates for Windows Vista are half those of XP and this proves that the giant software maker really created its toughest operating system up to date. “Piracy rates are lower because it’s harder,” Mike Sievert, Microsoft’s Vice President, said yesterday during an interview.

So, Vista is tougher and “harder”, but Microsoft seems to be even trickier, as usual. The company is currently preparing Windows Vista’s Service Pack 1, which is to be released in the first quarter of 2008. Taking into account that the low piracy rates in Vista brought significant gains for Microsoft, we would be inclined to think that SP1 will make Vista even tougher, maybe untouchable. But Microsoft will do just the opposite, with SP1 reducing Vista’s functionality mode in favor of putting prominent notifications on systems that are not found to be genuine.

When computer users activate a copy of Windows Vista or try to download certain software tools from Microsoft’s web site, the operating system’s built-in Windows Genuine Advantage system scans their computer for signs of pirated software. Today, if the tool discovers an unauthorized copy of Vista, the glassy user experience and lots of other nice features are vanished and gone.

But with SP1, computer users that will be found running pirated copies of Vista will continue to be able of use their machines, although unmistakable signs that their OS is a fake will appear. The computer’s desktop wallpaper will turn black and a white notice will appear alerting users of the problem. Furthermore, every hour and each time they log in, users will be prompted to buy legitimate software. From this moment on, they will have two choices: to get irritated each time they spend more than few minutes on their computers or to get a real copy of Windows at reduced prices, such as $119 for Windows Vista Home Premium, for example. "We want to make sure unwitting victims get a great treatment," said Mike Sievert.

But the new strategy that Microsoft will pack starting with SP1 proves nothing else than the company’s merchant intelligence. Only a few people will be able to stand Vista’s new irritating anti-piracy system, while most of them will eventually agree to buy the legitimate OS license. Thus, Microsoft will be able to convert even the fake versions of Vista in money-bringers.

Additionally, Microsoft announced on Monday that it plans to offer an update for WGA that will run the piracy check regularly, without the computer users initiating the process.