Staying Informed
WPA is an unfolding story. All we can do is keep track of information as it becomes available. You can get yourself current with the official word from Microsoft at the following links, both of which contain information that was not available for the original "Is Windows XP's 'Product Activation' A Privacy Risk?" article. For example, there's a broad overview at http://www.microsoft.com/ piracy/ basics/ activation/ windowsproductactivationtechnicalmarketbulletin.doc, and there's good tech detail at http://www.microsoft.com/ technet/ treeview/ default.asp?url=/ TechNet/prodtechnol/ winxppro/ evaluate/ xpactiv.asp.

There also are many third-party sites digging into WPA. See, for example:

I have yet to find any non-Microsoft site that seems to think that WPA, as currently implemented, is an unalloyed good idea.

Several sites do concur with one of the central assertions in the original article--that WPA is not a particular security risk.

But most also concur with my assertion--an assertion echoed by the overwhelming majority of readers (more than 85%) who've posted so far on InformationWeek's Listening Post--that WPA is nevertheless a user-hostile technology with a number of major real or potential drawbacks and with no redeeming benefit for Microsoft's customers (you and me).

I think WPA is a terrible idea. But let me ask you:

Please add your voice--pro or con--to the amazing debate going on in the Listening Post. See you there!