Microsoft Legal tells Autopatcher to stop (updated x2)

A sad day. For four years, autopatcher provided users a way to download and install all patches at once. It also allowed to do a great number of tweaks to system performance AND security. To me it was one of the greatest tools that ever existed.

But now Microsoft Legal has told autopatcher to stop. They claim they want to prevent malicious code to be added and that it has nothing to do with WGA. Sound very fishy to me. Microsoft added that Windows Update for pre-Vista versions of Windows can now be accessed using Firefox. Hmmm..... let's test it with my Firefox 2.0.0.6 (I temporarily deactivated NoScript for the test):

Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

To use this site, you must be running Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later.

To upgrade to the latest version of the browser, go to the Internet Explorer Downloads website.

If you prefer to use a different web browser, you can obtain updates from the Microsoft Download Center or you can stay up to date with the latest critical and security updates by using Automatic Updates. To turn on Automatic Updates:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Depending on which Control Panel view you use, Classic or Category, do one of the following:
   • Click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.
   • Click Performance and Maintenance, click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.
3. Click the option that you want. Make sure Automatic Updates is not turned off.

*cough* Firefox support indeed. Isn't it time to release XP SP3? Not every country has unlimited bandwidth transfer limits for broadband. At least I discovered that security updates are available on ISO-9660 DVD5 image files from the Microsoft Download Center. But it doesn't include the (security) tweaks and functionality that autopatcher has. A sad day indeed.

Update (31/08/2007): Microsoft Stomps on Free Patch Utility (eweek.com)

An unnamed source at Microsoft prior to the AutoPatcher shutdown told a Neowin member who asked about the implications of distributing hotfixes that WGA is "first and foremost an educational tool."

*cough* WGA shutdowns mistakenly disables features from Vista, anyone? Educational indeed. I am more and more convinced to switch back to Linux (Gentoo or Ubuntu) after four years then to buy Vista. I am not too comfortable with the thought someone on the other side of the world can disable half of my OS with the flip of a switch. It's all about control (and profit?).
I just like to be in control of my own personal computer.

Also read the Vista advanced phone home features

UPDATE (04/09/2007): AutoPatcher looks to return from the dead (computerworld.com)