Imagine what it would be like if we had no paved roads, making it extremely difficult for you to ride between your home and office. Or what it would be like if we had no public schools, so the majority of the children would be left to roam the streets with no real daily structure.

It probably wouldn't be a pretty sight. We take community services for granted, even as we cry about the taxes we pay to make them happen. That's because there are certain types of activities that create benefits for society on the whole and are made possible by contributions from individuals.

In the computer world, we depend on one another to help keep the entire Internet secure. Each computer connected to the Internet that is not virus-free becomes a threat to all the others around it -- thereby threatening users. If you don't protect your system from viruses, worms, hackers and hoaxes, you put my computer at risk, even if you're not part of my local area network.

So you might be concerned when you first hear that Microsoft just launched an anti-piracy plan called Windows Genuine Advantage. In this plan, Microsoft will require Windows users who have not officially activated their Windows licenses to validate their software with Microsoft. Some experts are concerned that Windows Genuine Advantage puts the entire user community at increased risk of virus or electronic terror attack.

According to David Lazar, director for Genuine Windows, there are more than 10 million people using nongenuine Windows XP. These are people who thought they bought genuine Windows licenses, not people who make casual copies for their own use.

Between now and the middle of the year, as Microsoft rolls out Windows Genuine Advantage, anybody who falls into this category will probably lose his or her ability to use Windows Update, the interactive, manual service that provides patches for Windows. But this isn't as disastrous as it sounds on the surface, because Microsoft recognizes that if users don't patch their systems for security purposes, the entire Internet community will be at higher risk of a viral health emergency.

So Microsoft is allowing these users to continue to get patches -- but only if they use Automatic Updates or the fully manual download center. While the download center is typically used by corporate IT managers, Automatic Updates is appropriate for average users. It checks their systems regularly, and automatically sends the patches required to fix issues with Windows. It's like having a mechanic come into your garage to tune up your car on a regular basis, whether you are there or not.

If you fall into the group of 10 million nongenuine Windows users, Microsoft really wants you to make your Windows license legal. So the company will offer you incentives to obtain a legal copy of Windows -- and tell you where and how to do it.

If your system is checked and doesn't pass the validation test, you'll be asked to turn on Automatic Updates. You'll also be told how to recognize a real Windows certificate of authenticity (including a hologram that comes on each copy). These certificates are on only the genuine Windows software. You'll also have access to a printout that you can bring to the reseller who sold you your computer -- so you can easily confront the reseller and ask for a genuine copy of Windows.

I've posted a screenshot at my Web site of what you'll see if your system doesn't pass validation.