My Sony VAIO Windows 7 system came with a copy of McAfee installed, but I never registered it. What puzzles me is, yes, I know it's out of date now, but the software still runs and protects me from visiting web pages containing risky behavior and so on and so forth. While running Windows, I get this window, which says: "Check status so as to be able to solve security problems and maintain the PC safe." and the blue button says "Check protection status".
When I click on the blue "Check protection status" button I get the following window, which says, "!The computer being used is in danger" and then "McAfee protection against the most recent threats is no longer available. Activate protection now." The blue button reads "Configuration".
Clicking on this button takes me to the following window, which says: "Sony recommends McAfee security", and "The PC comes with McAfee Security software preinstalled. To obtain protection against security threats, activate the software now.".
OK, so here comes my question. I've never activated the software, and yet it has been working and still seems to be working (excapt possibly for new threats as the second message window states). If the software works out-of-the box without requiring activation, then what does product activation do in this case?