[LUAU] I Warned You About This!!!

John W Christian jwchris at juno.com
Mon Mar 8 09:02:47 PST 1999


On Sun, 07 Mar 1999 21:53:52 -1000 George Toft <LinuxAdvocate at iname.com>
writes:
>> Microsoft to address Windows 98 privacy issue
snip
Snip
>> But a software programmer who detected the problem said he remained
concerned
>> Microsoft was amassing a huge database that theoretically could be
used to
>> track down the authors of individual documents.
>> 
>> Rob Bennett, a group product manager at Microsoft, said the company
learned on
>> Friday that Windows 98 users were transmitting a unique hardware
>> identification number during the registration process -- even when
they
>> specifically elected not to send data about their hardware.
>> 
>> The problem first was disclosed in Sunday's New York Times.
>> 
snip
Snip
>> The issue affects only users whose computers have Ethernet adapter
cards, most
>> common in office computers connected to a local area network, but it
raises
>> new questions about privacy in a world in which people increasingly
exchange
>> electronic information over the Internet.
>> 
>> Microsoft also said it plans to eliminate a feature in its Office 97
word
>> processing and spreadsheet software after concerns were raised about
the use
>> of the hardware identification number to generate unique numbers for
each
>> document.
>> 
>> "We're very, very concerned about privacy issues and the perception of
privacy
>> issues, so this is not going to be there in Windows 2000," said Steven
>> Sinofsky, a Microsoft vice president.
>> 
snip
Snip

>I hate to say I told you so, but I warned you all about ayear ago that 
>Microsoft had both the technology and desire to do this with Win98.
>
Nod - & George, I have been saying it since the early 90's [from my
experience]
note the article is attempting to allay people's fears & say it is
happening only 
on the NIC cards.  Not true!

>First come product keys (like anyone who copies the disk won't copy 
>the number, also). 
Actually, 1st came OS 3.11 with Bill having limited or no access [if the
users 
knew what they were doing...], then came OS 95 [& its NT cousin] with a
browser,
any browser on any connection to link to Redmond.  Then the data started
being
collected....
>Once people get used to the numbers, then
>it's time to collect the numbers and MS products in a big database 
>via the Internet.  Then the e-mail will come "We noticed you
>have MS whatever 97 installed on your computer, and it is also 
>registered by 15 other people.  We don't want to accuse anyone 
>of software theft, but it is obvious someone copied someone elses 
>CD.  Please buy a license for MS whatever 97 at our online store for
>the low price of $499.  Failure to comply will result it the removal 
>of this software from your computer.  Thank you."
probably why I can't even get 98 up [let alone NT...]
>
>Think it can't happen?  I work with someone who has already
>experienced this.
>
>On the technical side, what happens when you mix a money-hungry 
>corporation who leads the war on software piracy with a worldwide 
>communication medium and active desktop technology?  A graphic 
>interface (Win98) that can do to your computer whatever the 
>folks in Redmond want to do.
>
>Trust nothing that comes from Microsoft!!!  Open-Source is the
>only way to compute.
NOD NOD NOD

John

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