[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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