06-11-2006, 09:30 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
Big Brother Checking On Your PC Daily
http://www.informationweek.com/internet/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=188703441
"Microsoft Corp. is being criticized for distributing its Windows XP anti-piracy tool in a way that may leave many PC users in the dark as to what they are actually downloading. In addition, the software maker has come under fire for failing to make it clear to people installing Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) that the application communicates with Microsoft on a daily basis."
So it isn't enough we have to activate the PC, the software also checks back with MS every day to ensure you are still not a thief, because yesterday you might have been honest but today, you could be a criminal.
"In its defense, Microsoft said people downloading the application are presented with an end user license that they can accept or reject. Choosing the latter will abort the process."
:rotfl: Abort the process? Are they kidding? Last time I went to Microsoft Update, I couldn't get the latest security update without installing the spyware... I mean Windows Genuine Advantage. :roll: Well, once the current beta is done, they will only check every two weeks. :?
|
| |
|
|
|
06-11-2006, 10:19 PM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14
|
|
The software communicates with Microsoft to check if it should activate itself or not. So Microsoft can stop it from running in the event that some major flaw is discovered.
No information about you or your computer is transmitted during this process.
This is typical behavior for many, many applications of its type. But for some reason, because it's Microsoft, everyone is up in arms about it.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-11-2006, 11:00 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by UnnDunn
The software communicates with Microsoft to check if it should activate itself or not.
|
Right, because when it activated yesterday, I was honest. But today, I might be a crook. Why does it need to activate itself at all if I am not downloading anything from MS, like critical updates? Why, right now as I type this, is there a piece of software waiting for me to suddenly get illegal?
|
| |
|
|
|
06-11-2006, 11:59 PM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by UnnDunn
The software communicates with Microsoft to check if it should activate itself or not.
|
Right, because when it activated yesterday, I was honest. But today, I might be a crook. Why does it need to activate itself at all if I am not downloading anything from MS, like critical updates? Why, right now as I type this, is there a piece of software waiting for me to suddenly get illegal? |
Again, this is typical of copy-protection software from dozens of companies and dozens of products. Why the sudden hate?
I don't like copy protection as much as you don't, but crying foul at Microsoft for doing it is disingenuous and is a double standard.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-12-2006, 12:23 AM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,108
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by UnnDunn
Again, this is typical of copy-protection software from dozens of companies and dozens of products.
|
And it's wrong then, too. But for one thing, I personally haven't seen other programs which do this the way that this thing seems to. At most, I've seen apps that tried to check in with a server once, not every day, or not even every two weeks.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-12-2006, 01:08 AM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 24
|
|
Re: Big Brother Checking On Your PC Daily
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
http://www.informationweek.com/internet/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=188703441
"Microsoft Corp. is being criticized for distributing its Windows XP anti-piracy tool in a way that may leave many PC users in the dark as to what they are actually downloading. In addition, the software maker has come under fire for failing to make it clear to people installing Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) that the application communicates with Microsoft on a daily basis."
So it isn't enough we have to activate the PC, the software also checks back with MS every day to ensure you are still not a thief, because yesterday you might have been honest but today, you could be a criminal.
"In its defense, Microsoft said people downloading the application are presented with an end user license that they can accept or reject. Choosing the latter will abort the process."
:rotfl: Abort the process? Are they kidding? Last time I went to Microsoft Update, I couldn't get the latest security update without installing the spyware... I mean Windows Genuine Advantage. :roll: Well, once the current beta is done, they will only check every two weeks. :?
|
:sleeping: Who cares? Scan me today, scan me tomorrow, scan me every day, scan me multiple times a day. The process is transparent, does not affect functionality, and no personal data is sent. All my PCs have their own legal copy of Windows so I will worry about more important things. :sleeping:
|
| |
|
|
|
06-12-2006, 01:52 AM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 176
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by UnnDunn
So Microsoft can stop it from running in the event that some major flaw is discovered.
|
When you say stop 'IT' do you mean Windows itself or the Update Process.
I am not going to pretend that this is something I am surprised at, but I do find it very offensive.
So basically if I completely lock up my house, and the city or state (who is the entity that actually owns the physical land) wants to come in my house because it is sitting on their land, they can just come inside whenever they want....?
I would LOVE to complain more about this, to rant and rave about how illegal, immoral, unethical, and just plain arrogant and rude it is....but lets be honest...could I really stop it if I wanted to?
Unless I disconnect my INTERNET connection, probably not.....
|
| |
|
|
|
06-12-2006, 02:14 AM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 214
|
|
If the day comes when Linux is really ready for prime time (and it is a loooooooooong way off if you aren't using it for a server), I'll make the switch.
Microsoft is busy protecting its interests. One day, people will have a true alternative to turn to that isn't quite so aggressive in defending its intellectual rights. Then maybe, as has happened in so many other businesses, they'll be protecting a shrinking share of their business.
All that has to happen in the future is for someone to develop a way for Linux to support Windows software fully, and the courts to uphold their right to do so and to stay current, and it's all over. The government is mostly standing behind MS, but government priorities can change. Intellectual property rights are not exactly spelled out in the Constitution, and that means it takes a simple majority of Congress to change the rules in the US. Internationally, it's even easier to change once the US changes over.
And China is poised to dominate international politics in the next few years, and they're no fan of intellectual property rights.
It may be decades away, or it might be a couple of years from now, but Microsoft will have a day of reckoning (along with the oil companies). That's just inevitable.
I'm not one of those who think Microsoft deliberately releases flawed software in a scheme to keep "legitimate" customers crawling to their door step for "security updates". But I can understand those who think this is a purposeful part of their anti-piracy strategy, and even my sister who has no grudge against MS thinks so.
But for now, they've got the market. Whenever I have to use Linux machines, it's painful. And when it comes to intellectual "rights", Apple's even worse than MS. So I'm as stuck with MS as most. But I'm not loyal to them, and I'm not their fan.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-12-2006, 02:25 AM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 176
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by frankenbike
If the day comes when Linux is really ready for prime time (and it is a loooooooooong way off if you aren't using it for a server), I'll make the switch...
|
Very well said.
I agree with everything you said.
Something else will come along eventually.
I live in Linux Country (Provo, Utah) This is where Novell is located. My brother in law heads a dept in development. You cannot get a bigger opponent of Microsoft, but if you go to his house...all three of his computers INCLUDING his WORK ASSIGNED LAPTOP is a Windows Laptop.
Why?? Well there are many reasons...... I think the above post describes it perfectly.
***huge quote trimmed by mod JD***
|
| |
|
|
|
06-12-2006, 03:16 AM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by thanos255
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by UnnDunn
So Microsoft can stop it from running in the event that some major flaw is discovered.
|
When you say stop 'IT' do you mean Windows itself or the Update Process. |
The Windows Genuine Notification tool. ie. the thing that pops up the "Counterfeit Windows" messages.
To be clear, the tool doesn't check in to determine your legit status every day. It does that one time when it is installed; after that it does it when you try to install new software from Microsoft (such as Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2.) When it does check in, it updates a file on your hard drive with your legit status. On subsequent logins, it checks for the presence of that file to determine your legit status. It doesn't go out Microsoft's servers unless the file is not present.
The daily check is only to determine if the tool should run or not, so that Microsoft can disable it discreetly and in a hurry if it causes problems (such as if it generates several false positives.) This is prudent software design, because Microsoft realizes the tool may have bugs, and those bugs could potentially negatively impact customer experience.
And yet, Microsoft gets lambasted for it.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
