Author: Albert Silver
Date: 07:47:32 10/27/01
Go up one level in this thread
On October 26, 2001 at 20:23:47, Eugene Nalimov wrote:
>First, Tom compared Windows XP with Win2k, not with Win9x/ME family. I believe
>WinNT/Win2k also will not work on your 386 system with 5Mb of RAM.
>
>Second, I don't understand what you are talking about "privacy issues". Product
>activation is *anonymous*
>(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/default.asp?url=/WINDOWSXP/home/using/productdoc/en/WPA_privacypolicy.asp).
>Of course you can say "I don't believe MS", but then I'll ask you "Are you
>believeing ingredient list that is printed on the box with cereal? And how MS
>differ from cereal maker?".
>
>Eugene
The first, difference is the quality of outside regulations that help insure
this to be as true as possible.
The second and much more important point IMO, is that even if I doubt the cereal
maker every bit as much as MS, the consequences of my doubts being justified are
VERY different. Unless the cereal maker is actually putting poison in their
product. If MS lies then my privacy has been inexhorably invaded. If they like,
via the Internet, my computer is stopped. If they like, as Tom pointed out, they
can see and register very last detail of my computer, and thus my work, and
other things. The cereal maker has no such power, nor was any of this in the
user agreement. When people buy the OS, they certainly understand a number of
the conditions, but are they aware their privacy and work depends entirely on
Microsoft's goodwill? Corn Flakes won't cause such issues.
Let's extrapolate for the sake of argument only: You buy a beautiful brand new
house from me. When I give you the key to your new home, you see a guy waiting
in front of it and I tell you his presence is obligatory. The door to your new
home is also obligatorily open at all times. I PROMISE you he won't look inside,
though he will ALWAYS be there. He also has the key to the house and can lock
you out at any time. That's MS Windows for you. I don't want to be in such a
position. Why should I?
Albert
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