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Subject: Re: Windows XP - a privacy issue?

Author: Tom Kerrigan

Date: 13:27:04 10/27/01

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On October 27, 2001 at 06:46:25, Ed Schröder wrote:

>Just realize the power of MS, if they want to stop all PC's from working
>one day they can do it. I know this is extreme but that is not important.
>Important is if it is desirable a company to have so much power.

No they can't. There is no code in Windows to ping the master server every day
to see if Microsoft has issued the "end the world" command. If Microsoft
suddenly disappeared, things would be a mess, yes. But you can say that about
any huge company, monopoly or not. If, say, AT&T disappeared, the effect would
be huge and felt immediately, in contrast to MS...

>Then when a new OS comes that is even more dominant ignoring the concerns
>that are among people and that follows the same "more power to MS" principles
>it is not so difficult to understand new criticism. Keyword is fear. And not
>unjustified as MS presents itself as a company hungry for power.

MS is not ignoring the concerns of its customers, or potential customers. They
have been actively trying to inform everybody about product activation for
months now, specifically the fact that it does not invade your privacy.
Everybody seems to be in a tizzy because of FUD--make-believe stories passed on
via word-of-mouth or on bulletin boards like this one.

-Tom



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