ibuprofin@painkiller.example.tld (Moe Trin) writes:

>On Sun, 11 Mar 2007, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.computer.security, in article
><45f479cf$0$8927$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>, Steve H. wrote:

>>Someone on another BBS I'm on declared that Microsoft might secretly
>>whitelist certain spyware companies. This is total BS, right ? I cannot
>>imagine Microsoft doing this and the resulting scandal.

>This is a troll, right? You've had your head up-and-locked and haven't
>bothered to read the End User License Agreement that _you_ agreed to when
>you got windoze, and haven't bothered to know what the words "Digital
>Rights Management" mean. That's funny.

>In case you're not trolling, point your news reader to the news groups
>"alt.privacy" and "alt.spyware". Or just hit google and find a copy of
>the microsoft EULA - or pick up any computer magazine and find the
>discussion about the spyware - it's not called that, because you agreed
>that microsoft has the right to install it and can do anything they want
>with the information they get from your computer.

Ie, it is not a secret, it is something you agree to (well, that is
actually doubtful that you agree to it, since it is part of contract of
adhesion, and you have no opportunity to actually negotiate it, or even
know what its terms are before purchase.)
Ie, what it rather is that Microsoft Claims the right to disable any part
of the operating system at its whim. Whether this would stand up in court
is dubious, but would you want to be the one to take on Gate's billions in
a legal fight. Might makes right in this case, especially when the
govenment is totally unwilling to take on blatant and declared illegal
actions by that company.

Ie, by using and installing Vista, you have given away the keys to your
computer to MS, or to whatever other agents can determine how MS can
disable your system.

> Old guy