New Security Patch

[lnp]

Via Digg, there's a new patch from Microsoft that evidentially allows the home office to check out the OS on your computer to make sure its legit. While I'm fine with a company protecting its product, I'm not sure how I feel about remote scanning.

EDIT: While I know its in the EULA, I guess my question is would people want to use a less common, but more open platform (linux, MacOS, etc.) if they knew it entailed having greater freedom from prying eyes of the company who made it?

Here's a link to the article from the Washington Post: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/04/microsoft_expands_antipiracy_p.html

[dcv]

I really don't see this (or things of this nature, which I'm sure Microsoft will have many more of) driving people to the alternatives - privacy just isn't an issue to the masses (though it really should be!). In an age when the Real ID Act got little exposure in major news outlets (and those I've told promptly responded "well, the government knows everything anyway"), in an age when the Sony rootkit fiasco didn't even phase the company, in an age when people will fill out a credit card form to get a free t-shirt, I don't think the idea that Windows is phoning home will bother the masses in the least.

//sorry, I get a bit frustrated on such issues

Besides, what's one more nagging thing in Windows? I'd think most users are already used to it.

//still gets annoyed that XP thinks it has to tell me when I have inactive icons
//it's been three months since my last reinstall - I think I know by now

It'll be cracked within a few weeks/days/hours anyway - this will only serve to annoy legitimate users a little bit more, while those who are seriously pirating the OS will just keep trucking. I think I like what they're doing in Vista a bit more - if you don't validate your copy, then you can't user Aero or Glass, but you can still use the OS.

[dparm]

$20 says that in one week someone will figure out how to abuse that and steal valid product keys from people.

[moser]

I give it less than that unfortunately...

[ajmurphy]

i read about this yesterday, but if its in a patch, couldnt ppl just avoid downloading that patch? unless they hook it onto another patch that your computer needs...

[dcv]

Without it, you won't be able to grab Windows updates (I think).

[lnp]

Without it, you won't be able to grab Windows updates (I think).

Right. Its part of the MS program that is meant to prevent pirating. In addition to Windows updates, the new MS explorer will be off limits too...but then again that might just drive more people to Firefox.

[dparm]

You'll be able to download non-critical updates -- meaning any security holes will go unpatched.

[nlopez]

Oh, so the Post finally caught up with Genuine Advantage that Microsoft started using several months ago. It doesn't send anything interesting back to Microsoft, not even a product key, it's just an ActiveX control/executable that does the checks locally then generates a magic code that gets sent back to authorize you to download stuff.

FYI, it declares Wine (http://winehq.com) as a Genuine copy of Windows.

Move along, nothing to see here but another annoyance of using Windows.

[lnp]

Move along, nothing to see here but another annoyance of using Windows.

These aren't the conspiracies we're looking for...