Paul Herring wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 1:30 AM, Thomas Hruska <[email protected]> 
> wrote:
> [...]
>> Plus, using VerifyMyPC, I've had the joy of watching my product catch
>> both Microsoft AND Google with their pants down updating my computer
>> WITHOUT my explicit permission.
> 
> I'm sure there are clauses in their EULA's whereby you have given such
> permission.

EULA, pff.  It is called _trust_.  To gain (and keep) my trust, apps. 
need to tell me _exactly_ what is happening to my computer at all times 
and offer me an option to NOT do something when it affects files and 
registry entries on my system.  Thus, I haven't trusted a company since 
the DOS days.

It was simple in DOS - if you installed outside of the directory the 
user told you to, you were considered a virus unless you described 
EXACTLY to the user what you were going to modify and WHY.  When Windows 
came along, all that went out the window - and so did my trust. 
Uninstalling under DOS was typically very easy - just delete the 
directory.  *NIX, in some ways, is worse than Windows apps. since files 
can end up in different directories depending on the distro.

Both Microsoft and Google have violated the simple rule of "at least 
tell us when you update".  I'd be upset that I didn't get to choose when 
the update ran, but it is better than telling me nothing.  Google is 
supposedly all about "do no evil", yet they pull this stunt regularly 
(more often than Microsoft).  IMO, VerifyMyPC has rightly labeled the 
secret/silent Microsoft/Google updates as malware in all cases.

With VerifyMyPC, I get to at least monitor and track apps. making 
critical modifications behind my back.  When they do, the company gets 
caught.  Legality (EULAs) has _nothing_ to do with this.  I want a say 
in updates.  ALL updates.

-- 
Thomas Hruska
CubicleSoft President
Ph: 517-803-4197

*NEW* MyTaskFocus 1.1
Get on task.  Stay on task.

http://www.CubicleSoft.com/MyTaskFocus/

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