On Sun, 13 Jan 2002 19:31:32 +1300 David McNab <david at rebirthing.co.nz> writes: > > > heretic wrote: > > > >> Hi, > >> > >> I've just been reading in the C_FIT Release Community mailing > lists > >> that updates to Windows XP will include surveillance software, > >> including key logging and other nasties. > >> > >> It's likely that most XP users will have M$ Update switched on, > and > >> will inadvertently install software that completely eliminates > their > >> privacy, and they won't even know that such software is running. > >> > >> With keylogging (and other pieces of) software, even PGP becomes > >> completely useless. > >> > >> One could cynically speculate that in co-operating such with the > FBI, > >> M$ may be trying to gain some clemency from DoJ for its > >> anti-competitive crimes. > > > > > > This is why I use Linux. > > > > MS Windows is now a potential agent for the extension of the > growing > > American police state. > > > > The machinery is all there.....all we need now is the venal > politicians > > to make use of it. As Nixon and Reagan both did as far as they > were > > able..... > >
I agree. I wish I had my own PC, then I'd use Linux. And I would try to find a way of defeating the DRM, if not in the law, then in software. > > <quote> > >If you own a PC, you've got your own software factory. If you can > write > good software, multi-billion pound companies need you -- but you > could > string together the words and numbers that shape the world as well > from a > bedroom in Calcutta as from their plush offices in Silicon Valley. > The > consumers own the means of production, the workers hold all the > cards: > welcome to the future, a world where the anarchy of software > economics has > the potential to overturn capitalism. True. Every computer, whether PC or something else, is potentialy a factory ready to spew out millions of copies of software a year. And every programer can create just as easily from home as from an office. Location doesn't matter, only hardware, and time. > > Or, alternatively, there's the doomsday scenario: > > "We are about to enter an age that would have thrilled all the > dictators > of the past. An age where machines can be a totally obedient, > non-human, > police force allowing absolute control over the movement and > interaction > of every individual," says Tony Stanco of the embryonic radical > software > company FreeDevelopers.net. I agree. I want to fight that, in any way possible. > > To him there is a war on. If things keep going as they are now, > before we > know it the profit-making strategies of "proprietary" companies such > as > Microsoft will leave us with our communications, commerce and, > potentially, democracy controlled by programmes no-one can > scrutinise and > few can understand; created and marketed to us by unaccountable > billionaires: "Since proprietary software is by definition unseen > code not > subject to scrutiny by the public, it gives too much power to a > few, > unelected businessmen, mostly from the US. Looking back on human > history, > nightmarish scenarios cannot be hard to imagine," says Stanco. Yeah, I think it's wrong that proprietary software cannot be examined for potential threats to personal privacy, or to things like National Security. ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. _______________________________________________ Chat mailing list Chat at freenetproject.org http://lists.freenetproject.org/mailman/listinfo/chat
