----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any
advice in this forum.]----
I'd think that if you use a non-Microsoft browser, and a non-Microsoft
antivirus (and firewall) program, you should be reasonably safe.

I use Netscape partly to defy Microsoft.  But It's also because I've
almost never heard of viruses targeting security faults in Netscape
while viruses that target security faults in Microsoft Outlook or
Internet Explorer seem to be monthly if not weekly.

I'm not a bit worried about using the MSN site to host a site I'm
visiting because I don't use their products to view the web site. At any
free web site or service, I would expect they'll use any info I give
them (like age and economic info) to target me with ads they think I'd
be tempted by.

It wouldn't surprise me if they target ads on our web sites for
wealthier than average visitors (they'll sure miss the target in my
case!). They may target us with aviation oriented ads and that would be
OK with me.

But I'd expect such a thing to happen with ANY free site that has ads.

I won't mention it to them, but I don't even see the ads any more,
usually.

In summary, I don't think you have any concerns from Microsoft if you
don't use Microsoft products for your browsing or e-mail when you visit
http://www.ercoupe.org.  (And even if you do use those products, I think
the threat is from criminals, not Microsoft.)

Ed

Dick Chevalier wrote:
> 
> ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following
any advice in this forum.]----
> At the time this happened, I worked for Motorola Inc.  Motorola
discovered
> what Microsoft was doing and fearing that file names alone in the hands
of
> Microsoft could be an indication of what Motorola was working on, they
> immediately stopped all installations of Windows 95 and continued using
OS/2
> for almost another year until Microsoft was able to provide a version
that
> didn't gather that information and forward it back to MS.  It was
certainly
> not a myth.  Microsoft is no more, no less evil than any business, but
it
> certainly is predatory.  No small wonder they are in their current legal
> situation.  Just imagine if you were trying to compete with them.
> Dick Chevalier
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Laird-McConnell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [email protected]
> <[email protected]>
> Date: Saturday, August 19, 2000 11:29 AM
> Subject: RE: [COUPERS] New web site: ercoupe.org
> 
> >This is a myth.  Microsoft did NOT get a list of all of your files and
> >upload them.  What it did was look at what system it was running.  What
> >video card, cd-rom, etc.  The reason that information was useful is
that it
> >allowed them to make decisions about which drivers were more important
to
> >get released on future releases, etc.
> >
> >To make it something evil is a gross misrepresentation.
> >
> >-Tom
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Dick Chevalier [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Sent: Friday, August 18, 2000 9:47 PM
> >To: [email protected]
> >Subject: Re: [COUPERS] New web site: ercoupe.org
> >
> >
> >----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following
any
> >advice in this forum.]----
> >I'm afraid I have to agree.  I stay as far away from MS as I can.
Their
> >original version of Windows 95 actually read your hard drive and sent
them
> a
> >list of all the files on your hard drives when you dialed in to
register
> >with them
> 
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