On Tue, 20 Nov 2001 21:28:32 -0500, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax wrote: >Someone at Microsoft has obviously figured out how much money >they are "losing" because people install their OS on more than >one computer. Of course, I won't buy XP with that system unless >I am absolutely forced to, and it has not yet come to that, so >it is not clear to me that, if others are like me, they will >actually make more money, they may make less, but this is what >bean counters can do to a software company. I would have bought >XP before now if not for the activation issue. I change hardware > very often, and I might want to get one computer running before > I shut down the old one or change its OS. > And it gets much worse...
Microsoft is now requiring users to have a Passport Account to use more of their programs and services. Passport requires certain personal information (although I'm reasonably sure you could enter bogus data) -- but the fact is they are getting more intrusive and when you read the licensing information for WinXP and Passport you realize you have agreed to an open-ended arrangement whereby Microsoft can do pretty much whatever they want with the information and change the terms of their agreement at any time. They are setting users up for an escalating cost subscription service and people are blindly buying into it "because it's Microsoft's latest and greatest". Once you sign on the dotted line (or press the Accept button), you can't go back! MSN Messenger is an oft quoted program that requires a Passport Account, but it goes beyond that. Did you know for instance that to receive free email tech support from Microsoft you now must sign on with a Passport Account? I'm not a conspiracy theorist by nature, but I am trusting Microsoft less and less as time goes by. I really do wonder what kinds of "spyware" and other back doors they may have in hidden away Windows XP? My solution to this will be to use Win2K as long as humanly possible. I'm sure I'll have to install at least one copy of WinXP for software testing purposes at some point in time, but I don't see myself using it as an everyday OS. It really doesn't do much more than Win2K and Win2K has already proven itself to be robust and stable. That's my last (and only) WinXP rant. Back to work here. Matt Pobursky Maximum Performance Systems * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
