[LINK] Vista - the data gatherer

[Roger Clarke]

At 10:21 +0800 3/7/07, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
>Isn't harvest a nice unchallenging word? - a bit like rendition.
>I have to use Microsoft products because my employer and clients use 
>it, but this really puts me off Vista.
>Is this the same for all versions?
>What do the versions that corporates and governments run do?
>Is Microsoft starting to put bigger bullets into its foot?

Surely the outgoing data-streams are reliably recognisable.

And hence blockable.

And hence surely someone's already written a tool to block them?

Or do all of the world's rebels work under OS other than MS's, and 
hence don't write such tools?


>Forget about the WGA! 20+ Windows Vista Features and Services 
>Harvest User Data for Microsoft - From your machine!
>Marius Oiaga,
>Technology News Editor
>Softpedia
>http://news.softpedia.com/news/Forget-about-the-WGA-20-Windows-Vista-Features-and-Services-Harvest-User-Data-for-Microsoft-58752.shtml
>
>Are you using Windows Vista? Then you might as well know that the 
>licensed operating system installed on your machine is harvesting a 
>healthy volume of information for Microsoft. In this context, a 
>program such as the Windows Genuine Advantage is the last of your 
>concerns. In fact, in excess of 20 Windows Vista features and 
>services are hard at work collecting and transmitting your personal 
>data to the Redmond company.
>
>Microsoft makes no secret about the fact that Windows Vista is 
>gathering information. End users have little to say, and no real 
>choice in the matter. The company does provide both a Windows Vista 
>Privacy Statement and references within the End User License 
>Agreement for the operating system. Combined, the resources paint 
>the big picture over the extent of Microsoft's end user data harvest 
>via Vista.
>
><snip>
>
>--
>Regards
>brd
>
>Bernard Robertson-Dunn
>Sydney Australia
>brd at iimetro.com.au
>
>
>
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-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

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Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
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