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MS Zone Users Must Use Passport Accounts
pathos writes: "CNet reports in this article that Microsoft, in its continued obsession to get everyone and his/her mother to be a registered Passport user, forced all of it's MS Zone gaming site users (including players of 'Asheron's Call') to open accounts in Passport in order to keep using the service... too bad that a bug with their .NET deployment kept many users not being able to access the service..." Of course, if you run the hotel, you get to say who uses the pool ...
Of course, if you run the hotel, you get to say who uses the pool...
Yeah, but you can't control who pees in it.
:)
Why can't users just act the same as they do with Hotmail? Open up separate accounts for different uses, most with false information that can't be tied back to you without a search warrant?
Resist, I say! Don't sign up for Passport!
Micros~1 can be stopped, but we all have to work together and resist!
Passport is essential to the Micros~1 plan for world domination. We can stop it by refusing to participate.
This thing scares me, really. How long will it be before every Windows user is required to have a Passport account before they can log into their workstation?
appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars
I refuse to allow Microsoft, a company which has been found to have shaky (at best) security practices, to protect my private information on their service. I refuse to allow Microsoft to control my computer with their draconian authentication scheme, which is just a ruse to bolster arbitrary numbers on their annual report. I refuse to purchase any products or services of the Microsoft Corporation.
I have decided to start boycotting the Microsoft. Please also start, if you care about your rights as a citizen of the 21st century.
For more information, click here.
Wouldn't be amusing if somebody registerred a generic account and released the name/password onto the public?
Maybe when MS sees 4 million people logged on as $L4$hd0t it'll realize that the people don't want to be uniquely identified in EVERYTHING they do.
"Derp de derp."
So when the XBox's online program comes out in 6 months, will the users have to do the same thing? I would assume so. Which is one of the reasons I will never get the XBox and why I shake my head at everyone that did. Tsk, tsk, tsk kids.
sin(6cos(r)+5A)
I hate Microsoft as much as the next *nix guy, but this makes sense to me. If you're going to push a single account/password strategy, you need to implement it yourself first.
.NET and Passport. For myself, I'll just continue to choose not to use any Microsoft web services.
If you are going to use Microsoft web services, you have to get used to
Reverse that analogy about the pool:
If you're staying at my hotel, and swimming in my pool, I want your info.
But the whole point of passport was to provide a single continous logon throughout the MSN suite of web sites.
Why is Zone.com any different?
Actually, Sun has adopted Passport after Microsoft adopted Liberty Alliance. And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you...
I only post comments when someone on the internet is wrong.
Of course, it looks a little different if you consider things from a business perspective. If you're a company that has 7 different login and authentication systems for their wide array of services, and you could centralize that for cost savings, wouldn't you do it? I would.
The problem with Microsoft is that later down the line someone will say "we should use this massive pile of user data we've got to get volunteers to test our new free brain implants."
Not everything Microsoft does is evil, it's just usually the last thing that they do that turns everything they've done before evil.
Actually, I think that's too small of scope for Microsoft -- they own several small 'countries' and if you want to stay overnight, you now have to stay in a MS Hotel (tm).
This is totally bogus. When are game manufacturers (in this case) going to realize that they don't have to give up this much control over their userbase? Microsoft could potentially steer users to THEIR games (and I'm sure in many cases already do). More companies need to invest in infrastructure and online services and MS's online empire will start to crumble -- but they need to act fast. Microsoft now has the potential to really have a strangle hold on customers: They now have email addresses (read: 'sales leads') for a BUNCH of folks.
Predictions:
Microsoft will block access to www.microsoft.com unless you have a Passport account.
When that happens, Slashdot will report it as 'news'.
If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
I've never played any games in the "MS Zone" so I may be way off base here. I assume you have to have a "MS Zone" account to play the games, what's the big deal about having a passport account instead? Whether Microsoft wants to keep seperate logins to all of their services, or one login that works everywhere doesn't much seem to matter. I don't like the idea of MS pushing Passport as some internet wide login system, but for their own sites I think it makes sense (aside from the security holes).
I love Age of Kings, and playing on line is a trillion times better than playing the computer. Now I need a damn Passport account? That really blows.
If it ain't broke, you need more software.
And if I violate the ToS for any Microsoft service, do I get my passport pulled so that I can no longer access my Hotmail account or anything else that requires it?
I know we've said this before, but whenever Passport allows access to everyone bank account and stock portfolio the Passport servers will the the target of every black-hat hacker on the planet. And you know that script kiddies will be blasting it constantly with DOS attacks.
I'm sure MS will have excuses for why it happened to, like published security holes and such. But it will be their fault for leaving so much critical information linked to one account.
-Xenopax
Hmmm, I was unaware that special legislation was required to make people use their login system for their website. What did I miss?
If it ain't broke, you need more software.
I used to do a lot of gaming over the zone a few years back. Was probably the only Microsoft service that I ever liked. Damn shame, now ill never use the Zone again. Anyone up for an Open Source solution to the Zone?
Here's a question for people to ponder. What happens if I violate the terms of service of Passport or any attached property of Microsoft? Or more to the point, what happens if Microsoft mistakenly thinks I did but I didn't (like if I was hacked, etc). It seems that as Passport is further extended, this has a greater and greater impact on my ability to do things on-line. What if my bank uses passport? What if I communicate with my doctor through a passport secured site? If I get booted from passport for whatever reason, there could be some serious personal ramifications, and there's noreal recourse for me because I clicked the little "I Accept" button.
I grant you this is a little out there and paranoid, but I think that if passport does become a very fundamental part of on-line authorization systems, this could become a potential problem
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No, they are owned by Microsoft.
From the article:
"It's a difficult task, but other companies have done it--Starbucks just switched their old log-in system to Passport and did it smoothly."
"It's kind of surprising," Rosoff added. "If anyone should be able to implement a Passport switch, it's Microsoft."
That is hilarious: The staffers at a coffee house that, no doubt, keep MS programmers in caffinated beverages, can implement MS's own stuff better than MS can.
Ahaaahahaha.
Do you think maybe we should send MS some penguin mints? Oh, wait, belay that...probably most here would consider that aid and comfort to the enemy.
.
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
it's not about legislation, it's about the anti-trust case. if the case were still being pressed, MS wouldn't be able to push this shit down customers throats.
bush made it clear during his campaign that he would stop/hinder/castrate the prosecution if elected.
this installment of the us govt clearly values the rights of corporations and government agencies above the rights of CITIZENS.
The difference between Theory and Practice is greater in Practice than in Theory.
aware.
98% of all usable land. Now, if they did, and they
insisted that some African goat-herder who has
never even heard of the US be a US citizen in
order to continue herding goats, you could expect
a bit of a protest. Quite a bit of a protest.
The point is not that Microsoft is doing something
wrong, because they DO own the service and they DO
therefore have a say on how it is used.
The point is that they have monopoly control on
the desktop, they have monopoly control on the
browser market, and they are rapidly acquiring a
monopoly on the online gaming industry. The
leverage of a monopoly in ONE field to control
another is illegal, never mind three!
And therein lies the problem. The control is not
at issue. It is the abuse of monopoly power in a
seperate field, in order to gain that control,
which is so often the problem. You are simply not
permitted that kind of power, in the US. At least,
in theory. It's not slowed Microsoft any, even
though their actions have been declared illegal,
by numerous courts, over monopoly abuse.
(And here you were, thinking Monopoly was just a
board game!)
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
Of course. Passport is built nicely into XP. This will be their next step in taking over the world. Why not put it into something that is BUILT IN to Windows eXpect Problems? Programs => Games => Internet [Hearts,Checkers,Spades]
With the prospect of wireless access, we need something to identify us - but only when we decide to be identified and only to the person we decide to be identified to.
Think about this, you go around town with your laptop. You can connect to a wireless network of some type and shape. Now just like real life, you may be asked for your ID, or some sort of information that will identify yourself to the person or business asking. If you refuse - you don't get what you want either. So lets take this same idea into 'cyberspace' - and don't REQUIRE yourself to be ID'ed
If you want to beat M$ out of this spot of domination - not only do we need to support and back another method of identification, we need to beat them in the content wars.
M$ web sites and services sometimes are pretty, but they lack in content. Stray from doing business with sites that back Passport. Don't use HoTMaiL, don't use MSN Zone - but more importantly inspire or create content that will challenge M$ content because they are the last company we want to control this idea.
Get your Unix fortune now!
I was worried for a minute there.
This has nothing to do with rights. Well, it does, but it has to do with Microsoft's rights. They have a right to use whatever authentication system for their web pages that they choose.
You, as the average internet consumer do not have a right to access some companies pages without using the access mechanism that they choose. You do have a right to not grace that company with your business, though.
Really, can someone explain to me all of the mis-directed righteous indignation at Microsoft over this? It's a non-issue. If you don't like what MS has done with the Zone...tough. Just go play elsewhere.
No. Wrong.
You need a M$ Passport to vote in the United States...
t_t_b
I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
And don't forget licensing.
Today:
"Look, we'll make it easy for you to integrate all your authentication into one easy system and we'll even give it to you for free!"
10 years from now:
"Our auditing system indicates that your payments for licenses are past due. According to the terms of service we may claim this past due payment in stock, thus giving us majority share of your company."
A severe exaggeration, but you can bet that Microsoft's need to keep it's growth going will push it to make this all seem so easy and palatable now and will be followed with a big fee in a few years.
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I can still play MechWarrior 4, for example, I just can't be an 'uber stat monkey' and sit around on the zone all day making fun of people who can't stand against my ph4t sk1llZ. :p
And even if future Microsoft games require Passport to play.. So? It's a Microsoft game. They have a right to choose who plays it. As long as it says, "Passport required for play." on the box, why do we have the right to bitch?
..If I want karma on Slashdot, I need to make an account. True, an account also saves preferences and tells the server where to shove that karma. But there's little difference here, because the Zone, for example, required me to make an account to store my MW4 stats.
So they're changing from some obscure account system to Passport. An account is an account. Accounts tend to hold you accountable, too, from what I hear.
Of course, there are alternatives. If I don't wish to endure the Passport system, I can go play, say, Heavy Gear instead. Or insist that Bandai needs to release a Gundam sim. Sure, it's not Mechwarrior 4, but maybe I should be taking that up with the people who sold the Battletech rights?
Rights, there's that word again. Yes, people who create things generally have rights to do with as they please with said thing. I'm an author by trade, and, while I don't feel the need to come out and say, "Hey, Joe Windows User, I don't want you reading my book!", I have the right to say, "Hey! Fred Publisher! You're not reprinting my material without paying me!"
But should I ever want to say, "Hey, Joe Windows User..", shouldn't I have that right? (Granted, it'd be pretty stupid of me *to* say that, but hey, work with me, people.) After all, anything I create is *mine*, to do with as *I* please.
I'm delving into things that are just silly here, but the argument holds with common sense issues too. Just as we don't want foreign nationals electing our president, we don't want people basing programs off of GPL'd code and closing the source. If we have those rights, why doesn't Microsoft have the right to say, "You can't utilize our stat recording system without getting a Passport."?
Perhaps it's just that some people insist the entire world revolves around and exists to serve *them*. (:
The MSN gaming zone is a microsoft site. I can see why Microsoft wants one universal system like passport to use for their various sites (MSDN switched a while ago). It saves them support costs in the long run. I'm also not sure how AC players lost any privacy through this move. Microsoft already had the credit card info from the previous zone accounts. It would be nice if Microsoft would accept some other form of payment other than credit cards for AC.
Admitting this is news is admitting that MS has web services people should care about.
Personally, I'm much more concerned about Oracle's national ID cards. As was demonstrated at BlackHat, Oracle is not "unbreakable".
Let's not stir that bag of worms...
What would you do with a starbucks account any way?
And do you have to have Java to use it?
Sun requires you register before downloading software. As well as Oracle. Yahoo requires you register for it's customized services. And virtually all message boards require you to register before posting. Some even to browse. So what is the big deal if MS wants to have one universal log in for all of it's online properties? Yahoo requires you to have 1 login for all of it's features.
Actually, Asheron's Call is the only reason that I still have a Windows Partition anymore on my main box at home. All joking aside, its a GREAT game. It wasn't developed my Microsoft, nor is it managed by them, but by a company called Turbine. If you'd like to learn more about this addiction, feel free to browse some of my favorite fan sites, Crossroads of Dereth or Asheron's Call Stratics. Of course you can also check my guilds site which I administer, called Strife.
Clinton made me a Republican. Bush made me a Libertarian. Trump is making me question reality.
I thought you weren't allowed to use a monopoly in one area to create a monopoly in another area?
How is it that Microsoft is able to take it's monopoly in Office Suites and require you to create a Passport account in order to register them? Isn't that just creating a monopoly in online Registration?
Once everyone has been forced to register their Office and Windows with Passport, why whould they bother to register with another service? It is just like bundling the browser, only this time they are bundling the online registration.
It's crap of the highest order. It is even worse than the monopoly movie theatres have on food and drink. They state that you cannot bring in outside food or drink and make you pay extortionist prices for the crap that they do offer. It is not a free choice, in the sense that I went there for the movie, not food, but if I want food with my movie I have to pay out the whazoo. This would only be fair if I had the choice of brining in outside food and drink.
Same thing for amusement park food pricing.
Implementing Microsofts Passport on Microsofts Zone... oh the travesty!
as soon as EBAY requires you to use passport, then it will be noteworthy...
Thanks to file sharing, I purchase more CDs
Thanks to the RIAA, I buy them used...
So when I do not agree with terms of service of Passport, can I return Asheron's call since I cannot play it now? I want my money refunded.
If programs would be read like poetry, most programmers would be Vogons.
I agree, I try to avoid using microsoft software as much as possible, but perhaps taking this a step further would be more useful. The fact of the matter is that the average person won't boycott microsoft for various reasons. What we need to do is help average computer users learn why they should boycott microsoft and given them what they need to do it.
What does this translate into? Helping people learn other operating systems. Contributing to software projects that improve the usability of those other operating systems. This does not mean going out a proseletyzing and shouting "Windows sucks!" That sort of approach just makes you look arrogant and turns people off. Until we can get the masses on board, a boycott is nearly useless.
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GTRacer
- not pc
Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!
Being a former manager at the Zone, I can honestly say this is a scary concept. While I was there, we desperately tried to resist even becoming a part of MSN, alas the powers that be just wheeled the Zone like any other product and made us a part of MSN.
Microsoft already tracks user information through the use of their Zone software. So much information, that it's almost like the Windows XP product activation. They ban users from their service based on a unique key generated by the Zone software that analyzes your hardware.
Slap this in with the fact that you use a credit card to access Asheron's Call and other premium services, they've got a good start on a personal profile for you.
They know what your system is made up of, they know your credit card number, they know your visiting habits, and if you use hotmail, they have your email by the proverbial balls. Short of owning your home, they own your online presence indefinitely. In the future if they integrate Passport with XBox, they'll be able to track your game habits, how many wins, losses even your game chats.
Chalk one up to MS for squeaking this one in on the Zone. I bet they resisted it with their very last bit of will power.
Problems with MS-Software?
Don't even think about contacting Microsoft Tech Support without a Passport!
Little do we know microsoft will soon be providing:
POOL ex-pee
To try and convince users there's no more pee in the pool. Once new hotel guests jump in, they'll realize why the water's still yellow.
-Wrexsoul
--- Need web hosting?
Reminds me of websites I have found that were optimized for 1600x1200 resolution.
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
I had to register several copies of MS software for my office some time ago, and since then I've been receiving a whole lot of newsletters from them. So I followed their instructions on how to unsubscribe, and went to http://www.microsoft.com/info/unsubscribe.htm
Guess what? In order to unsubscribe from their spam, I need to sign up for Passport.
So I set up a procmail filter.
MS will make setting up a passport account part of installing Windows.
probably won't let you begin copying files untill you set one up. and as for OEMs, they will force the users to set up passport before the computer becomes usable.
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
Like online games, you WILL have to subscribe to Passport as it stands now- and you WILL have to fill in the right info or it's called 'credit fraud' and you could get prosecuted over it.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
If it plays on the zone then take a guess. If you're so anxious to know check out LucasArts .
I have Bejewelled open in another Mozilla window right now, and I don't have a passport account. It would seem that the change is a bit less extensive than CNet (and Slashdot) seems to be saying.
... if all the grocery stores in your city required Passport? How about the phone company or electric utility?
If you guys really hate MS, then you should use the service, just...
1. Don't give them any real information. Ex:
a. You live in Afganistan
b. Give them a junk Yahoo email that you use to sign up with other services.
2. Never use passport for any other purpose than authentication for your bogus account.
a. Contacts
b. Wallet
c. You get the point
3. NEVER PAY for passport. If they ever decide they want to force people to pay for it, simply do like everybody else and opt out.
If you think like a cheap bastard, then MS will never get thier grips on you.
If anybody has other any other ideas, or PLAUSIBLE scenerios on how MS can screw you even if you adhere to these rules, then feel more than free to reply.
"Communism is like having one [local] phone company " - Lenny Bruce
I have used the zone for a very long time, I have also participated in zone tourneys, and promoted the zone as a gaming environment. The zones move to passport was an incredibly bad move. For one, it does not allow having multiple zone names, the previous one did, and for a gaming environment this is important because many people want to apply unit tags. The old zone system did this very well already and allowed team registration, and changing of names on a whim. This system was better for gaming that the current zone system. I am in a unique position and am able to get in contect with actual zone techs because I know a couple, and the zone was so buggy with the change that I had to get a total of 3 .NET passports before I could get my previous zone name. It took me 2 just to get a zone name, but because of a bug it auto-assigned a random zone name to my account and would not allow me to switch it.
many, many, people have had problem, the zone log in has also experienced problems with the very ability to log in.
For example when you log into the zone right now, you have a "small" chance of actually being able to log in, and when you do successfully log in, because of errors in the page it will log you out if you hit any links, which kind of hurts the ability to play games, for example when I hit submit after creating this post, instead of posting slashdot logged me out... and not only logged me out, but took 4 minutes of stalling your browser to log out. It gets very old, very quick.
The sheer unusable interface, and the fact that all the zone features were previously implemented, and in good working order, the only difference is that you have to have a .NET passport now, there is no added functionality, no added software, just added hassle.
I hope that answered your question.
If you don't vote, you don't matter, so don't waste your time telling me your opinion
Really? Do you want one key to open all your doors. Do you need the same level of security for advert laden email as you do for real identity protection? Sometimes seperation is a good idea. Sometimes it happens because you bought everyone and were too dumb to fix things as you did it.
Logic asside, if they do it you would hope that they could use something that worked (what is it, Kerebos?). They has proven incapable of protecting anything, from credit card info to Hotmail to individual PCs. Who would trust them as they move all their services to the system first used for Hotmail that has been broken already? They should realize that this is just one more reason not to do business with Micro~.
M$ is evil but, as usual, they are not very good at it.
DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
This is more like saying sure we'll sell you a car but to drive it on the road with other owners, you must belong to a special club.
Exactly. This is why you have to make a decision:
Either use Microsoft for EVERYTHING, or for NOTHING.
There just isn't much of a middleground anymore. Either take the plunge, wipe Linux off your drives, and surrender all your data (personal and PC) to Microsoft, or don't use them for ANYTHING at all.
Sadly, this is true.
I just bought some plane tix on the web yesterday, so I figured I'd use Expedia, since Orbitz was saying "sure here are ten flights" and each time I'd try to BUY the seats, it would say "this flight is no longer available". On each flight, on each segment, at different times, and I KNEW the plane wasn't full for any of those.
So I gave up on Orbitz and bought them (for more money) on Expedia.
And when I go to Expedia it asked me to Log In To Microsoft Passport. I clicked on the NEVER EVER SIGN ME UP TO PASSPORT option, of course, and after a whole bunch of silly things - like them having problems with my home email address, which has a hyphen (as in my name has a hyphen), so I had to use my work email - anyway I finally got the tix.
And I had to KEEP UNCHECKING all the "let us send you even more SPAM" buttons they tried to reactivate each time.
And then, shortly after I started getting spam from them. It's all "in-between" stuff - oh, since you didn't want us to send you ads, we'll send you product ideas. And I have to keep using the "Take Me Off Your List" URLs and unchecking all the boxes they keep checking (after I unchecked them the first time).
So, sadly, I guess you're right. And I'm glad I preordered Mandrake 8.1 with The Sims, so I can get out of the Microsoft universe.
-
--- Will in Seattle - What are you doing to fight the War?
Okay. I'm all for preventing MS world domination...
But they already *have* all the info about all the players... it's all cosmetic.
They could correlate all their back end database info *anyway*.. this just makes it easier for them.
When another company does it ... it's called "Single Sign-On". When Microsoft does it ... it's an attack on personal rights and privacy.
Actually I've found that most people who are not aware of these issues are actually quite interested when you take the time to explain it and to present them with reasonable alternatives. They may not be willing to go to extrordinary lengths but I think you'd be surprised how many would be willing to make small but useful changes.
:)
Maybe instead of an XBox they get a PS2 or GameCube. Maybe instead of getting XP, they install RedHat7.2 (with a little support from you to help them adjust). Maybe they avoid using passport for their authentication on-line. Maybe the switch from getting their news on MSN to some other site.
I think you underestimate people, but I grant you, I've always been an optimist about people. It's large monolithic organizations that make me nervous
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Everybody always likes to jump down Microsoft's throat every time they try and breathe. But please, stop for a second and get a grip on reality.
Keeping up with the usernames and passwords for every account I have is a complete nightmare. I have hundreds of them, I can't remember them all, its nuts. Passport solves that problem by giving me one password to go along with my email address (that's my normal email address, not a Hotmail address).
Now everybody seems to have plenty downsides to this convienence, most of which are uninformed rubbish (a site using passport doesn't suddenly get all my information, they only get the information I want them to have for instance) - some of it important (if I break the terms of use, I get cut off all sites). But does anybody have a better method of solving the multiple account problem?
Sun are going to have all the same issues with theirs, so is anybody else trying to do the same thing. They're all going to be the target of every script kiddie under the sun, they're all going to have terms of use that can be broken and you use access to them all, they'll all have the problem of being hacked and the hacker getting your information for all sites. Other companies won't be invulnerable to these problems just because they aren't Microsoft. And don't think that Microsoft aren't going to get all the best security they can on these things either, they're not THAT dumb (not when they're business really depends on it that much).
So how do you propose these problems are solved?
All of us who do not like Microsoft obviously do not want .NET and passport to prevail. We have a shot against .NET because there are many alternatives coming out. However, there is no technology competing with passport right now. Microsoft is forcing people who want to use their services to sign on.
.NET servers.
Let's consider for a moment how Microsoft has tried to take on the instant messenger market. They've bundled MSN messenger with Windows XP, but many people already have been using ICQ or AIM for years. They won't bother signing up for MSN messenger because they wouldn't be able to talk to their buddies on the other services. But with Passport, there is no alternative around. Sure people may reluctantly sign up for it, but once they have it, they've already gone through the painful process of giving away information. Now they'll be more likely to use other passport services.
But we don't have a good competitor for passport because close to 100% of the slashdot readers, and *nix people in general, don't like the idea of passport. If we don't like the idea, then we won't bother implementing it. Maybe there should be a movement for a competitor to passport. You don't have to use it immediately, or at all. I highly doubt Bill Gates has his credit card number sitting out on those oh so vulnerable
Of course, if you run the hotel, you get to say who uses the pool ...
That's what I keep telling people! I own a small hotel, and I have sign at the pool that reads very clearly "NO BLACKS ALLOWED IN POOL".. you should see the fuss that it creates!
only to be told:
.NET Passport does not support the Web browsing software you are using. Please use supported browsing software such as Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later, or Netscape Navigator versions 4.08-4.82.
.NET Passport using Netscape Navigator 6.1. We take security seriously and are working with Netscape to resolve these issues as soon as possible so that .NET Passport can support Netscape Navigator 6.1. Until that time, please use supported browsing software. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Unfortunately, Microsoft®
If you use Netscape Navigator 6.1: due to possible data security issues, you cannot currently access
Quite amazing.
Yes, MS does have a competitor in this field, and that competitor is wiping the floor with them (on non-subscription services).
You might have heard of them... GameSpy?
"Faith is the last resort of a desperate man" - Me
Are you still paranoid if they really ARE out to get you?
Passport, if successful, puts a LOT of power in Microsoft's hands. Suppose you flame them on an online forum like Slashdot, and you find that you can no longer pay your mortgage or your phone bill? From their point-of-view, they have every right to refuse your business.
Taken on its own, this doesn't mean much. However, I was just reading an article on The Reg - The Microsoft Secure PC: MS patents a lock-down OS and this paragraph puts Microsofts plans much more in place...
"the content provider would have to maintain a registry of each subscriber's DRMOS identity or delegate that function to a trusted third party," and the number of unique DRMOSes, the authors acknowledge, could run into the millions."
This fits in very nicely with passport as you can not only authenticate the user, but the system they are operating as well. Not nice when you consider that MSFT has registered patents that include the removal of unauthorised software from the system...
The US Gov't owns about 67% of the US' total land area. Not quite "total" market share, but I doubt any other party owns more than 1-2% by themselves.
whether they use a PC or not. Combine this "passport required to use their gaming network" with this recent article .NET user alone to be "required" to use passport -- they're going to get you to sign on any way they can get away with...
and you get M$ requiring passport for every net-saavy XBox user out there...so you don't have to be a Windows, MSN, or
...and our privacy rights be damned...
"But remember, most lynch mobs aren't this nice." (H.Simpson)
-- Joe
A kill is a kill. There's no score category for "honour" in MW. Take pride in your precision and knowledge of tactics. :)
Speaking of lucky cockpit explosions, I once totalled a friend at max range, in the head, with 4 ER clan LLs. I could hear the scream of "GODDAMMIT!" from halfway across the dorm. Pure luck. I could never do it again if I tried.
AOL (who happen to be quite big ;) have their own login / account system which they are doing alongside a few other big names (perhaps Sun?).
The name is Liberty Alliance, so make a note of that.
This has been mentioned on the XNS mailing list. Have a look at XNS - they are doing a single login / identity management technology.
(BTW, in case you missed it - AOL has been paying for developers to work on the world's greatest browser to replace IE in AOL's software.)
I just went out and did a bit of research. Liberty Alliance are definately worth supporting. Have a look a this clip from their FAQ:
Can't see AOL listed there ... must have it mixed up with something else.
If you have any doubts, check www.geocaching.com and search the Low Medium High geocache. Part of the search involves the use of a time machine that is open to the public.
The truth shall set you free!
I don't rent videos from Blockbuster because they insist I waive my rights under the Video Rental Privacy Act.
I don't buy from Amazon because they now insist I "register" before buying.
It's getting hard to spend money.
I don't really see how they compete, since the Zone is mostly used to play games (and most of them are Microsoft games) that can't be played online anywhere else. At least, not with any convenience and not with random strangers. 'Gamespy 3D' doesn't support those games, and any that are supported through it's other server-browser, 'Gamespy Arcade', are likely the result of a deal with Microsoft. In the same way that, in order to have working support for HAlf-Life, GSI had to work with Valve and 'WON'. In fact, I know a few people who've been inside GSI since it's infancy, and they saw the acquisition of Mplayer as the defeat of their last remaining competitor.
In any case, Gamespy (GSI) is such small potatoes in comparison to Microsoft, that they could never meet the role of it's competitor. GSI is struggling just to stay relevant, when many games have server-browsers of their own. Microsoft won't have that problem on the Zone, because they make the games they support.
If you don't like MS, there are always alternatives:
http://www.xns.org
http://www.onename.com
If enough people use a competing system, (especially a more open like xns) then the market can't as easily galvanize around Passport.
-Tom
Yes. And the protests are still going on, several
hundred years later.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
Normal people (average boring non-techies) don't seem to blink much when MS gets into an anti-trust suit.
Probably because mainstream media does not cover the relevent background as well as repeating FUD of the "Microsoft is being punished for being too sucessful".
Instead, Joe Public is wondering how this will affect their stocks, instead of thinking why some people think MS is in this anti-trust case in the first place.
Probably the same people who are wondering why anyone should dislike the US enough to attack with improvised cruise missiles.
he does have sattelite, but the latency sucks at times.
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
It's crap of the highest order. It is even worse than the monopoly movie theatres have on food and drink.
I sneak my own food into theaters all the time. Hell, I sneak beer in if I feel like it (it's great fun to roll the bottles down the floor when there's a quiet part). It's one of the advantages of living in Canada I guess. You can wear a big coat and no one blinks an eye. And at the point that they start being pricks about it, I'll simply quit going to theaters. Fuck 'em! I'm the customer! They cater to me, not the other way around!! Or, as a friend of mine says: "The tail doesn't wag the dog!" It's way past time people started asserting their rights and telling companies that depend on our support that we refuse to be pushed around by them and will withdraw our support if we don't like terms. As far as Passport is concerned, I have a hotmail account with no personal information attached to it and that's how it's going to stay, and if they don't like it they can kiss my pucker! I've noted that Office XP tried to set Instant Messaging up to phone home every time I started it up...put a stop to that real fast! (BTW I installed XP merely out of curiousity...I tell my friends to get StarOffice...They really are sold in the fact that it's free). Microsoft better think good and hard about forcing users to link their personal information to their software. My computer is my servant and it does my bidding, not Microsoft's! Why should I give Microsoft information that I'm not willing to share with a police officer unless I have to! Nobody says you have to play by their rules! You do have a say!
You're using her as bait, Master!