Microsoft Backs Down on Windows 2000 EULA

nachoboy writes "After the fiasco surrounding the overly intrusive EULA for Windows 2000 SP3, it seems Microsoft has backed down a bit with the upcoming release of SP4. The section concerning automatic updates now states simply "You consent to the operation of these features, unless you choose to switch them off or not use them." The EULA then proceeds to list the five services liable to connect to the internet without explicit confirmation. A reference copy of the SP4 EULA may be found here. We can only hope for a similar move with Windows XP."

Comments

Does Microsoft still support Win2K??

[jkrise]

I thought they force-migrated all to the bitter eXPerience. After how many Service Packs will they finally discard Win2K?

Secondly, has anyone actually sued MS for it's stupid EULA's?? So, how does it matter what junk they put there?

Re:As if the EULA mattered

[pmz]

Yeah maaaan! Microsoft - and therefore the government - now has a huge list of misspelled and non-existant website addresses!

They also have your IP address, time of day, frequency of Internet use, possibly your location (via traceroute), and what kinds of websites you are looking for. Based on the websites, they can even infer your age group, sex, and "secret habits".

Don't forget that it is unknowable what kinds of IE backdoors are in place to look at your portfolio of cookies, browser history, browser cache, and preferences settings.

If that isn't valuable marketing data, then just call me a goat and hose me down with grape Kool-aid.

Re:Too little, too late...

[cristofer8]

I really don't think that MS put the original clause in the EULA so that they could spy on your computer or download evil top secret DRM goblins into your computer while you sleep. I think that it referred to exactly what it did: downloading updates from winupdate in the background, and was just worded poorly. Since some (a few slashdotters) complained, they changed it to terms that, for their purposes, mean the exact same thing, but don't piss off all 50 slashdotters who actually paid for their copy of windows.

Re:real business is not an AC...

[Badanov]

Real business or not don;t ignore the micro business, the place that has only a few computers. MS is aiming and has been aiming towards that market for a long time and they are cleaning up.

Belittle the small businessman why don't you? In the meantime, MS is implementing software selling strategies that will take hold in small businesses.

While you are lording your business over everyone else, MS is yawning and preparing to chow down on several thousand small businesses, quietly and deliberately. A little like you should be.