Slashdot Mirror
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."
somehow.
I hate posting about M$. Last time i got modded to Flamebait. DOH!!!
Apparently you aren't the only person who hates your postings about Microsoft, then.
I'm glad to hear this, as SP3 wrecked havoc on my machine at work. Apparently Windows Upbreak decided to update a bunch of stuff that required the new video driver before it updated the video driver itself. So I had to boot into Safe Mode and do a bunch of voodoo at 640x480 to make things work again.
Boromir, son of Faramir, King of Gondor and Minas Tirith
The only way to "switch them off" is with a pair of scissors on your power cable.
Hello. It's called "Windows 2003".
You will be liberated with Service Pack 5. Until then, use SCO.
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
Yup, this has been the only stumbling block for me to move from Linux to Windows XP .... That and it costing money.
-- Thou hast strayed far from the path of the Avatar.
"Does the EULA say that the Internet Explorer reports all web domains to the MSN search engine if it can't resolve them?"
Yeah maaaan! Microsoft - and therefore the government - now has a huge list of misspelled and non-existant website addresses! Just imagine the kind of horrific infringements of privacy that can take place now!! It doesn't bear thinking about, does it!
And how did you get the people who did your birth certificate to put the dot there?
" Most people I know using Windows 2000 just blow past their EULAs without reading them. What was so onerous? "
Most people I know are incapable of thinking. Most people I know just throw money after silly bloated corporations.
" My virus scanner updates itself without my knowledge, as does my weather bar and e-mail client. How do I know they aren't doing nefarious things? But in the end, they make for a more convenient product."
Good. You also make a convenient target for firms looking to exploit easy targets to grow rich and quick. Very convenient indeed.
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
You can't remove evil from Windows, it's a feature of the Operating System. Kinda like Internet Explorer.
Have they taken out that clause that states "By opening the shrinkwrap on this Microsoft product, you agree to assign to Microsoft, in perpetuity, your immortal soul. You also agree that Microsoft may sell, sublicense, or reassign your soul to any third party, including but not limited to individuals, other corporations, government entities, demons, spirits and other supernatural beings, God and/or Satan, and any other powers or dominions, at Microsoft's sole discretion."?
Man, I always hated that clause, but at least they took out the bit about your firstborn child...
Lawrence Person (lawrencepersonh@gmailh.com (remove all "h"s to mail)
http://www.lawrenceperson.com/
Spyware Pack 4? Whilst its nice to fix things that are broken, I don't see if it's worth having to accept that my "service pack" will also happily update things that are not broken, mainly to Microsoft's benefit - or to make them not broken but more intrusive.
10 years from now I expect to actually bother reading a EULA and find on page 139 "and do so commit your firstborn child to the care of..."
If you're not capable of knee-jerk opinions based on strong prejudices you don't belong here. This is Slashdot. Please take your well thought out opinions and go elsewhere.
Mmmm.. Donuts
that someone actually had the patience and will to read the whole EULA. I felt my strength slipping after the 5th paragraph. Also I kept hearing: ."
"Resistance if futile. You will be assimilated.
Resistance if futile. You will be assimilated.
. .
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Microsoft Backs Down on Windows 2000 EULA
Yes, but did it hurt when they did?
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
>They also have your IP address
Every site i`ve ever visited has my IP address.
>time of day
MY TIME OF DAY?! OH MY GOD!
>frequency of Internet use
They could just set up shop as an ISP. So could the government for that matter.
> possibly your location (via traceroute)
Now your pushing it.
>and what kinds of websites you are looking for
And, as i`ve pointed out, how good your spelling is, given that only incorrect ones go to microsoft for resolution - and then only if you have the feature enabled in the free software they`ve supplied and which you`ve chosen to use.
>Based on the websites, they can even infer your
age group, sex, and "secret habits".
Perhaps I can interest you in one of these:
http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html
So all we have to do is get Microsoft to claim copyright over their EULAs, which would then negate them as legitimate binding contracts.... Now, how do we accomplish that!
"The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it." -- Ayn Rand
God forbid people do marketing research on your info! Oh no! Whatever will we do?!
If this shit goes into a database it just becomes another dot on a graph. There isn't some guy sitting at the MSN office saying "Hey look! pmz is looking at deep anal porn at 3 AM again! Let's go to his house and rape his mom!"
I've said it before and I have a feeling I'll be saying it until I'm lying in my grave...Nobody cares about you! They're not sitting in your closet watching you surf the internet in your spiderman underoos. You still have your precious privacy!!
Now what? You don't want to be a target of some ad campaign?? I only wish I was targeted more instead of being bombarded with those fucking X10 camera ads everytime I go to a webpage or tampon commercials everytime I turn on the TV.
Kudos to you, my good man.
Quit playing Monopoly with Bill. Switch to one of many non-Microsoft products today.
Like, uhh, not using Hotmail for your email account, f'rinstance?
In Soviet Russia, Chuck Norris will still kick your ass.