Microsoft Talks Daily With Your Computer

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it needs to better inform users that its tool for determining whether a computer is running a pirated copy of Windows also quietly checks in daily with the software maker. The company said the undisclosed daily check is a safety measure designed to allow the tool, called Windows Genuine Advantage, to quickly shut down in case of a malfunction." The EULA is suppose to disclose this daily call-in feature. Lauren Weinstein, who is co-founder of People for Internet Responsibility, was one of the first people to notice the daily communications to Microsoft. Report from Yahoo.com"

Comments

Minor edit

[Anonymous Coward]

The EULA is suppose to

That should be 'supposed'. What happened to the 'd'?

disclosed this

Oh, there it is.

I'm protected.

[Anonymous Coward]

*wraps computer in tin foil and duct tape*

BRING IT ON!!!

XP Phone Home!

[Anonymous Coward]

XP Phone Home!

Ooops!

[kozumik]

I guess they forgot to disclose that in the EULA. Honest mistake, stuff happens. Now let's go back to not worrying about DRM or Net Neutrality because Big Bussiness is looking out for our best interests.

Talks daily to whose computer?

[Entropy]

TFA says "your computer", but aren't all Windows installs "my computer" on the desktop? Shouldn't it say "your my computer"? Or is it "my your computer"?

Ah screw it! And screw Microsoft, too.

Re:Talks daily to whose computer?

[plover]

aren't all Windows installs "my computer" on the desktop?

Not mine. I renamed the icon to be "this".

Re:Talks daily to whose computer?

[Bob Cat - NYMPHS]

Several times, after telling someone to "Click on My Computer", I was put on hold while they ran over to the server, picked up the extension, and then asked me "Where should I click?". I'm not making a joke here. Mod this "Sad".

OMG! Everyday?!

[__aaclcg7560]

I knew my PC was cheating on me after I got a Mac. But Microsoft...

Re:What's up with the intercapping?

[grub]

Being Slashdot, you have to praise the editors for what they didn't do. In this case they didn't write it as Micro$oft, MicroShaft or MicroShit.

Good job, boys! Have a cookie!

...the hell?

[AWhiteFlame]

Here at Microsoft, we care about the Customer Experience. As a result, we've taken the following measures to make sure your experience is as pleasant and beneficial to you as possible.

- Our new operating system, Windows Vista, requires only the best high-end hardware so that, even on a system well beyond the power you should ever need, you'll still get the true Windows Experience(TM)

- The new Windows Media Player 11 features all-new and exclusive DRM, or Degradation Resistment Technology by Microsoft, which not only provides wonderful sound in the new and improved WMA format, but protects your rights as well.

- Our operating systems now report back with system information and other information which we feel should be collected from your system at any given time to improve your computing experience.

Microsoft: Where do we want to take you today?

Daily conversation transcript intercepted

[Anonymous Coward]

Your Computer: Hey Sweetie!
M$: Hi Schnookums!
Your Computer: Just checking in
M$: I love you honey
Your Computer: Bye Bye Baby
M$: Sweet Dreams
Your Computer: No you hangup
M$: No no you hangup

Bug in Windows Update?

[Savage-Rabbit]

TFA says "your computer", but aren't all Windows installs "my computer" on the desktop? Shouldn't it say "your my computer"? Or is it "my your computer"?

I got a totally different result myself. When I ran Windows Update on my parents laptop about an hour ago Windows Update renamed 'My Computer' to 'All your computer are belong to Microsoft' and changed the system name to 'Skynet subnode 3964270017356334576934-X371N02'. Has anybody else experienced this?

Re:What kind of bullshit excuse is this?

[jargoone]

And since I run a legit corporate copy, it's staying blocked.

... but if you ran a stolen corporate copy, you'd unblock it? ;-)

Confused

[alexhs]

Then, on a certain date (sadly, 6/6/06, although very symbolic, passed without any such occurence)

Excuse me, in what order did you write that date ?

• American way : June 6th 2006
  
• European way : 6th June 2006
  
• Asian way : 2006 June 6th
  
• Alien way : 6th 2006 June
  

When all numbers are below 12, it's quite hard to get a clue ;)
Is it even 2006 ? 1906 and 1006 fits in too...

Re:Confused

[cp.tar]

Excuse me, in what order did you write that date ?

Alien way : 6th 2006 June

Ah, you have much to learn, young one...

You were hoping to discern my location, political orientation and whatnot based on my date format?

Do you really think I would let on that I'm an alien in such an obvious way?

When you see a flying saucer in front of your house, that's when you'll know we've come for you...

Patch to disable reporting now available!

[kitzilla]

I've discovered a patch which disables Windows' "phone home" reporting. It's a fairly large download, but it seems to work.

Re:What kind of bullshit excuse is this?

[CleverNickName]

Well if anyone can come up with a unexpected and creative solution to that problem, it's you :)

Yeah, just reverse the polarity on your firewall, and send an inverse tachyon pulse on a rotating Heisenberg frequency spread though port 228.

But that's, like, second semester Academy stuff, so don't be too impressed.