Info WGA sends to MS

[Noozer]

Of course, given the way that TCP/IP works and that using TCP/IP is kinda
a requirement for the Internet, Microsoft (or anyone else for that matter)
have no choice about whether or not a tool running over the Internet sends
your IP address to the server it is trying to talk to.

Lets keep some perspective here.

....and they are KEEPING it on record.

Would you be happy if your telephone company kept records of every incoming
and outgoing phonecall, and sold it to telemarketers?

 

[Noozer]

Every time you download Linux, the people supplying it know your IP
address. Better boycott them too. And hope there is a sale on tinfoil at
your local stores.

But they don't go out of their way to REMEMBER your IP, and what is
installed on your PC, and what kind of hardware you have installed, etc.

 

[Robert Moir]

...and they are KEEPING it on record.

Would you be happy if your telephone company kept records of every
incoming and outgoing phonecall, and sold it to telemarketers?

No but as Microsoft are not my telephone company (or ISP, I understand
you're trying for an analogy here) I'm not worried.

Trying to keep to your analogy here... If I phoned my bank on a regular
basis, I'd probably expect to have to go through a routine to identify
myself, and I would definately expect them to keep a record of my call - and
keeping my phone's caller ID if offered would be in line with that.

 

[Robert Moir]

But they don't go out of their way to REMEMBER your IP

Maybe, maybe not. You certain? Of all of them? My point was, and I'm sorry
if it wasn't clear, not that "Linux is evil too" but that IP addresses are
small beer. That is information that a vendor offering downloads can't help
but collect, even if they don't want to, and with most of the world
connecting to the Internet via ISPs with DHCP and vast proxies on their
customer networks it doesn't really tell you that much about the visitor.

and what is
installed on your PC, and what kind of hardware you have installed,
etc.

No, this much is true. If you read my reply to the original post, I'm not
trying to defend the parts of WGA that can't be defended, but the IP address
thing isn't quite the same imho. Depends perhaps on what *exactly* they do
with that little bit of info as to how worried I might be about it.

rob

 

[Alias]

Maybe, maybe not. You certain? Of all of them? My point was, and I'm sorry
if it wasn't clear, not that "Linux is evil too" but that IP addresses are
small beer. That is information that a vendor offering downloads can't help
but collect, even if they don't want to, and with most of the world
connecting to the Internet via ISPs with DHCP and vast proxies on their
customer networks it doesn't really tell you that much about the visitor.


No, this much is true. If you read my reply to the original post, I'm not
trying to defend the parts of WGA that can't be defended, but the IP address
thing isn't quite the same imho. Depends perhaps on what *exactly* they do
with that little bit of info as to how worried I might be about it.

rob

I wonder what would happen if you rebooted, let WGA call home and then
turned off the computer, disconnect it from the cable, turned the
computer on and connect with a dial up on another ISP and let WGA
connect again. Would it scream "NOT GENUINE!"?

Alias

 

[Guest]

I wonder what would happen if you rebooted, let WGA call home and then
turned off the computer, disconnect it from the cable, turned the
computer on and connect with a dial up on another ISP and let WGA
connect again. Would it scream "NOT GENUINE!"?

Alias

*******************************************

Well, If YOU had put the system together, it would probably crash ...
again. LOL

CallMark1, (T F H)

 

[Ghostrider]

hahaha ... I am sending you a tin foil hat !!

But we tend to get a little sensitive about it. It has
happened here, you know, once before. See here:

http://www.nps.gov/manz/

And it can boil over very quickly on a moment's provocation.

 

[kurttrail]

Of course, given the way that TCP/IP works and that using TCP/IP is
kinda a requirement for the Internet, Microsoft (or anyone else for
that matter) have no choice about whether or not a tool running over
the Internet sends your IP address to the server it is trying to talk
to.
Lets keep some perspective here.

"This process does not collect or send any information that can be used
to identify you or contact you."

Then MS shouldn't lie that no information is collected that can be used
to identify you.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[kurttrail]

Every time you download Linux, the people supplying it know your IP
address. Better boycott them too. And hope there is a sale on tinfoil
at your local stores.

Do they install spyware disguised as security updates?

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[NoStop]

Information collected during validation
Q: What information is collected from my computer?
A: The genuine validation process will collect information about your
system to determine if your Microsoft software is genuine. This process
does not collect or send any information that can be used to identify
you or contact you.

This is an outright lie as any web access to a web server collects your IP
address, which can certainly be used to identify you.

The only information collected in the validation
process is:

* Windows product key
* PC manufacturer
* Operating System version
* PID/SID
* BIOS information (make, version, date)
* BIOS MD5 Checksum
* User locale (language setting for displaying Windows)
* System locale (language version of the operating system)
* Office product key (if validating Office)
* Hard drive serial number

Q: How does Microsoft use this information?
A: The information serves three purposes:

* It provides Web page flow, tailoring the pages you see based on
your responses.
* It conveys demographics, which help Microsoft to understand
regional differences in Windows or Office usage.
* It confirms user input. User input is often compared

How is the above info any of MS' business.

It's not unless MS thinks its Big Brother and of course we all know it does.

Alias

--
The ULTIMATE Windoze Fanboy:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2370205018226686613

View Some Common Linux Desktops ...
http://linclips.crocusplains.com/index.php

 

[NoStop]

Do they install spyware disguised as security updates?

Of course they can't disguise anything as it is all open source and anyone
can look at the source code to see what any application or service is
doing.

--
The ULTIMATE Windoze Fanboy:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2370205018226686613

View Some Common Linux Desktops ...
http://linclips.crocusplains.com/index.php

 

[NoStop]

And your IP address plus your hard drive serial number won't id your
machine? BBBBSSSS!! A friend who is a large sysadmin firewall blocked
all MS and Hotmail addys from their network and field machines.

Well that's one way to keep the leading spyware company away from your
machines.

--
The ULTIMATE Windoze Fanboy:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2370205018226686613

View Some Common Linux Desktops ...
http://linclips.crocusplains.com/index.php

 

[HeyBub]

Would you be happy if your telephone company kept records of every
incoming and outgoing phonecall, and sold it to telemarketers?

They DO keep a copy of every incoming and outgoing telephone call and,
according to some, GIVE (not sell) them to the government. And, yes, I'm
happy about that.

It's for the children.

 

[HeyBub]

"This process does not collect or send any information that can be
used to identify you or contact you."

Then MS shouldn't lie that no information is collected that can be
used to identify you.

They don't. Any information they get cannot be used to identify you; it's
against company policy.

 

[HeyBub]

This is an example of one use of demographics...stereotyping
of the Southern Californian. Ready to send a Federal Task Force
into Los Angeles to invoke martial law and seize all computers
and photocopying machines that can be used for copyright, nay,
DRM, infringement by that band of intellectual thieves known as
the Southern Californian? <:-}}

Not to worry. It's against the rules to hassle illegal aliens.

 

[GHalleck]

They don't. Any information they get cannot be used to identify you; it's
against company policy.

Right. Company policy is only as good as the person willing to
uphold it. It is all a matter of personal ethics. Anybody you
explicitly trust at Microsoft?

 

[GHalleck]

They DO keep a copy of every incoming and outgoing telephone call and,
according to some, GIVE (not sell) them to the government. And, yes, I'm
happy about that.

It's for the children.

OK. Just wait until you get your Selective Service notice to join the
US Army for a 2-year tour in search of Weapons of Mass Destruction in
Iraq (and Iran or Korea). All expenses paid. It's all done in the name
of righteousness. Your service is good for your soul and the government.
Geez.

 

[GHalleck]

They DO keep a copy of every incoming and outgoing telephone call and,
according to some, GIVE (not sell) them to the government. And, yes, I'm
happy about that.

It's for the children.

OK. Just wait until you get your Selective Service notice to join the
US Army for a 2-year tour in search of Weapons of Mass Destruction in
Iraq (and Iran or Korea). All expenses paid. It's all done in the name
of righteousness. Your service is good for your soul and the government.

And, yes, it's also for the children...sparing them from harm from a
terrorist attack with radioactive or biological weapons.

 

[Alias]

*******************************************

Well, If YOU had put the system together, it would probably crash ...
again. LOL

CallMark1, (T F H)

My system has never crashed and, yes, I built it.

Alias

 

[kurttrail]

They don't. Any information they get cannot be used to identify you;
it's against company policy.

LOL! You are talking about a company that is both a predatory monopoly
and an IP thief. I don't trust them to follow the laws of the US gov't,
let alone some policy they made up themselves.

"This process does not collect or send any information that can be used
to identify you or contact you."

The stated policy is that they don't COLLECT ANY INFO THAT CAN BE USED
TO IDENTIFY YOU, not that they won't use it. Collecting the IP address
can be used to identify you. So MS's stated policy is a lie, plain and
simple.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."