Microsoft updating files without telling computer owners

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by ffreeloader, Sep 14, 2007.

  1. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    There have been rumors that MS has been changing files on computers that have been set NOT to auto update. Well, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a blogger for ZDNet which a firmly pro-Microsoft company, has confirmed that this is true.

    This is a pretty serious violation of trust.

    Here is a link to the original charge.

    http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=774

    Here is a link to the public verification:

    http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=779
     
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  2. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Aaaahhh...

    I've missed all this Freddie y'know.

    Fanfare... Drumroll...

    Microsoft is :twisted: EVIIIIIIIL :twisted:

    Mwuhahahahaaaaa

    :biggrin
     
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  3. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Ah, the real Freddie has returned.

    Finally got rid of that body snatcher, eh? :twisted:
     
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  4. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Just curious, zebulebu, do you not consider your computer your own? Would you accept this kind of behavior from any other company? Is it really acceptable to you that something which you own has changed without any notification to you of the change? Especially when you had specifically configured that piece of property to NOT CHANGE?

    I ain't beatin' on you, just curious.
     
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  5. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Well, I was just going to let this drop, but the tone of the posts made me wonder. Are you guys really that afraid of Linux? Is it eating into your profit margins? It seems you must be at least somewhat afraid to say what you said just because I posted links to pro-MS sites, and a very small amount of commentary, that exposed what MS has been doing.

    Do you guys figure that ZDNet is rabidly anti-MS or something as they broke this story? Do you go to any site that breaks news on what MS is doing that isn't quite kosher and write derogatory posts about them, and how they are just plain old MS haters?

    Just curious is all. One simple post out of over 200 since I've been back here and the bashers are out in force. Funny how less than 1/2 of 1% of my posts could raise such a response.
     
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  6. drum_dude

    drum_dude Gigabyte Poster

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    Freddy I agree - that was mighty cheeky of M$! They need to get there act together or else they'll have a few more lawsuits on their hands!
     
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  7. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    I'm in two minds about this.

    MS seems to take too many things for granted. I've never read the very very small print on an MS product, so it wouldn't surprise me if it said that MS retained ownership of any software even after I bought it, and by default claimed ownership of my PC when I install it.
    And my house.

    For me, the real question is *why* they are making these changes.

    If they are trying to keep my PC running trouble free and not charging me money to do so, then hats off to them.

    If they have cocked something up and are trying to fix it without drawing attention to the fact, then a bit naughty, but I can live with it.

    If however, they are just trying to manipulate me, oh, for example by stopping iTunes working on an MS platform or forcing me to upgrade to Vista then I do have a problem with that.
     
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  8. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    I wouldn't put it past them.

    If any company dominates the market like MS do then they will end up feeling they can do what they want.

    As you say"why are we afraid of Linux" I am not but the fact is the average computer user would not be able to use it.

    The average computer user and I see this all the time rely and things like virus software to auto check for virus's and never think think to actually set the virus check of themselves.

    I would be quite happy with Linux or even an updated version of DOS but the fact is people needed something they can point and click at and see pretty pictures of stuff.

    But getting back to the MS thing of course they look at your comp, they'll have so called ethical hackers working for them that will look at your comp and update it, I also think they'll look at your comp and market stuff to you that they will see you use.
     
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  9. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Is it any better or worse than Service Pack 2 was?

    At the end of the day, at least they told us about that but they still said 'you're having it if you like it or not' pretty much.

    I think it's this kind of attitude/behaviour that will ultimately be the demise of Microsoft.
     
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  10. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Slightly off topic, but;

    A nice and simple response to this from me Freddy. No I'm not affraid of Linux. I Have long since learned that you need the appropriate tool to do the job, and regardless of where that tool comes from if it does what you need it to do then use it.

    MS is the dominent (sp?) force in the market these days, and like it or not we all have a need to be familliar with the way that they do things. The key thing though is that we have (as educated individuals) a choice whether to use them or not. I believe that people choose to use MS products not because they are necessarilly the best tool for the job, but because they are to lazy to learn about the alternative options. I am as guilty of this as anyone.

    :offtopic
     
  11. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Ok, let's keep this in perspective and stick to what we know or what we can find out. I wasn't going to post in this thread but I found a story about all this on The Register that puts a different spin on the report. I'm not saying it's the final answer, but it is another perspective.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/14/microsoft_dispels_stealth_update_rumors/

    Take it for what it's worth but remember that it is possible for us to have differences of opinion without personalizing them.
     
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  12. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    I don't know when you last saw Linux, but it is point and click. The installs go just as easy, or easier, than Windows installs. Download a live cd from Ubuntu or Knoppix and try them. If your computer has at least 512 megs of ram the live cd will be at least usable. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you see.

    The strides Linux has made in the last couple of years are tremendous.
     
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  13. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Simon,

    I wasn't saying anything to anyone other than zebulebu and BosonMicheal, as they were the only two that had replied on this thread. I surely wasn't implying anything about you, of all people. You have never gotten completely sarcastic or had a real negative tone to your posts to me.
     
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  14. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    I guess my response to what MS has to say is, Really? Here's why.

    They do NOT have to update Windows Update without telling people about it. Windows Update has gone through several revisions and MS has always notified everyone about the update to their computers. I know I personally went through a couple of those experiences where I'd go to Windows Update after forgetting to go there for a while and I'd have to update the Windows Update software before the new version of Windows Update would work.

    So, why lie about things and say they have to do this? All it proves is that they keep a back door open into every computer that's running Windows and will override the computer owner's decisions any time they want to. That, to me, is a rather scary thought.
     
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  15. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Ummm, no... why would I be afraid of Linux, and why would it affect profit margins? I've used and supported both. :blink

    No, I don't figure that ZDNet is rabidly anti-MS. Personally, I don't think they fall one way or the other.



    But you do. ;) heh! :p

    Actually, I'm not bashing you... just pointing out that this is "classic Freddy" from the old days. :)

    For the record, I don't approve of a lot of Microsoft's business practices. But that doesn't mean I hate Windows, and it doesn't mean I love Linux. Nor does it mean that because I prefer Windows, that I think Linux is a piece of junk. Cause it's not.

    Certainly if Microsoft is doing something wrong, it should be exposed. But I've got to be honest with you... when you post something negative about Microsoft, I certainly treat it differently than when someone else on the forum posts something negative about Microsoft. Similarly, if I were to post something negative about another practice exam provider, then people will not take that information as seriously as when a neutral party posts something negative about them.

    No harm, no foul... just saying that this is the old Freddy. As long as we don't get the illogical Freddy back who gets upset that we don't all start bashing Microsoft and switching to Linux en masse, then we'll be okay, bro. :)
     
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  16. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    : puts on moderator hat :
    Before anyone responds, remember that if you are emotionally "charged" when you reply in this thread to cool off and read what you've written *before* you press "Submit Reply". Also remember that I have my finger on the "Lock This Thread" button and will press it if the discussion seems have stopped being productive.
     
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  17. drum_dude

    drum_dude Gigabyte Poster

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    Damn it...things were going so well there trip!
     
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  18. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    First order of business. This was a very strange post, not what you have to say, but when I would try to quote it to respond to it, the message quoted would be another message altogether.

    As to what you have to say, well, back off a little. Trip's a good guy and just doesn't like to see a lot of conflict. It offends his sense of order and decorum. I respect that in him.

    As to being afraid to post just because Trip is moderating things closely, well, I don't understand that. It isn't like he's threatening to ban anyone, or even chastising anyone personally. He just doesn't work that way. He's just putting in a friendly warning before things get really heated to try to keep a lid on the conflict before it escalates. Again, I respect that.

    And he is correct, things should be discussed without making the issues personal, and should be about the principles, not the principals, involved. :)
     
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  19. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    Ah, no wonder I kept getting a different message. I caught you in the middle of editing your post. Sorry.
     
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  20. drum_dude

    drum_dude Gigabyte Poster

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    yeah I've deleted it as you can see!!! Just saw red for a moment! But yeah it is something that gets to me all this moderating when something goes wrong!
     
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