LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Alan Kennington <akenning@dog.topology.org>
  To  : LinuxSA <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 03:33:04 +1030

slashdot down? MS spies on users!

Linux persons,

After trying several times over hours, I've concluded that
http://slashdot.org is either down or hopelessly overloaded
for some reason. 

So I checked the "da French linux page" and found the following,
which I will translate for you (approximately):

=======================================================
Eh oui... Les heureux possesseurs de machine sous Win 98 ont été heureux 
d'apprendre ce week end que le (très) cher Bill Gates
possédait une base de données complète sur eux, leurs habitudes sur le web, 
les logiciels installés sur leur machine, le hardware utilisé
     etc... 
     Win 98 était en effet équipé d'un "numéro d'identification unique" que 
l'utilisateur "semait" derrière lui à chacune de ses manipulations... ce
     numéro était même attaché aux documents que l'utilisateur créait ! 
     Microsoft a reconnu les fait, et a reconnu également qu'un grand nombre 
d'informations avait ainsi été collectées. Mais officiellement
     c'était uniquement dans le but de détecter plus rapidement le problème 
lorsque l'utilisateur appelait le support. Vous avez le droit de les
     croire ! 
======================================================

------------------------------------------------------
Ah yes... The happy owners of Win98 machines have been happy to learn this
weekend that the (very) dear Bill Gates possesses a complete database on
them, their habits on the web, the software installed on their machine,
the hardware used, etc.
Win 98 was in effect equipped with a "unique identification number"
that the user "disseminated" after him/herself after each of their
manipulations... this number was even attached to the documents that the
user creates.
Microsoft has recognised these facts, and has recognized equally
that a great number of pieces of information have thus been collected.
But officially this is done in the aim of detecting rapidly
the problem when the user calls for support.
You have the right to believe them!
-------------------------------------------------------

Can anyone confirm this form another source?

Yet another good reason to use linux, and avoid win 98 like the plague.
Security-minded people should be very worried about
having their ID attached to all documents!
I guess that must be the user's licence code on the distribution CD.

Cheers,
Alan Kennington.

-- 
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