MS Zone Users Must Use Passport Accounts 451
pathos writes: "CNet reports in this article that Microsoft, in its continued obsession to get everyone and his/her mother to be a registered Passport user, forced all of it's MS Zone gaming site users (including players of 'Asheron's Call') to open accounts in Passport in order to keep using the service... too bad that a bug with their .NET deployment kept many users not being able to access the service..." Of course, if you run the hotel, you get to say who uses the pool ...
Hotel pools (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, but you can't control who pees in it.
:)
Re:Hotel pools (Score:3, Insightful)
They've managed to walk a fine line for years between having notoriously bad security, but not bad enough to get into serious trouble, legally or civilly (let's face the whole DoJ thing is a bust). Now _that's_ innovation!
Pee patch (Score:4, Funny)
POOL ex-pee
To try and convince users there's no more pee in the pool. Once new hotel guests jump in, they'll realize why the water's still yellow.
-Wrexsoul
Same as hotmail (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:5, Informative)
Probably because, in the case of Asheron's Call, they have to have credit card information to bill you with (or they want to use the Passport to bill you instead?) and they need your real information.
For the free stuff, sure, I understand completely making a different account. But some Zone games are subscription based, so this solution won't work.
Thank god I don't play any subscription-based Zone games.
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:2)
Can you really get them at grocery stores? The Visa Buxx FAQ [visabuxx.com] says that the cards are issued by individual banks, are usable through ATMs via a PIN you set, etc... is it practical to get a new one of these every once in a while? Are they really completely separate from the rest of your info?
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:5, Informative)
Basically, no... TOS [visabuxx.com]:
As a part of establishing this Card account, you will receive with your Card a copy of the Bank of America Privacy Policy for Consumers, which generally addresses Bank of America's policy for handling and disclosing information. You may view this policy at www.bankofamerica.com/privacy. With respect to Your Card account, from time to time, subject to any applicable financial privacy laws or other laws or regulations, We may provide information about You and the Card account: (1) to Chex Systems, Inc. or other account information services; (2) to anyone who We reasonably believe is conducting a legitimate credit inquiry, including, without limitation, inquiries to verify the existence or condition of an account for a third party such as a lender, merchant or credit bureau; (3) in response to any subpoena, summons, court or administrative order, or other legal process which We believe requires Our compliance; (4) in connection with collection of indebtedness or to report losses incurred by Us; (5) in compliance with any agreement between Us and a professional, regulatory or disciplinary body; (6) in connection with potential sales of business; and (7) to carefully selected service providers who help Us meet Your needs by providing or offering Our services. In addition, if You or the Teen agree to provide an electronic mail address for purposes of receiving information regarding possible special merchant offers, We will consider that Your consent to provide that address to such merchants.
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:2)
Of course, it's possible to get a Solo debit card (which works like Switch, but is more restricted, no overdraft etc) when you're 16 (or possibly 14, not sure) in the UK. But over here, teenagers don't get parents etc prying into their bank accounts.
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:2, Informative)
They're shrink wrapped cards with preset positive balances ($50, $100, like prepaid calling cards). It should be anonymous unless it has to be activated in some way.
Re:Same as hotmail (Score:2)
Resist! (Score:2, Interesting)
Micros~1 can be stopped, but we all have to work together and resist!
Passport is essential to the Micros~1 plan for world domination. We can stop it by refusing to participate.
This thing scares me, really. How long will it be before every Windows user is required to have a Passport account before they can log into their workstation?
Re:Resist! (Score:2, Informative)
How long will it be before every Windows user is required to have a Passport account before they can log into their workstation?
Not long I imagine. Have you used WinXP? The very first thing it asks when you log in the first time is, "Would you like to associate a .NET Passport account with this user?". Yup, scary.
Re:Resist! (Score:2)
Re:Resist! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Resist! (Score:2)
The majority of computer users aren't privacy-conscious techno-heads like us. They turn it on, send some email and check stocks. They don't install patches, OSes or distros.
GTRacer
- Boycott 'em all and telnet your mail!
I refuse to use Passport. (Score:2, Interesting)
I have decided to start boycotting the Microsoft. Please also start, if you care about your rights as a citizen of the 21st century.
Re:I refuse to use Passport. (Score:2, Insightful)
I have never paid for MS product. Sure, I've used them countless times, buy not a single dollar of mine has gone to the evil empire.
A more useful plan... (Score:3, Interesting)
What does this translate into? Helping people learn other operating systems. Contributing to software projects that improve the usability of those other operating systems. This does not mean going out a proseletyzing and shouting "Windows sucks!" That sort of approach just makes you look arrogant and turns people off. Until we can get the masses on board, a boycott is nearly useless.
Wouldn't it be amusing if...? (Score:5, Interesting)
Maybe when MS sees 4 million people logged on as $L4$hd0t it'll realize that the people don't want to be uniquely identified in EVERYTHING they do.
Re:Wouldn't it be amusing if...? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Wouldn't it be amusing if...? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Wouldn't it be amusing if...? (Score:2)
Re:Ok.. interesting point.. (Score:3, Informative)
You might have heard of them... GameSpy [gamespy.com]?
My ignorance is outstanding.... (Score:3, Troll)
Re:My ignorance is outstanding.... (Score:3, Troll)
As patriotic as that sounds, the term "resistance is futile" comes to mind. Joe and Jane Consumer could give a shit. They just want to play their video games, watch Friends on Thursday night, and listen to the Backdoor Boys and Britney Spears. They could care less if that means having an MS Passport, submitting to TV viewing research and using Windows Media Format.
They DON'T care!
The problem is that there IS NO ALTERNATIVE. Sure PS2 and GameCube are there now but Xbox is just a friggin' PC. Xbox2 will just be another PC with the latest and greatest video and processor hardware. How can Sony and Nintendo compete with this? They can't... and they will die soon enough for Microsoft. Unless Sun/Apple/Sony/Linux Community get their collective acts together, MS will be the only practical solution.
In the end, you will have a Passport or you will sacrifice a large chunk of convenience.
Resistance is futile!
If you use any credit card related services... (Score:2)
Makes sense (Score:4, Insightful)
If you are going to use Microsoft web services, you have to get used to
Re:Makes sense (Score:3, Insightful)
And be assured a lot of other big guys will back Micros~1 on this one - using the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" strategy. I mean, when almost everybody (say, 95% of the people) buying things online will have Passport, who's going to say "you need something else to get my stuff"? You have to have:
a) big balls;
b) a somewhat unique product or service;
c) some nerve
to try to pull this one.
Of course there will be (pathetic) alternatives to Passport - just enough that Micros~1 can say "it's a free market, Your Honor...".
reverse (Score:2, Interesting)
If you're staying at my hotel, and swimming in my pool, I want your info.
Maybe this is not so obvious... (Score:5, Insightful)
Why is Zone.com any different?
Re:Maybe this is not so obvious... (Score:4, Interesting)
I am a Major Zone User (Score:2, Informative)
Sun & Microsoft. (Score:2, Funny)
Business sense. (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course, it looks a little different if you consider things from a business perspective. If you're a company that has 7 different login and authentication systems for their wide array of services, and you could centralize that for cost savings, wouldn't you do it? I would.
The problem with Microsoft is that later down the line someone will say "we should use this massive pile of user data we've got to get volunteers to test our new free brain implants."
Not everything Microsoft does is evil, it's just usually the last thing that they do that turns everything they've done before evil.
Licensing fees... (Score:2)
Today:
"Look, we'll make it easy for you to integrate all your authentication into one easy system and we'll even give it to you for free!"
10 years from now:
"Our auditing system indicates that your payments for licenses are past due. According to the terms of service we may claim this past due payment in stock, thus giving us majority share of your company."
A severe exaggeration, but you can bet that Microsoft's need to keep it's growth going will push it to make this all seem so easy and palatable now and will be followed with a big fee in a few years.
Re:Business sense. (Score:2)
Of course, it looks a little different if you consider things from a business perspective. If you're a company that has 7 different login and authentication systems for their wide array of services, and you could centralize that for cost savings, wouldn't you do it? I would.
I sure would. But if i'm after cost savings, don't you think I would pick something based on open standards? I'm not just talking about open source software (which obviously has a lower purchase cost). The maintenance of open standards is much lower. If you think passport is going to play nice with those legacy applications you support, with all the platforms you maintain, etc. If you have 7 different login and authentication systems, you likely have a good variety of platforms to support. Leaving my enterprise-wide authentication in the hands of a company that likes to guarantee recurring revenue by "breaking" older versions and crippling third party players is simply not a good solution.
Business senseless. (Score:3, Interesting)
Really? Do you want one key to open all your doors. Do you need the same level of security for advert laden email as you do for real identity protection? Sometimes seperation is a good idea. Sometimes it happens because you bought everyone and were too dumb to fix things as you did it.
Logic asside, if they do it you would hope that they could use something that worked (what is it, Kerebos?). They has proven incapable of protecting anything, from credit card info to Hotmail to individual PCs [min.net]. Who would trust them as they move all their services to the system first used for Hotmail that has been broken already? They should realize that this is just one more reason not to do business with Micro~.
M$ is evil but, as usual, they are not very good at it.
Re:Business sense. (Score:4, Insightful)
And not only is this a sensible business decision, but also I'd rather have one login and set of user data, all else being equal. Of course, all else is not equal. A single point of failure demands a level of planning, care, and skill that Microsoft does not have or has not demonstrated in the recent past.
It is the track record of their implementations of ideas that makes me terribly nervous, not necessarily the ideas and decisions themselves.
-db
Actually, that's 'Bass Ackwards'... (Score:2, Redundant)
Actually, I think that's too small of scope for Microsoft -- they own several small 'countries' and if you want to stay overnight, you now have to stay in a MS Hotel (tm).
This is totally bogus. When are game manufacturers (in this case) going to realize that they don't have to give up this much control over their userbase? Microsoft could potentially steer users to THEIR games (and I'm sure in many cases already do). More companies need to invest in infrastructure and online services and MS's online empire will start to crumble -- but they need to act fast. Microsoft now has the potential to really have a strangle hold on customers: They now have email addresses (read: 'sales leads') for a BUNCH of folks.
Re:Actually, that's 'Bass Ackwards'... (Score:3, Funny)
They now have email addresses (read: 'sales leads') for a BUNCH of folks.
Nooooo!!! Not <gasp> E-MAIL ADDRESSES!!!!
Dude, get a clue already. How many games have you bought because someone sent you an email?
Are you surprised? (Score:3, Insightful)
Predictions:
Microsoft will block access to www.microsoft.com unless you have a Passport account.
When that happens, Slashdot will report it as 'news'.
What's the big deal? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:4, Insightful)
It remindes me of Tandy's long-bankrupt Incredible Universe, which wouldn't let you in the the door without a credit check. Hmm, I wonder why they're no longer in business?
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2)
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2)
As a player of Asheron's Call, I have to say - its a slick game. I've invested about 2 years into my character, and I love her. Now with Microsuck screwing up the whole passport connection, I had to go 2 whole days without AC. That may not sound like much, but I have an addiction problem. I had to load up the Sims to get my fill of meddling with people's lives.
Dammit. (Score:2)
TOS? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:TOS? (Score:5, Insightful)
Either use Microsoft for EVERYTHING, or for NOTHING.
There just isn't much of a middleground anymore. Either take the plunge, wipe Linux off your drives, and surrender all your data (personal and PC) to Microsoft, or don't use them for ANYTHING at all.
Get rid of that Windows gaming partition, and just run Linux games. Or don't bitch when Microsoft bends you over like this. It's their service, you agreed to that when you signed up. Even if you signed up with Hotmail before Microsoft bought it, you still agreed to follow Hotmail's terms of service, including updates, and it's been updated.
There are still pockets of things you can do with Microsoft software that don't suck you into the whole mess (such as using Windows 98 for those games), but eventually it's all going this way. Eventually you won't be able to run any of the new games on Win98, and you'll have to make the choice; and when it comes, it'll be a Microsoft product that requires Passport in order to function.
Make your choice, and don't bitch if Microsoft changes the rules after you've agreed to a contract allowing them to. You're a free human being, you make your choices and you live with the consequences.
Re:TOS? (Score:2)
I dunno, I can't see... John Carmack for instance, falling for this shit.
Dave
Re:TOS? (Score:2)
You meant this as a troll, I'm guessing, but it's a perfectly legitimate point. All the best PC games are for Windows. That's why I was careful to say that you have a choice.
Some people would rather take Microsoft's license shaft up the wazoo than miss out on their favorite games. It's a free country. I'll disagree with your choice, but I'll gladly fight for your right to make it.
There is no freedom without the freedom to make stupid decisions.
Me, I'll keep my Windows 98 partition until I can't buy any games that work on it. Then, if the only Microsoft choice drags one into the maelstrom, I'll stick with Linux games. They'll suck less by then.
If it comes down to it, I don't HAVE to play games.
Re:TOS? (Score:2)
It's no worse that managing the multiple logins for multiple MS services that you might be doing right now.
Someday this will bite them in the ass. (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm sure MS will have excuses for why it happened to, like published security holes and such. But it will be their fault for leaving so much critical information linked to one account.
-Xenopax
Shame.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Terms of Service (Score:5, Insightful)
I grant you this is a little out there and paranoid, but I think that if passport does become a very fundamental part of on-line authorization systems, this could become a potential problem
Re:Terms of Service (Score:2)
ROTFL... ahh, the cruel, cruel irony. (Score:4, Funny)
"It's a difficult task, but other companies have done it--Starbucks just switched their old log-in system to Passport and did it smoothly."
"It's kind of surprising," Rosoff added. "If anyone should be able to implement a Passport switch, it's Microsoft."
That is hilarious: The staffers at a coffee house that, no doubt, keep MS programmers in caffinated beverages, can implement MS's own stuff better than MS can.
Ahaaahahaha.
Do you think maybe we should send MS some penguin mints? Oh, wait, belay that...probably most here would consider that aid and comfort to the enemy.
.
Yeah, and? (Score:2)
Of course. Passport is built nicely into XP. This will be their next step in taking over the world. Why not put it into something that is BUILT IN to Windows eXpect Problems? Programs => Games => Internet [Hearts,Checkers,Spades]
With the prospect of wireless access, we need something to identify us - but only when we decide to be identified and only to the person we decide to be identified to.
Think about this, you go around town with your laptop. You can connect to a wireless network of some type and shape. Now just like real life, you may be asked for your ID, or some sort of information that will identify yourself to the person or business asking. If you refuse - you don't get what you want either. So lets take this same idea into 'cyberspace' - and don't REQUIRE yourself to be ID'ed
If you want to beat M$ out of this spot of domination - not only do we need to support and back another method of identification, we need to beat them in the content wars.
M$ web sites and services sometimes are pretty, but they lack in content. Stray from doing business with sites [ebay.com] that back Passport. Don't use HoTMaiL, don't use MSN Zone - but more importantly inspire or create content that will challenge M$ content because they are the last company we want to control this idea.
Ah yes . . . (Score:2)
I was worried for a minute there.
Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:4, Insightful)
You, as the average internet consumer do not have a right to access some companies pages without using the access mechanism that they choose. You do have a right to not grace that company with your business, though.
Really, can someone explain to me all of the mis-directed righteous indignation at Microsoft over this? It's a non-issue. If you don't like what MS has done with the Zone...tough. Just go play elsewhere.
Re:Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:2, Insightful)
Your Rights Online? WTF?
As Quarters said, nobody is forcing you to use Passport..If you disagree with the idea of Passport, don't use the Zone. Last time I read it the US Constitution (and I'm sure the founding documents of all other countries) didn't grant anyone the right to play Asheron's Call without signing up for a Passport account.
The only way this would be a rights issue, and then corporate more than individual, is if Microsoft were NOT allowed to make such decisions about properties that it fully owns.
Re:Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:2)
Would you say the same... (Score:2)
Re:Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:5, Insightful)
Someday you'll understand.
It might be on Tax day, when you realize that you can "choose" to pay your taxes on line (for free, and get your return quickly) using Passport, or you can "choose" to pay the filing fee and wait six months for the return, but not use Passport.
It might be on Election Day, when you can "choose" to vote electronically, from your desktop, and for the Incumbent Party using Passport, or you can "choose" to take time off from work, stand in line at the polling place (in the bad neighbor hood, in the rain) and vote anonymously for the party of your choice.
It might be when you take your car in for an oil change, and "choose" to pay with your Passport-linked credit card, knowing full well that the next time you go on-line every pop-up add will tell you about the neat accessories available for your "2004 Dreadnought SUV" (except for tinted windows, 'cause you already got those) or how 'old' a car with 21,294.6 miles is...
Perhaps Graduation day, when you realize that without a Passport, your shcool won't make a transcript available on-line to potential employers. Of course they can still request one by mail, but that may take up to six weeks, and the job offer may not wait that long...
.
That's what 'monopoly' means, really. It means a condition exists under which a choice which you would otherwise have (or expect to have) does not exist.
Monopolies in themselves are not absolutely bad. In some cases they are naturally occuring, in others they are necessary and beneficial.
But in cases where a company (which, by definition, exists only to make a profit for it's shareholders) can leverage a monopoly to their own benefit and in a way which could destroy the checks and balances we've carefully constructed in other areas, there is due cause to be concerned.
And when that company has a history of abusing prior monopoly advantage, the cause for concern is even more justified.
And when that company can exercise "root access" control of the computers we are expecting to be serving us and making decisions which should only consider the costs and benefits to us, and won't allow us to even look at the source code to verify that our personal information isn't being sent against our will, it becomes a critical concern.
.
Did you really think Microsoft would come right out and say "we're doing this to remain profitable, and we don't care how many other business we have to bankrupt to do it?" Of course not. This is just about games. It's always just about games, right up until it isnt.
Re:Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:3, Insightful)
I think this is an appropriate post under this topic. Yes, MS should and will use whatever authentication scheme they want, and if you use their services you need to agree to understand that. However, in order to decide whether or not to use Passport (or buy an MS game title, or whatever) one needs to be informed of the ramifications of that choice.
That's the sort of thing I read these posts for. I personally dislike Microsoft's business tactics, but it's hard for me to justify either to myself or others why their products and services shouldn't be used unless I have a valid argument. Even though "MS bashing" tends to get out of hand here, for the most part the top moderated comments provide valid arguments.
So, from this article I now know that in order to play MS games online I'll need to give them personal information by signing up for Passport. I like AoE, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my privacy to play it. Privacy issues definitely belong under the "Your Rights Online" topic.
Re:Why is this under "Your Rights Online" (Score:3, Insightful)
What happens when every internet-based company and thier brother starts requiring passport, because they need to integrate with Microsoft or someone else? What's going to happen when it get's to the point that to get anything done on the net, you are fairly well required to be subscribed to Passport? That's a corporation - an artificial entity with no greater motive than profit - taking away my right to choose and remain anonymous. That will never sit well with me, and I am certainly not ashamed of my indignation.
More fuss (Score:2)
Personally, I'm much more concerned about Oracle's national ID cards. As was demonstrated at BlackHat, Oracle is not "unbreakable".
What about all the other registrations? (Score:2)
Stinks of a Monopoly (Score:5, Interesting)
How is it that Microsoft is able to take it's monopoly in Office Suites and require you to create a Passport account in order to register them? Isn't that just creating a monopoly in online Registration?
Once everyone has been forced to register their Office and Windows with Passport, why whould they bother to register with another service? It is just like bundling the browser, only this time they are bundling the online registration.
It's crap of the highest order. It is even worse than the monopoly movie theatres have on food and drink. They state that you cannot bring in outside food or drink and make you pay extortionist prices for the crap that they do offer. It is not a free choice, in the sense that I went there for the movie, not food, but if I want food with my movie I have to pay out the whazoo. This would only be fair if I had the choice of brining in outside food and drink.
Same thing for amusement park food pricing.
Re:Stinks of a Monopoly (Score:2)
Re:Stinks of a Monopoly (Score:2)
I'm well aware of Passport's past.
As for the movie theatre reference, learn to recognize humor.
Re:Stinks of a Monopoly (Score:2)
Re:Stinks of a Monopoly (Score:3, Insightful)
Someone at Microsoft creamed their pants when they woke up one day and realized how many things they could tie Passport into. And by tieing into it, they realized that they would have 80% of the world on Passport before Joe Consumer realized how dangerous Passport could be.
It's insidious.
Big deal... (Score:2)
as soon as EBAY requires you to use passport, then it will be noteworthy...
Can I return Asheron's call? (Score:3, Interesting)
This is scary... (Score:4, Informative)
Microsoft already tracks user information through the use of their Zone software. So much information, that it's almost like the Windows XP product activation. They ban users from their service based on a unique key generated by the Zone software that analyzes your hardware.
Slap this in with the fact that you use a credit card to access Asheron's Call and other premium services, they've got a good start on a personal profile for you.
They know what your system is made up of, they know your credit card number, they know your visiting habits, and if you use hotmail, they have your email by the proverbial balls. Short of owning your home, they own your online presence indefinitely. In the future if they integrate Passport with XBox, they'll be able to track your game habits, how many wins, losses even your game chats.
Chalk one up to MS for squeaking this one in on the Zone. I bet they resisted it with their very last bit of will power.
Want MS To Fix Bugs? Ya better have a Passport! (Score:2, Interesting)
Don't even think about contacting Microsoft Tech Support [microsoft.com] without a Passport!
Rants and Rants (Score:4, Informative)
Reminds me of websites I have found that were optimized for 1600x1200 resolution.
Unsubscribing from MS mailing lists (Score:5, Funny)
Guess what? In order to unsubscribe from their spam, I need to sign up for Passport.
So I set up a procmail filter.
you realise that in 2003...... (Score:2)
probably won't let you begin copying files untill you set one up. and as for OEMs, they will force the users to set up passport before the computer becomes usable.
This doesn't seem to be completely true (Score:3, Informative)
How to screw MS (Score:2, Interesting)
1. Don't give them any real information. Ex:
a. You live in Afganistan
b. Give them a junk Yahoo email that you use to sign up with other services.
2. Never use passport for any other purpose than authentication for your bogus account.
a. Contacts
b. Wallet
c. You get the point
3. NEVER PAY for passport. If they ever decide they want to force people to pay for it, simply do like everybody else and opt out.
If you think like a cheap bastard, then MS will never get thier grips on you.
If anybody has other any other ideas, or PLAUSIBLE scenerios on how MS can screw you even if you adhere to these rules, then feel more than free to reply.
What's your alternative? (Score:3, Troll)
Keeping up with the usernames and passwords for every account I have is a complete nightmare. I have hundreds of them, I can't remember them all, its nuts. Passport solves that problem by giving me one password to go along with my email address (that's my normal email address, not a Hotmail address).
Now everybody seems to have plenty downsides to this convienence, most of which are uninformed rubbish (a site using passport doesn't suddenly get all my information, they only get the information I want them to have for instance) - some of it important (if I break the terms of use, I get cut off all sites). But does anybody have a better method of solving the multiple account problem?
Sun are going to have all the same issues with theirs, so is anybody else trying to do the same thing. They're all going to be the target of every script kiddie under the sun, they're all going to have terms of use that can be broken and you use access to them all, they'll all have the problem of being hacked and the hacker getting your information for all sites. Other companies won't be invulnerable to these problems just because they aren't Microsoft. And don't think that Microsoft aren't going to get all the best security they can on these things either, they're not THAT dumb (not when they're business really depends on it that much).
So how do you propose these problems are solved?
Re:What's your alternative? (Score:3, Insightful)
What problem? That you can't remember your own passwords? That justifies the titanic investment in infrastructure that Microsoft is making, along with Sun, and everyone else who is throwing their hat into this ring?
I doubt any of them are trying to solve the same, simple problem you want them to solve. How would solving it contribute to their bottom line? Think about it. Has Microsoft ever done anything that didn't reflect their desire to increase the bottom line? Why do you think they are spending a massive amount of money on
But I am sure that they will continue to promote the idea that that are trying to solve that simple problem of multiple accounts and passwords. After all, who could object to that?
Re:What's your alternative? (Score:3, Insightful)
Oh, I dunno... How about an open, documented trust protocol so that more than one trust authorizer could be established? How about having the trust authorizer legally liable for any financial damage cause by their mismangement of trusted information? Have the providers establish bonds or insurance to cover this.
How about extending the current trust infrastructure into the digital domain rather than handing off to one company on a silver platter?
Oh yeah, I forgot... This is America 2001 - private is good, public is bad. Sorry for the slip up. I promise it won't happen again.
Microsoft will win this passport war, unless (Score:3, Interesting)
Let's consider for a moment how Microsoft has tried to take on the instant messenger market. They've bundled MSN messenger with Windows XP, but many people already have been using ICQ or AIM for years. They won't bother signing up for MSN messenger because they wouldn't be able to talk to their buddies on the other services. But with Passport, there is no alternative around. Sure people may reluctantly sign up for it, but once they have it, they've already gone through the painful process of giving away information. Now they'll be more likely to use other passport services.
But we don't have a good competitor for passport because close to 100% of the slashdot readers, and *nix people in general, don't like the idea of passport. If we don't like the idea, then we won't bother implementing it. Maybe there should be a movement for a competitor to passport. You don't have to use it immediately, or at all. I highly doubt Bill Gates has his credit card number sitting out on those oh so vulnerable
I've tried to get an account with mozilla... (Score:4, Informative)
Unfortunately, Microsoft®
If you use Netscape Navigator 6.1: due to possible data security issues, you cannot currently access
Quite amazing.
Opting out (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't rent videos from Blockbuster because they insist I waive my rights under the Video Rental Privacy Act.
I don't buy from Amazon because they now insist I "register" before buying.
It's getting hard to spend money.
Re:who is this supposed to be a surprise to? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:who is this supposed to be a surprise to? (Score:2)
bush made it clear during his campaign that he would stop/hinder/castrate the prosecution if elected.
this installment of the us govt clearly values the rights of corporations and government agencies above the rights of CITIZENS.
Re:what would motivate a site (Score:2)
Re:what would motivate a site (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:This surprised people? (Score:4, Insightful)
aware.
98% of all usable land. Now, if they did, and they
insisted that some African goat-herder who has
never even heard of the US be a US citizen in
order to continue herding goats, you could expect
a bit of a protest. Quite a bit of a protest.
The point is not that Microsoft is doing something
wrong, because they DO own the service and they DO
therefore have a say on how it is used.
The point is that they have monopoly control on
the desktop, they have monopoly control on the
browser market, and they are rapidly acquiring a
monopoly on the online gaming industry. The
leverage of a monopoly in ONE field to control
another is illegal, never mind three!
And therein lies the problem. The control is not
at issue. It is the abuse of monopoly power in a
seperate field, in order to gain that control,
which is so often the problem. You are simply not
permitted that kind of power, in the US. At least,
in theory. It's not slowed Microsoft any, even
though their actions have been declared illegal,
by numerous courts, over monopoly abuse.
(And here you were, thinking Monopoly was just a
board game!)
Re:This surprised people? (Score:5, Funny)
No. Wrong.
You need a M$ Passport to vote in the United States...
t_t_b
I agree, there. (Score:3, Insightful)
And even if future Microsoft games require Passport to play.. So? It's a Microsoft game. They have a right to choose who plays it. As long as it says, "Passport required for play." on the box, why do we have the right to bitch?
..If I want karma on Slashdot, I need to make an account. True, an account also saves preferences and tells the server where to shove that karma. But there's little difference here, because the Zone, for example, required me to make an account to store my MW4 stats.
So they're changing from some obscure account system to Passport. An account is an account. Accounts tend to hold you accountable, too, from what I hear.
Of course, there are alternatives. If I don't wish to endure the Passport system, I can go play, say, Heavy Gear instead. Or insist that Bandai needs to release a Gundam sim. Sure, it's not Mechwarrior 4, but maybe I should be taking that up with the people who sold the Battletech rights?
Rights, there's that word again. Yes, people who create things generally have rights to do with as they please with said thing. I'm an author by trade, and, while I don't feel the need to come out and say, "Hey, Joe Windows User, I don't want you reading my book!", I have the right to say, "Hey! Fred Publisher! You're not reprinting my material without paying me!"
But should I ever want to say, "Hey, Joe Windows User..", shouldn't I have that right? (Granted, it'd be pretty stupid of me *to* say that, but hey, work with me, people.) After all, anything I create is *mine*, to do with as *I* please.
I'm delving into things that are just silly here, but the argument holds with common sense issues too. Just as we don't want foreign nationals electing our president, we don't want people basing programs off of GPL'd code and closing the source. If we have those rights, why doesn't Microsoft have the right to say, "You can't utilize our stat recording system without getting a Passport."?
Perhaps it's just that some people insist the entire world revolves around and exists to serve *them*. (:
Re:US Citzen to vote? (Score:2)
GTRacer
- not pc
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Asheron's Call? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Star Wars: Galaxies? (Score:2)