Vista is Watching You

greengrass writes "Are you using Windows Vista? Then you might as well know that the licensed operating system installed on your machine is harvesting a healthy volume of information for Microsoft. In this context, a program such as the Windows Genuine Advantage is the last of your concerns. In fact, in excess of 20 Windows Vista features and services are hard at work collecting and transmitting your personal data to the Redmond company."

No, it isn't.

[jollyreaper]

I don't have nearly enough ram.

Notice how it's not "My Computer" anymore?

[Junior J. Junior III]

I hear the icon on the desktop isn't called My Computer anymore, it's now just "Computer". I guess in the fine print it says "BillG's Computer".

Re:Egomanical monitoring of the populace?

[Necreia]

"Aside from privacy concerns, how much storage space and processing power is being used for this endeavor? Couldn't all that be put to much better use?"

Of course, Aero.

Re:Notice how it's not "My Computer" anymore?

[kendoran]

With the new vista tech, it definitely doesn't ACT like my computer anymore.

Re:Ah! The irony!

[mwvdlee]

If I promise to manage my rights, can I disable this system?

Re:Ah! The irony!

[Actually, I do RTFA]

I bet if Richard Stallman were dead by now (please note that I'm glad and happy that he's alive and kickin'!), there'd be a chance he'd be rotating in his grave at high speeds because of this.

Then, we could hook his body to a generator. So, everytime something like this happened, we could say "at least we just cut down on greenhouse emissions."

Re:Vista's biggest enemy

[UbuntuDupe]

Americans take their privacy too seriously to ignore this if this becomes public

You mean, you wish they wouldn't ignore this?

"OMG! Vista violates my privacy!"
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to use a different operating system!"
"Which one?"
"Well, uh, the other one."
"Which other one."
"Like, the other Windows."
"Which other Windows?"
"Um, I guess ... XP, is it?"
"Do you know how to install an operating system?"
"Well, no ... I mean, I just won't buy computers with Vista."
"And where do you buy a computer without Vista?"
"Um ... I can just choose XP when I order one."
"And when XP is discontinued?"
"Then I'll get a completely different operating system, from a different company."
"You mean a Mac?"
"Oh, heavens no."
"Then what?"
"Um ..."

Don't worry, it's not Vista...

[Actually, I do RTFA]

It's just: Windows Update, Web Content, Digital Certificates, Auto Root Update, Windows Media Digital Rights Management, Windows Media Player, Malicious Software Removal/Clean On Upgrade, Network Connectivity Status Icon, Windows Time Service, and the IPv6 Network Address Translation (NAT) Traversal service (Teredo).

See, typical /. overreaction

Re:Egomanical monitoring of the populace?

[Hoi Polloi]

It should be interesting how this clashes with China's own obsessive need to control people's PCs. I can see it now at Redmond, thousands of Vista inquiries being returned "Nothing to see here, move along."

Re:No, it isn't.

[FredDC]

Just put a tin foil hat over your computer!

Re:Vista's biggest enemy

[Anonymous Coward]

"Um ... a Dell! I'll get a Dell computer instead."
"That runs the same operating system."
"No, I'm pretty sure it runs the Microsoft Office operating system. I sure hope it has minesweeper!"

Lies Lies Lies!

[Anonymous Coward]

MS just wants to steal pr0n!

Re:Vista's biggest enemy

[Intron]

You can use the same name that I use when I have to fill out a form to return something or get a "loyalty" card: Moe Delaun. The funniest part is that since I use my actual address, I now get junk mail addressed to Mr. Delaun. I should try checking my credit score.

New Apple ad

[ducomputergeek]

"Hi I'm a PC" "And I'm a Mac." Mac sees PC with phone in hand, watching a 3rd person. "So what you doing?" "SHHH! I'm collecting data on that user over there. And phoning hom." *to person on other end* "Yeah, he's reading a news site. No, it's not MSNBC. Is he allowed to do that? Confirm or deny?"

Re:Ah! The irony!

[digitig]

Perhaps there's hope, and RMS can sue MSFT for the illegal infringement of his initials.

Prior use (unfortunately). RMS stood for "Root Mean Square" before Richard Stallman was a package in his father's installation manager.

Re:This is my single biggest push to free software

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow.. an AC troll. How original.

Linux elitism.. yeah that's not overplayed. If you truly feel that way then you're not only stupid, you're pathetic.
Not only Linux this time, but "Computers are not toys!" Apparently the master of computers telling everyone how to use them. 0/10 points for effort. As if there are only so many computers in the world, and gaming is stealing the megahertz from the important calculations. I'd tell you to get help.. but it must be fun in your mom's basement.

 

Re:doubt it

[include($dysmas)]

reminds me of those bogus anti-spyware sites:

you computer is broadcasting an ip address!

like ... oh noes!

Re:Egomanical monitoring of the populace?

[sucati]

I think this is the idea behind dual core: 1 core belong to microsoft, 1 core for you

sounds just like

[namekuseijin]

"Bottom line...serious cocaine addicts are stuck with crack"

Re:This is my single biggest push to free software

[d34thm0nk3y]

Yeah, what an asshole. Choosing an OS based on software requirements! Who is he to choose the OS that runs the software he wants.

Re:Egomanical monitoring of the populace?

[geobeck]

1 core belong to microsoft, 1 core for you

No. All your core are belong to us.

Re:Going into the spyware business

[Real_Reddox]

"Sending private data, Accept or Deny?"