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Microsoft's New EULA Controversy
by Arie Slob
Hello Windows users,
 After the Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 release, several people contacted me about press stories they read about Microsoft's new End User Licensing Agreement (EULA). One example story can be found on The Register, well known for it's anti-Microsoft articles.
For example, in The Register article it is stated that the EULA contains this phrase: "You acknowledge and agree that Microsoft may automatically check the version of the OS Product and/or its components that you are utilizing and may provide upgrades or fixes to the OS Product that will be automatically downloaded to your computer". They conveniently leave out the preceding "The OS Product or OS Components contain components that enable and facilitate the use of certain Internet-based services." This part of the EULA is preceded by a part talking about the Automatic update feature, which also includes the phrase "If you choose to utilize the update features", which is also left out of any articles dealing with this.
If you don't want to send any information to Microsoft, just don't use these features, and download any fixes manually.
I don't want to spend to much time on something I consider a non-issue. I know I'll probably get some nice emails from the paranoid about this.... well so be it. Just consider this for a moment: Microsoft is closely watched by privacy advocates and other interest groups, making it one of the most closely watched companies on the planet. If they really would be stupid enough to start violating your privacy, they would most likely be immediately found out.
Microsoft Security
Flaw in Network Connection Manager Could Enable Privilege Elevation
Microsoft released a patch for Windows 2000 to fix a handler routine of the Network Connection Manager, which contains a flaw that could enable an unprivileged user to run code with full system privileges.
Affected Software Versions
More...
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Windows 2000
Added: Flaw in Network Connection Manager Could Enable Privilege Elevation
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Added: Stop Dial-up Prompt
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Highlights
Need More Hard Drive Space and Speed Up Your Data Transfer?
Don't want to fuss with opening up the inside of your case to get that extra needed hard drive space?
Read Full Article
Have You Heard The Radio Commercials Yet?
How about the mass mailings urging you to license your software now or face prosecution?
Read Full Article
Creating an image VCD of your pics
With a few mouse clicks you can create a VCD of your own pics and watch them on your TV screen.
Read Full Article
Macromedia Flash Malformed Header Vulnerability Issue
Macromedia last week warned users that its Flash Player, a popular application for playing multimedia files, contains a vulnerability that could allow attackers to run malicious code on Windows and Unix-based operating systems.
Read Full Article
Windows XP Tip: Stop Dial-up Prompt
Windows XP will in many cases prompt you to dial your connection. For example if you are reading your email while you are "Off Line", and you hit a HTML email which has a link to a picture, XP will ask you to dial your ISP.
Read Full Article
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17 Aug. 2002, Vol 5 No. 33
