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On Tue, 23 May 1995 DRGardner@aol.com wrote:

> I suppose this is rather distant from the stated agenda of Online News -- but
> I'll justify it based on the infrequent interest in intellectual
> property/privacy issues, and the voracious appetite for updates on Microsoft
> and MSN.

Since Microsoft seems to be determined to try and put all independent 
on-line publishers out of business, and put a lock on the ISP market, all 
bets are off.  MSN wants publishers to use Windows-NT server.

> As reported in the 22 May 1995 Information Week, Microsoft's beta versions of
> Windows '95 include a little something called the Registration Wizard. Seems
> the idea is that the Wizard -- characterized as a virus -- gathers up data

Microsoft has routinely been putting viruses in their software since at 
least 1984.  This was when Word for MacIntosh triggered the "Tree of 
Evil" virus and reformatted hard drives.  Supposedly the virus could only 
be triggered by making or using an illegal copy of Microsoft Word.  
Unfortunately restores from tape-drives and networks often moved critical 
"bad sectors" (a built-in virus of MS-DOS) and would trigger the format.

Other popular tricks include putting the user registration on the 
original disk, forcing employers to purchase new copies of the software 
when an employee leaves the company (check your license), and putting the 
serial number of the disk-drive in special places.  Unfortunately a 
reformat of the hard-drives appears to be a pirate copy to these schemes.

Microsoft used to try and get LAN administrators to let them "dial-in" to 
their Lan Manager server.  They would do an electronic audit and trigger 
a SPA audit if the number of licenses registered was less than the number 
of copies discovered.  Last year the SPA went after 14,000 businesses, 
mostly for violations of Microsoft licenses (Juries are more sympathetic 
to the SPA than to Microsoft so settlements come easier).

> related to the software installed on the Win '95 machine, and on all the
> other machines which can be reached via the local network. The data -- for
> both Microsoft products and those of competitors -- is loaded up and reported
> to the company when you sign up for the MSN. Seems to be positioned as some
> kind of anti-piracy thing.

Surprise!  Can't you see how much the entire business community will be 
when Microsoft uses MSN trojan horses to invade their privacy.  Next on 
the menu, IRS auditors, SEC auditors, and just for fun DEA, FBI, and DYFS
will just search your personnel files, payroll, and Lan Manager account 
files to see if they can find any Deadbeat Dads, Drug Dealers, Sexual 
Deviates, Tax Cheats, Conflict of interest statements, investment guided
business decisions, or just about anything else that would be 
"Interesting".  Microsoft will be a good volunteer "Informant".  So much 
easier than having to get all those warrants.

> I'm hoping that IW has just got this wrong, and that functionality in Systems
> Management Server is being confused with Win '95. After all, such a blatant
> invasion of privacy seems to go beyond the pale -- even for Microsoft.

You have got to be KIDDING!  Bill Gates wants to rule the world 
(Interview in 1984).  What better way to get rid of your competition and 
uncooperative partners than by turning over the right information to the 
wrong people.  Have you ever made a service call to Microsoft?  Have you
ever let them connect?

I have had dealings with Microsoft as far back as 1980 where he would 
demand full payment of royalties (which they would increase by 1000% in 
less than 12 months) just as a company received orders for distribution.  
The companies ended up in Chapter 11, with Microsoft unwilling to settle.
The only alternative was to permanently lay-off 80% of the work-force.

Unlimited user licenses for NT are already incredibly high.  An NT server 
running a NetScape Server with Acrobat content can run $125,000 for 
software, and under $2000 for the hardware.  Welcome to the land of 
"Perceived Value Pricing".  NEVER plan on getting rich at Microsoft's 
expense.

> Thoughts?
> 
> Dale Gardner

	Rex Ballard
	Standard & Poor's/McGraw-Hill
	Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect
	the Management of the McGraw-Hill Companies.




From rballard@cnj.digex.net Mon May 29 22:11:44 1995