atw: Re: OT: MS & Spyware
- From: "Steve Hudson" <adslyy5g@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'John McGhie'" <john@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "'Word-Pc List'" <WORD-PC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 15:17:01 +1100
Free? Really - check that page again John.
> Spyware is legitimate software that A USER HAS VOLUNTARILY INSTALLED.
1) No - you can have it happen by visiting websites and not installing a
damn thing.
2) You can be easily misled on what you think you are installing.
> So now Microsoft has purchased one of the leading antispyware companies in
the world. They have issued its products to Windows users for free.
The for free bit is a matter of debate: "Details on timing and terms of
availability for new anti-spyware offerings beyond the beta version are yet
to be determined."
*coffs politely*
How many times have I seen this? Countless! Let me translate for you "One of
the best ways for us to test this product is to give it to thousands of
users for free, get it working, then charge - we then have a working product
and a guaranteed dependant market which we can easily market to."
I stand by my original comments and suggest you reconsider supporting any of
the points that rely on free for our consumption.
Steve Hudson
Word Heretic, Sydney, Australia
Tricky stuff with Word or words for you.
www.wordheretic.com
ABN: 86 453 419 554
"Qualified Good Tech Writer Dude"
Free Association of Words
Without prejudice
-----Original Message-----
From: John McGhie [mailto:john@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Dear Utterly Disgusted:
Perhaps you overlooked the fact that the software in question is Free,
available at a subscription cost of zero, zip, nada, nuffink?
Or perhaps you wish to debate the definition of "spyware"?
Spyware needs to be distinguished from "Software" and "Viruses". Spyware is
legitimate software that A USER HAS VOLUNTARILY INSTALLED. Spyware does not
exploit any security holes: users INSTALL it.
The fact that said software has some functionality that the user did not
understand, or perhaps did not even know about, is the problem.
Spyware exploits the biggest security hole in computing: the vast gap
between a user's ears. Users wanted a computer that was "easy to use", by
which they meant a computer they did not have to invest time, effort and
thought in maintaining. They WANTED point-and-click software installation,
and they got it.
That was a bad idea. The whole industry knew it was a bad idea. Consumers
resolutely resisted any efforts to reverse this. Unix operates on <what??>
percentage of the world's desktop computers? (I'll save you the trouble of
looking it up: it's around five per cent.)
So now Microsoft has purchased one of the leading antispyware companies in
the world. They have issued its products to Windows users for free.
Microsoft has spent money to purchase a company they now have to staff and
operate, in order to make its products available free. To protect users who
have created a large industry problem by determinedly resisting any efforts
to educate them or change their operating practices.
So, I agree strongly: we should pillory that Gates chappie for not making
the world's computer users "smart" :-
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