Guest mail5269954@fishfuse.com Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent Microsoft has begun patching files on Windows XP and Vista without users' knowledge, even when the users have turned off auto-updates. http://windowssecrets.com/2007/09/13/01-Microsoft-updates-Windows-without- users-consent
Guest Bruce Chambers Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent mail5269954@fishfuse.com wrote: > Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent > That is patently untrue. Every user who agreed to the terms of the Windows EULA gave their consent. > Microsoft has begun patching files on Windows XP and Vista without users' > knowledge, even when the users have turned off auto-updates. > > http://windowssecrets.com/2007/09/13/01-Microsoft-updates-Windows-without- > users-consent > This is *not* being done _without_ user consent. Just the opposite. Every user of each operating systems has been given advance notice that such things could happen, and has consented to it. Read the Vista EULA. Section 7 makes it clear that this could happen: ======================================================================== 7. INTERNET-BASED SERVICES. Microsoft provides Internet-based services with the software. It may *change* or cancel them at any time. a. Consent for Internet-Based Services. The software features described below and in the Windows Vista Privacy Statement connect to Microsoft or service provider computer systems over the Internet. *In some cases, you will not receive a separate notice when they connect.* You may switch off these features or not use them. For more information about these features, see the Windows Vista Privacy Statement at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=20615. By using these features, you consent to the transmission of this information. Microsoft does not use the information to identify or contact you. ======================================================================== (Emphasis mine) The WinXP EULA also made this clear: ======================================================================== Internet-Based Services Components. The SOFTWARE contains components that enable and facilitate the use of certain Internet-based services. You acknowledge and agree that MS, Microsoft Corporation or their subsidiaries may automatically check the version of the SOFTWARE and/or its components that you are utilizing and may provide upgrades or supplements to the SOFTWARE that may be *automatically* downloaded to your COMPUTER. ======================================================================== (Again, emphasis mine) Do I approve of this practice? Not really. I'd prefer to know about each and every change as it happens, just on the off chance that, if a problem occurs, I've better information on which to base my troubleshooting. But I'm an exception; most people simply don't want to know about technical details of how the OS is working. -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
Guest Adam Leinss Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent Bruce Chambers <bchambers@cable0ne.n3t> wrote in news:uH8nJwi9HHA.5684@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl: > This is *not* being done _without_ user consent. Just the > opposite. Every user of each operating systems has been given > advance notice that such things could happen, and has consented to > it. Correct. The EULA also gives you a right to turn features that use online resources off and apparently Microsoft overruled the "OFF" setting set by the user. This has certain "chilling effects": essentially it means we do not have control over our PCs anymore, but control is delegated in part to Microsoft. With product activation and Windows Genuine Disadvantage, you can't boot up and use Windows without Microsoft' permission, so I'm wondering why people are so upset when Microsoft takes a bit of control with their PC. Adam -- Visit my PC Tech blog at http://www.leinss.com/blog
Guest Bruce Chambers Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent Adam Leinss wrote: > Bruce Chambers <bchambers@cable0ne.n3t> wrote in > news:uH8nJwi9HHA.5684@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl: > >> This is *not* being done _without_ user consent. Just the >> opposite. Every user of each operating systems has been given >> advance notice that such things could happen, and has consented to >> it. > > Correct. The EULA also gives you a right to turn features that use > online resources off and apparently Microsoft overruled the "OFF" > setting set by the user. > Not so. These silent updates to not occur on systems where Windows Update has been turned completely "Off." > This has certain "chilling effects": essentially it means we do not > have control over our PCs anymore, but control is delegated in part to > Microsoft. > Chilling indeed, were it true. However, it's not true. > With product activation and Windows Genuine Disadvantage, you can't > boot up and use Windows without Microsoft' permission, so I'm wondering > why people are so upset when Microsoft takes a bit of control with > their PC. > It's strange. People have no problem handing their personal information and credit card numbers to complete strangers, or (in America and Great Britain, anyway) blithely let the government take away their most basic civil liberties using nothing more than obviously false scare tactics, and then they complain about a company doing siomething they've already agreed to. -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
Guest Ian D Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent <mail5269954@fishfuse.com> wrote in message news:Xns99AA801637086mail5269954@216.196.97.136... > Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent > > Microsoft has begun patching files on Windows XP and Vista without users' > knowledge, even when the users have turned off auto-updates. > > http://windowssecrets.com/2007/09/13/01-Microsoft-updates-Windows-without- > users-consent > I checked the files mentioned in that article and now have version 7.0.6000.381. I have auto-updates turned off as I manually update, usually a few weeks after the update release. The files mentioned in the article were updated on my system on July 30/07, a few minutes before I retreived the July updates. I remember I had to go through the WGA verification process again, and had to accept new Windows Update files before I could receive the July update list and updates. My laptop, which has not been updated for several months, has older versions of the files mentioned in the article, which indicates to me that when auto-update is off, those files are not updated without users' knowledge.
Guest PA Bear Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent See this discussion: http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=29171 -- ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User) since 2002 AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net; DTS-L http://dts-l.org/ mail5269954@fishfuse.com wrote: > Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent > > Microsoft has begun patching files on Windows XP and Vista without users' > knowledge, even when the users have turned off auto-updates. > > http://windowssecrets.com/2007/09/13/01-Microsoft-updates-Windows-without- > users-consent
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