On Activation vs. Registration in Win XP

[lucidguy]

There has been disagreement recently regarding the dangers associated with activation in Win XP. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about submitting personally identifying information to Microsoft (which is something that activation does - a derivative of your hardware configuration is personally identifying information) while Microsoft supporters have pointed out the difference between activation and registration, and claimed that activation poses no privacy threat whatsoever.

I am writing this piece to debunk the myth that activation and registration are somehow different, and that activation is not a privacy risk.

This is what Microsoft wants you to think, of course, but it's false. Armed with your IP address or caller ID information (either of which you end up giving to Microsoft during the so-called "activation&quot and a hash of your hardware configuration, Microsoft can query publicly accessible databases to match up your name, address, phone number, social security number, credit history, medical history, driver's license number, and a whole host of other information, to your unique hardware configuration and your Windows serial number. Using this information, they can further link up this data to your email address, your Passport registration, and any other activity that you perform on your installed copy of Win XP. What they do with this from then on is something that only Microsoft knows (along with all of their hardware, software, infrastructure and advertising partners, and any of the partners of these partners, and so on ad infinitum).

If you want this to happen to you, that's fine. If you trust Microsoft to use this information responsibly, that's fine. I don't, and I don't, and if you have half a brain cell, I am hoping that you won't either.

EDIT: Corrected typos.

 

[RichieZ]

why don't you stop posting these threads, it will most likely be a simple matter of defeating the acitvation. Micosoft even admits it themselves, they just want to stop casual copying. I've had no troulbe bypassing the 14 day activation in builds from 2462 to 2502.

 

[lucidguy]

<< it will most likely be a simple matter of defeating the acitvation. >>



I should not be forced to break the law (specifically, the DMCA) just to protect my privacy to which I am entitled under the Constitution.

EDIT: This is a response to RichieZZZZ. The timestamps went fruity and my response appears before his question. Read his message first, right below this message, then read my message afterwards.

 

[RichieZ]

Well if you really feel that strongly, then like you say, don't use the product. You seem to be a big fan of linux, I'm trying to install Mandrake as I type this

 

[lucidguy]

<< You seem to be a big fan of linux >>



Forget Linux for a moment. This is not about Linux. This is about something of far greater importance. This is about Liberty and Personal Rights and Freedom. If Red Hat Linux did something like this, I would be up in arms against them as well.

Consumers should not be forced to break the law in order to purchase and use products while maintainining their Constitutional Right to Privacy.

 

[Psychoholic]

<< This is about Liberty and Personal Rights and Freedom. >>


Thank you Patrick Henry.



<< If Red Hat Linux did something like this, I would be up in arms against them as well. >>


I doubt it.

Since you seem to crap in everyone else's threads is this were I should crap in yours???
Want an example???

 

[lucidguy]

I'm sorry, I must be misunderstanding you. Did you just make fun of Patrick Henry? Did you just mock our Founding Fathers? Did you just mock the inalienable rights that our ancestors fought life and limb to secure for their children?

How can you expect anyone to take you seriously when you have no respect for the very rights upon which America was built?

 

[Psychoholic]

I'm sorry, I should have made it sample for the morons. I'm mocking you, who is mocking our founding fathers. If America would have been built on swamp slime like you we would all be dead by now.

 

[lucidguy]

Why exactly are you mocking me? Are you mocking me because I value my Constitutional Rights? How is that funny?

 

[Psychoholic]

I'm mocking you're because you are a snail. Is that better??? Do you understand me now that I'm using pictures???

 

[lucidguy]

I understand that you have nothing valuable to say. My avatar is a snail and your avatar is a barrel of toxic waste product. This doesn't relate in any way to the discussion.

 

[Psychoholic]

<< This doesn't relate in any way to the discussion. >>


Kind of like most of your posts, right???

 

[clockhar]

This just cracks me up ... these posts that have nothing to do w/ the thread (just flaming each other) ... keep it up, I need a laugh in the middle of my work day

 

[Shudder]

Screw windows. I ate a bagel for breakfast. MS will never take that pleasure away from me.

 

[lucidguy]

<<

<< This doesn't relate in any way to the discussion. >>


Kind of like most of your posts, right??? >>



No.

 

[stratusfear]

&quot;Kind of like most of your posts, right???&quot;

so true

I think i'll begin the crapping right about...now

lets see how many different sub-topics we can create in this thread!

 

[ToBeMe]

ROFLMAO! More &quot;well documented facts&quot; straight from Lucidguys Cracker Jack Box!

I would ask whom is paying you to come up with this drivel........but after reading prior mindless rants by you.......I know you do everything for free and have no use for any monetary gains!

 

[praematurus]

This is brilliant!!! I love it!!! Please continue.

However, I don't see this as an invasion of my rights. I am not forced to buy it. (I don't plan to, BTW.) If you CHOOSE to provide this information, so be it. Nobody is taking that choice away from you.

Ok, back off the soapbox...

Please ... flame on.

 

[CocaCola5]

If Ford decided to put &quot;black boxes&quot; in all their cars how would that look? People would be bitchin right?, yet this a computer, a device that have a million times more information about you than any car black boxes. And I also doubt any of you would say, &quot;its your right to drive a Ford or not, or go buy a Chevy&quot;.

 

[ToBeMe]

<< If Ford decided to put &quot;black boxes&quot; in all their cars how would that look? People would be bitchin right? >>


Hmmm, you'd think so wouldn't you! I'm guessing that you weren't/aren't aware that several &quot;High Profile&quot; vehicle companies are already doing something very similar! For instance, if you purchase a Kennworth or Volvo road tractor and decide you can't/won't make your payments........the company, through the financier, now has the ability to remotely disable the vehicle!

Go do some research........it might suprise you what some companies have and are planning to implement very soon!

 

[Shadow07]

Um, like Ford suckz, and, um like Chevy rulez! DOWN WITH FORDs!!

Then try using OpenVMS then, instead of Windows or Linux.

Flame on!!!

 

[Psychoholic]

<< Um, like Ford suckz, and, um like Chevy rulez! DOWN WITH FORDs!! >>


Uhoh, now we have a problem. We need to talk about your priorities. You have that backwards.

 

[BreakApart]

<< I'm guessing that you weren't/aren't aware that several &quot;High Profile&quot; vehicle companies are already doing something very similar! For instance, if you purchase a Kennworth or Volvo road tractor and decide you can't/won't make your payments........the company, through the financier, now has the ability to remotely disable the vehicle!

Go do some research........it might suprise you what some companies have and are planning to implement very soon! >>




Hmmm, let's see if this were MS...
For instance, if you purchase a MS OS and decide you can't/won't buy any of the new MS offered software afterwards........the company, through the HASH code, now has the ability to remotely disable the OS.

Worst case i realize, however not far from the direction they are going...

 

[CocaCola5]

<<

<< If Ford decided to put &quot;black boxes&quot; in all their cars how would that look? People would be bitchin right? >>


Hmmm, you'd think so wouldn't you! I'm guessing that you weren't/aren't aware that several &quot;High Profile&quot; vehicle companies are already doing something very similar! For instance, if you purchase a Kennworth or Volvo road tractor and decide you can't/won't make your payments........the company, through the financier, now has the ability to remotely disable the vehicle!

Go do some research........it might suprise you what some companies have and are planning to implement very soon! >>




Who gives about a black box in a Kennworth or Volvo or any commercial vehicle for that matter. These are work cars and everybody knows that on the job, your privacy is pretty much down the toilet. However, if its personal privacy we're concerned about, then I can hardly imagine of any instrument(credit/debit cards, ip telephony, etc.)that will leave you as open to privacy intrusions as a PC, therefore, MS should be put to extra examination in this area, thats all I am saying.

 

[ToBeMe]

CocaCola5;

Didn't go check anything or even read thorourly did you???? First, it applies to whomever buys the vehicle.........therefore it doesn't matter if it's a work or pleasure vehicle......it's whose name is on the note! Second, Mercedes, Volvo, and even Lincoln &amp; Cadilac are begining to do it on their models! Have you figured out why yet????? The model is starting with the very expensive models where very few people actually miss payments on vehicles. But, on the few occurances there have been, it's very easy to remotely render the vehicle disabled once the ignition has been disingauged through the onboard computer thus avoiding any accidents of shutting down the vehicle while it is in use.

It started with these higher costing higher profile vehicles but will now trickle down to common vehicles &amp; companies.