Jamie McCarthy writes to a particular newsgroup:

Microsoft again wants root access privileges on your Windows machine in exchange for providing you a more-secure operating system.

To install Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, you must click that you agree to this text:

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.

“Upgrades or fixes” will almost certainly include Digital Rights Management in the years to come; in short, clicking “I Agree” means you “agree” to have your computer transformed into a Gameboy that can run only whatever code Microsoft wants you to run and output only those bits Microsoft allows you to output.

And if you don’t install Service Pack 3, you are so totally screwed I can’t even tell you. So many security fixes…

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26517.html

In an email giving me permission to run this tidbit, Jamie adds:

You might add that, reportedly:

a separate EULA for W2K’s SP3 contains this nasty bit: ‘You may not disclose the results of any benchmark test of the .NET Framework component of the OS Components to any third party without Microsoft’s prior written approval.’

Consider it added.

Categories: Uncategorized dw