ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
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Welcome to the 158th issue of the PC Improvement News. PCIN consists mainly of news and tips. There is something for everyone, and if this is your first issue, I'm sure there will be something for you.
You can reach me at editor@pcin.net with any suggestions or comments. If you give me two or three issues, I know that you will come back for more!
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This is a special issue of PCIN. As I mentioned last week, I asked my subscribers to send me their opinions on whether Product Activation of Microsoft's software was a good idea. I had quite a few people send in their thoughts and feelings. You will find them below, as well as the regular PCIN sections (although they are shorter than normal).
Below are the comments from PCIN subscribers regarding Microsoft Product Activation. If you'd like to read Microsoft's spin on things, check out http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/windowsproductactivationtechnicalmarketbulletin.doc or http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/xp_activation.asp
kezeli
I dislike it, I will not buy XP because of it..it's a ripoff..bigtime.
Mike Rewa
k, here's how you do it. First get youself a handsome case. Then, a power supply
is in order. Next, a motherboard is a good bet ; ] Soon you will need a harddrive,
floppy and memory. And then of course an OS to boot that sucker up. You can
do it with 3.1 with only floppies! Crazy, huh?
Better have the CDRW, soundcard, video card, DVD player perhaps, USB card if
it's not on your board, SCSI card, those kinds of things, you know. Let's hope
if you have decided to use XP you haven't exceeded 7 items in all, since once
you upgrade to a better HDD or CDRW, or sound or video card, or perhaps USB
or SCSI card, you may have a little problem. Does a new monitor get recognized
as an item? What happens if you want to upgrade your motherboard, as I have.
Does memory count?
Now, I don't know anyone who has XP, and I have no interest in it, (preferring
to avoid reasons to sit in front of my PC except of course to read cool stuff
like PCIN), but I trade and upgrade hardware pretty often and I don't want anyone
telling me I have to stop it! It's how I learned about PC's in the first place
fer Crissakes! What is this, a conspiracy against people like me understanding
how to use computers?
Whew!!! Ok, sorry. I just had to get that off my chest.
Cameron C. Cook
I am against Microsofts new "Product Activation". Will I use the new
XP Windows? Probably. I'm getting ready to buy a new computer, as my Fred Flintstone
Pentium Pro 180 is getting VERY long of tooth, and it will make much more sense
to get XP from the beginning.
But with Product Activation looming I just wonder if Microsoft has learned anything
from the major lawsuit that is hanging over its head. While they have always
been quite ruthless in dealing with their competitors they have been quite good
to their customers. Now they are beginning to get heavy handed with us. I guess
if they figure they can throw Product Activation at us they can also raise the
price of Windows to unheard of levels.
And use it we will. Because actually we have NO OTHER CHOICE! There is no other
alternative. Oh, sure, there is Linux, and for the truly hardcore there is Unix,
but for 99.9% of us it is MS Windows. And, well, there is Apple, but...
So I guess I can see the campaign posters coming: "Bill Gates for King,
er, President in 2004"!
airstreich
I've already converted to Star Office rather than put up with product activation.
I currently use Win 2000 and will not upgrade to XP because of PA and the anti
competitive activities of Microsoft. I manage a network and we switched to UNIX
last year for our network server and we do not plan to upgrade the workstations
either. We paid way too much already for Microsoft products and they want us
to shell out again. No Way!
Mike Kratz
I am a fairly knowledgeable computer user, having owned a computer for 20 years,
being on the Internet for 9 years and being a system builder for 7 years.
The idea that Microsoft is giving it's self the right to take specific information
from your computer without your knowledge has got to be the biggest attack on
personal privacy that I have heard of so far. They say that this is only for
prevention of piracy but this type of thing could be used for any number of
applications that we do not even know about. Look at PCIN Issue 156 for the
Recording Industry's idea's that they would like to look into your computer
to see if you have pirated music. Microsoft wants to look into your computer
to see if it has changed. The only way that information can be gathered about
my hardware is by using a software program that Microsoft has made. They use
this program to look at my hardware and software. How is the information on
my hardware obtained? Where are the looking in my computer? What are they looking
at?
This is the exact same thing as the police stopping by while you are not home
and doing a search of the premises just to see if you are breaking any laws.
While you may say, "I'm not breaking any laws. what's the problem? You
only have to worry if you are a criminal." The law says that this type
of intrusion is illegal. Even if a police officer did find something, they can't
use it against you because it was found illegally.
Information is Power.
When the worlds biggest monopoly wants to look in my computer, I get a little,
no A LOT worried.
With all that is going on in the world today, Privacy verses The need for Security,
is going to be "The" issue of the next century. We all need to learn
more about these types of things so that we can protect ourselves. I do not
trust Microsoft to respect my privacy.
Jack Carlson
I know I seem to have essentially re-built my pc a piece at a time (financial
considerations, ya know), and 20 seems like a reasonable number. But what offends
me about the whole concept of restrictions placed on any product I pay for and
properly register (only as a means to activate the warranty). It's a custom
of American capitalism that once I pay the asking price for a product, I own
that thing. I wouldn't buy a car if Chevy told me that I could only make 5,
10, even 50 modifications to my vehicle then I would have to pay another fee
for the engine. I think it's a consumer-unfriendly tactic that should be discussed
and considered. More programmers need to be encouraged to develop alternative
OS's to lessen a chance of another Microsoft. And Microsoft needs to concern
itself with providing the best product possible to it's users. We paid for it.
Rainer Ludloff
WPA: Hate it! Won't upgrade to XP because of it. Looking into Linux...
Michael Nordstrom
My motherboard went sour.At first I thgought that Ihad A HD problem or a system
one. SoI reformatted, changed HDs between PCs to get to the bottom of things.
A lotof those things beeing done at night time (no support time) How could I
get a new number?
If I buy a licence for a peogram (I´m a developer myself and would never
use XP as a courtesy nto my customers, I'll stick with 2000.) I feel that what
I do to my computer is MY thing not MicroSoft's.
If I can find a good hacked version I MIGHT use that one and pay for a licence
that i will store.I WILL NEVER BUY A LICENCE FROM MS THAT IS NOT MINE TO USE
AS I PLEASE!!!
Robert Nelson
My understanding of the proposed XP activation is is 6 hardware changes which
probably inculdes the NIC card. If you don't change the NIC card , you probably
won't be required to re-activate. However I'm still against it because every
Home Networker will be required to buy two copies.The reason being every NIC
card has a different hardware address.
Ray Ferbrache
No I do not agree with the current scheme. Once I activate with my Name and
Address, That is all the manufacturer needs to know. I will not buy the XP Product
in its current form. Long live 98SE.
Stephen Green
In all the hoopla over product activation, I don't like it, there's a much bigger
problem and it's Passport, tightly intergrated and a major security problem
to boot! I can see XP users being spammed to death by Micro$oft and its partners.
For more details see Brian Livingstons article, for the week of 10/8/01 at InfoWorld.
David E. Beugler
I will not buy XP because it snoops. That's period. I love 98se even tho' it
sucks.
George Kaposhilin
This scheme hits the home computer user the hardest. In my household there are
six computers. One for me, one for the wife, and two for the sons. Plus two
laptops that travel to school and work. We are now forced to buy six copies
of the OS. Ridiculous! No wonder Apple is so well entrenched in schools! I will
rather switch to Linux than buy XP
U Belton
In response to Product Activation---I think Microsoft realizes that people are
simply going to stop upgrading and be satisfied with their System the way it
is.
I guess that's called 'market saturation'? So, in order for them to keep profiting,
they had to find a *new* way.....and PA is that way.
Seems like these giant corporations are never satisfied...never rich enough....always
squeezing the customers for their last buck.
John McGee
I am against it and will not ever purchase it. win2k for me
Clyde Vickers
I wanted to put my 2 cents in about this one. There are several reasons that
I do not support this "Feature??" and thus will never leave Win98
for XP, or any other OS that would choose to use similar code. I could probably
hack Windows to get around this, but the effort would be wasted in my opinion.
That said, there is ONE compelling reason for NO-ONE to accept this extortion.
IF I PAY FOR SOMETHING, IT'S MINE, PERIOD!
Jumpin' Johnathon
I myself will not purchase anything from Microsoft that limits the number of
changes one can make to his/her computer. Product Activation allows Microsoft
one step closer to dominate what someone can or cannot do with their machine.
Also there are many security issues revolving around the "XP" operating
system, not to mention that Microsoft's decision to include full raw socket
support for this version poses a serious threat to be hacked in the form of
"Denial Of Service" attacks.
The inventor of the software application "SpinRite" has documented
such attacks on his site. If you want to know how vulnerable your system will
be with "XP", check out his site.
http://grc.com/dos/intro.htm
http://grc.com/dos/xpsummary.htm
G. Perreault
I am concerned about the inability to install XP on more than one of my computers
without having to pay for a second copy. It should be licensed to me not to
the computer. The computer didn't pay for it, I did!
I am concerned about the future support of WPA. Will I still be able to use
XP on the original computer on which I installed it, say, five years from now?
Will Microsoft decide to move on to some other method to protect their copy
rights and find WPA to expensive to support and leave me with no alternative
but to buy another OS?
Microsoft does have a right to protect themselves and their stock holders from
loss of revenue, because some people pirate and others "share" copies
of an OS.
I will probably upgrade to XP, when I can get enough drivers to keep my hardware.
I am not going to invest in a new scanner, printer, etc. in order to move to
XP.
Ali
Count me with the ones opposed to PA! I think it is arrogant and only serves
to challenge hackers to "crack" it and at the same time, draws fire
from the virus authors which eventually plagues all of us at some time or other.
Can't M$ accept that to copy ones work is actually a compliment to its utility
(or imposed popularity anyway) and unlicensed multiple installations are of
necessity to the economically strapped user whereas selling copies could be
criminal. Even as I write this, there are Warez sites hosting the non-WPA versions
of XP to the masses, at least to the near crashing of their servers --ChiChi
comes to mind.
I tried ME and didn't like it's snubbing of my legacy hardware so I expect to
be with Win98SE with patches for some time to come. I too am a simple computer
user altho I am building an AMD 1800 XP $216 on an Epox 8K7A+ $127 and Kingmax
DDR 256's at $39 each, WD 40G's at $80, we have reached the Age of the Throw
Away Computer.
Marlin
i am against product activation. i am considering going to 2000 because of it.
i don't trust microsoft to protect my information.
i also have 2 computers-a desktop and a laptop. i'll be damned if i'll pay microsoft
twice for the same piece of software. my machines are not used for business,
this is just a hobby. i would much rather use the money for a new hard drive
or video card than give it to microsoft for two identical copies of the same
software? why can't microsoft offer a family license?
i am planning a major upgrade on my desktop machine--it will be virtually new
except for the case, keyboard, mouse. i dislike the idea of having to beg microsoft
for a license to use software i've already paid too much for.
Mike Fitchman
Agree 100% with your commonsense approach-I dont know what the hysterical whining
from the others is about, except the usual Microsoft bashing,which they enjoy
doing like so many sheep.
Jambly
I'm definitely concerned about XP Product Activation. Currently I'm a WinME
user, but within the last six months I've installed an additional hard drive,
upgraded to 128 mbs memory, and partitioned my system to accommodate (so far)
three OS's. I don't think I can even count the number of times I've had to do
reinstalls and clean installs with all this going on! So-o-o, if you have to
reinstall or clean install, does that mean another Product Activation? If you
are dual-booting or multi-booting between 2 or more OSs (even though it's the
same computer and the same user!), does that mean the hassle of more Product
Activation? And can they refuse?
Looming on the future, for me, will be new video drivers, possibly a new CD
burner, definitely a new printer. Nope, I'm not going to stick my neck out at
this point and take on MS's new "very conditional" XP, not until I
have a lot more assurances that it won't be more hassle than it's worth.
Just my 2 cents :-)
Bill Blackburn
I oppose Product Activation for several reasons, most especially because it
opens the door to worse such things to come...
Richard Holt
No. I plan to never upgrade any Microsoft product, to the best of my ability.
Running Win98se / SuSE 7.2 dual boot.
I will be dual booting until I've learned enough to shift everything and everybody
to Linux.
Currently, influence 5 machines / 4 users.
I expect this to happen over the next couple of years, but I'm not in a hurry.
I also plan to have at least one dedicated win98 box for the legacy apps.
I actually like Win98 after so many years of practice.
I'm sure Microsoft will make money from WinXP. I'm just not going to help.
Unlike you, I don't have to be up-to-date with Windows. If I did, I'd probably
buy a copy.
I know who you called last month
Anti-Terror Hackers Seek Govt Blessing
Governor Calls for 'Cyber Court'
Beyond Carnivore: FBI Eyes Packet Taps
http://www.interactiveweek.com/article/0,3658,s%253D605%2526a%253D16678,00.asp
Sound Effects
Whether you are looking for sounds (WAV files) to use for Windows event sounds, or for other purposes, check out http://www.media-tracks.com/soundeffects.asp for a nice supply of them.
Getting Off Junk Mailing Lists
One of the worst things about the Internet is SPAM (junk email). Although it is almost impossible to stop it when someone is sending emails to a million people, there are legitimate companies that send out unsolicited emails. They often will be members of various marketing associations. Both the Canadian Marketing Association (CDN) and the Direct Marketing Associations (US) have web sites where you can request that you receive no material from their participating companies. Check them out at http://www.e-mps.org/picklang.html or http://www.cdma.org/
PCIN is brought to you by PC Improvements. The opinions expressed are those of the editor, Graham Wing. PC Improvements and Graham Wing accept no responsibility for the results obtained from trying the tips in this newsletter.
Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2001, PC Improvements and Graham Wing. All rights reserved.
This publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, as long as the author is notified and the newsletter is presented as is.
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