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mbpark · 08-05-2001, 03:19 PM

If it wasn't "spyware", it'd be a heck of an OS.

Jaguar, Remote Registry Modification has been a registry key in NT since version 3.1. The reason it's in there is so that one machine can roll out installs via a system management program to multiple boxes, and one master can change the registry on 300 systems. NT/2000 is designed for corporate networks. If ships with Remote Registry disabled, I believe, in 2000. At the least, I've had to enable it here on some of our machines

.

It's stable, doesn't crash on me with Office XP or my other apps (I am running RC1 on a Thinkpad 770X with 128MB RAM). It won't play back my DVD's, but that's a known issue with Digital Rights Management and my DVD-ROM drive.

The new GUI can be switched off (yay!). It's a really good OS. Other than the following characteristics:

1. There is a Microsoft Support account in there with LocalSystem privs. This means that Microsoft already has access. No, it cannot be disabled.

2. This is a truly multi-user OS, with Terminal Services being embedded in at every OS level. This is a first for MS. This also means that MS can log in and do stuff without you knowing, if they so chose.

3. Yes, you have to register XP. If you run Windows Update, it checks on you as well. However, keep in mind that 90% of all copies of MS OS'es are pirated or copies. They want their money. They are actually losing money on the consumer side of the applications. They want to make money. Why do you think WinMe was such a POS? If I were in some sort of management position there, I'd not want to invest money in something that 90% of all people were going to copy, and that was losing money.

3a. Any net admin who really knows what they are doing can set their Cisco firewall to block incoming from Microsoft on certain ports, like ours

.

3b. Disabling the Internal Microsoft Security account will take some registry hacking as well. At the least, you can shut it out of your hard drive access using general NT security. One of the advantages of 2000 is that you can even shut LocalSystem out of hard drive access.

Microsoft makes their billions selling licenses to the Fortune 500 for Office, and the 2000 family of products, including Exchange Server, 2000 Server/Advanced Server/Datacenter Server, SQL Server, and Host Integration Server 2000. They have 9-figure contracts with several large companies, most notably ExxonMobil, Wal-Mart, Ford, GM, and the major pharmas (who are well-documented for throwing money away regardless to Sun as well). Piracy isn't as rampant here because less people use the products, and large corporations have nasty policies in place to curb it (not that it isn't totally rampant at most corporations in some places anyway).

Many large software manufacturers have been using registration for years, most notably Computer Associates with ArcServe and their other products, Adobe with their very high-end software, Mercury Interactive LoadRunner, the new Embarcadero ERStudio, ERWin, Rational's Entire Product Line, and the Compuware products. Maya from Alias/Wavefront has a dongle as well I believe.

Most engineering/CAD programs have been using hardware dongles for YEARS.

<B>People are just pissed off because they have to pay for software now. </B>

Microsoft is doing EXACTLY what many other software companies have been doing and have not been crucified for. Just because it's Microsoft, people are going nuts. If this is so bad, why didn't they hold congressional hearings for CA, Autodesk, Rational, and Alias/Wavefront as well? Why not drag SCO/Caldera, QNX, or Verisign up as well?

I especially like how the "privacy advocates" wrap everything up as an invasion of privacy. "Internet Privacy" doesn't mean "get free stuff". Unfortunately, most of the Slashdot-heads mistake "privacy" for "way to hide getting stuff for free".

There's a difference between privacy and outright piracy. The difference is that if you don't pirate and are judicious in what you do on the Internet, you usually get left alone. Fortunately Napster couldn't hide behind privacy.

Unfortunately in the US, when you buy anything with any amount of IP in it, be it music, software, or movies, you're buying a single-user single-copy license. Read the EULA for any piece of media you buy. The US is run by lawyers who collect lots of money for violations of your EULA.

Windows XP is only making people more aware of the nasty legal issues that surround any IP in the USA. This has been going on for many years, and Microsoft uses less strong-armed tactics than Computer Associates, Rational, Autodesk, or Adobe are famous for.

XP's good. It's actually the best OS Microsoft has put out yet. It's got support for 99% of all hardware ever made, including the 8-bit ISA Microsoft Bus Mouse. However, I see more people running 2000 and Linux out of this. Finally the rest of you see what software companies do to protect their investment.

As a software developer whose money comes from selling software products, I can't say I disagree with MS for protecting their rights. The company I work for would do exactly the same thing, if not more harsh and nasty. When you sell software products, you look at the world a lot differently.

08-05-2001, 03:19 PM	#6
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	I am running XP on a test machine now If it wasn't "spyware", it'd be a heck of an OS. Jaguar, Remote Registry Modification has been a registry key in NT since version 3.1. The reason it's in there is so that one machine can roll out installs via a system management program to multiple boxes, and one master can change the registry on 300 systems. NT/2000 is designed for corporate networks. If ships with Remote Registry disabled, I believe, in 2000. At the least, I've had to enable it here on some of our machines . It's stable, doesn't crash on me with Office XP or my other apps (I am running RC1 on a Thinkpad 770X with 128MB RAM). It won't play back my DVD's, but that's a known issue with Digital Rights Management and my DVD-ROM drive. The new GUI can be switched off (yay!). It's a really good OS. Other than the following characteristics: 1. There is a Microsoft Support account in there with LocalSystem privs. This means that Microsoft already has access. No, it cannot be disabled. 2. This is a truly multi-user OS, with Terminal Services being embedded in at every OS level. This is a first for MS. This also means that MS can log in and do stuff without you knowing, if they so chose. 3. Yes, you have to register XP. If you run Windows Update, it checks on you as well. However, keep in mind that 90% of all copies of MS OS'es are pirated or copies. They want their money. They are actually losing money on the consumer side of the applications. They want to make money. Why do you think WinMe was such a POS? If I were in some sort of management position there, I'd not want to invest money in something that 90% of all people were going to copy, and that was losing money. 3a. Any net admin who really knows what they are doing can set their Cisco firewall to block incoming from Microsoft on certain ports, like ours . 3b. Disabling the Internal Microsoft Security account will take some registry hacking as well. At the least, you can shut it out of your hard drive access using general NT security. One of the advantages of 2000 is that you can even shut LocalSystem out of hard drive access. Microsoft makes their billions selling licenses to the Fortune 500 for Office, and the 2000 family of products, including Exchange Server, 2000 Server/Advanced Server/Datacenter Server, SQL Server, and Host Integration Server 2000. They have 9-figure contracts with several large companies, most notably ExxonMobil, Wal-Mart, Ford, GM, and the major pharmas (who are well-documented for throwing money away regardless to Sun as well). Piracy isn't as rampant here because less people use the products, and large corporations have nasty policies in place to curb it (not that it isn't totally rampant at most corporations in some places anyway). Many large software manufacturers have been using registration for years, most notably Computer Associates with ArcServe and their other products, Adobe with their very high-end software, Mercury Interactive LoadRunner, the new Embarcadero ERStudio, ERWin, Rational's Entire Product Line, and the Compuware products. Maya from Alias/Wavefront has a dongle as well I believe. Most engineering/CAD programs have been using hardware dongles for YEARS. <B>People are just pissed off because they have to pay for software now. </B> Microsoft is doing EXACTLY what many other software companies have been doing and have not been crucified for. Just because it's Microsoft, people are going nuts. If this is so bad, why didn't they hold congressional hearings for CA, Autodesk, Rational, and Alias/Wavefront as well? Why not drag SCO/Caldera, QNX, or Verisign up as well? I especially like how the "privacy advocates" wrap everything up as an invasion of privacy. "Internet Privacy" doesn't mean "get free stuff". Unfortunately, most of the Slashdot-heads mistake "privacy" for "way to hide getting stuff for free". There's a difference between privacy and outright piracy. The difference is that if you don't pirate and are judicious in what you do on the Internet, you usually get left alone. Fortunately Napster couldn't hide behind privacy. Unfortunately in the US, when you buy anything with any amount of IP in it, be it music, software, or movies, you're buying a single-user single-copy license. Read the EULA for any piece of media you buy. The US is run by lawyers who collect lots of money for violations of your EULA. Windows XP is only making people more aware of the nasty legal issues that surround any IP in the USA. This has been going on for many years, and Microsoft uses less strong-armed tactics than Computer Associates, Rational, Autodesk, or Adobe are famous for. XP's good. It's actually the best OS Microsoft has put out yet. It's got support for 99% of all hardware ever made, including the 8-bit ISA Microsoft Bus Mouse. However, I see more people running 2000 and Linux out of this. Finally the rest of you see what software companies do to protect their investment. As a software developer whose money comes from selling software products, I can't say I disagree with MS for protecting their rights. The company I work for would do exactly the same thing, if not more harsh and nasty. When you sell software products, you look at the world a lot differently.