chris lee wrote:
> "Beginning on Tuesday 12 April 2005 Automatic Updates and Windows
> Update will deliver SP2 regardless of the presence of the blocking
> mechanism," Microsoft said. The company has scheduled a monthly
> security update on 12 April.
>
> http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?NewsID=2193
> http://www.activewin.com/awin/comments.asp?HeadlineIndex=26108
> http://bink.nu/?ArticleID=2514
>
>
> windows XP users no longer have any control over what they do or do
> not want on their computers.
>
>
> 216 days to learn more linux and counting....
That's it. I'm moving email (my last major daily application holdout on
Windows, just because of the pain in the arse involved in moving my saved emails
and the like) to a Linux box and rolling my game machine back to Win2k from
WinXP Pro ("rolling back" meaning "wipe/reinstall"), then refusing to allow
update connections once I get the perfectly tailored set of wanted patches and
updates installed. Someone remind me which service pack it was that changed the
EULA for Win2k, if you would.
For the couple people who have stated this is a "good thing", or at least not
something to be upset about:
The problem isn't in the fact that now more systems will be patched. The
problem is to some extent with the fact that autopatching will break shit, but
more importantly (for me) the problem is that I will no longer effectively own
my computer. When you do not control the disposition of a piece of property, it
is not yours. I want final say over my own damned property, period. I don't
want Microsoft to control the disposition of my computer.
While we're at it, it's not just broken "features" that people fear when
refusing some updates from MS for their Windows machines. There are also
distinct problems with intentional, properly working "features", like the fact
that six out of the last score or so of patches and updates that I've refused
from Microsoft essentially added spyware functionality to the computer so that
MS could snoop more easily on my machine for my own good. I like my privacy.
If protecting it means dropping Windows like a handful of molten lead, so be it.
I only regret that A) a whole lot of Windows knowledge is going to be useless
to me now and B) I'll still have to deal with Windows as an IT consultant (and
if I ever actually decide to play anything on my game/multimedia system under
Windows again).
-- Chad Perrin (apotheon .com .net .org) http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/S/sig-block.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
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