Here is some info that was circulating around our office today.
*** Forwarding note from KKASTRP --RHQVM12 07/10/95 10:43 *** To: KURT --RHQVM02 Anderson, K. K. LLANDER --RHQVM17 Anderson, L.L.
Karen R. Kastrup 8/826-4664 9/(914)766-4664 Manager, Services Accounting Somers 4, 3J36 Subject: Windows 95
*** Forwarding note from KASTRUP --ISSCVM 07/10/95 10:31 *** To: KKASTRP --RHQVM12
*** Resending note of 07/10/95 09:43 STAN KASTRUP ISSC - INFORMATION STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT 8/351-3229 9/(914) 288-3229 SUBJECT: Windows 95 Amazing! (I chopped off about 10 "forwards.") ------- Forwarded Message
There's nothing to say that this "feature" will be removed in the final release.
David
Carlos Shaw | nodeid/userid: stlvm6(cshaw) IBM - STL (J95/E443) | (408) 463-4995; (tie) 8-543-4995 555 Bailey Ave | fax (408) 463-4763; (tie) 8-543- San Jose, CA 95141 | CompuServe id: 73203,1424 Subj: news on Windows95
From: Carlos Shaw IBMMAIL:USIB2T2D cshaw@vnet.ibm.com *************************************************************** Subject: news on Windows95 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Newsgroups: comp.risks From: cnorloff@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil
Date: Wed, 17 May 95 13:44:40 EDT
Microsoft officials confirm that beta versions of Windows 95 include a small viral routine called Registration Wizard. It interrogates every system on a network gathering intelligence on what software is being run on which machine. It then creates a complete listing of both Microsoft's and competitors' products by machine, which it reports to Microsoft when customers sign up for Microsoft's Network Services, due for launch later this year.
"In Short" column, page 88, _Information Week_ magazine, May 22, 1995
The implications of this action, and the attitude of Microsoft to plan such action, beggars the imagination.
An update on this. A friend of mine got hold of the beta test CD of Win95, and set up a packet sniffer between his serial port and the modem. When you try out the free demo time on The Microsoft Network, it transmits your entire directory structure in background. This means that they have a list of every directory (and, potentially every file) on your machine. It would not be difficult to have something like a FileRequest from your system to theirs, without you knowing about it. This way they could get ahold of any juicy routines you've written yourself and claim them as their own if you don't have them copyrighted.
Needless to say, I'm rather annoyed about this. So spread the word as far and wide as possible: Steer clear of Windows
ÿÿ
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------------------------------------- E-mail: dough@syntec.com (Doug Hadley) Date: 07/24/95 Time: 10:54:04 -------------------------------------