Re: XP license to 2nd computer legal?

On Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:59:43 -0500, David Maynard <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Well, there's at least one, rather obvious, answer to that question if it
really did look and work exactly like Windows... and is FREE.

Wrong my friend. I bought this laptop used. For the hardware alone it
was a good price. But it also included, FREE, at no additional cost to
me, a legal copy of XP to install on it. Note I said FREE. I chose not
to. Why?

****************************************
*Because I do not trust Microsoft*
****************************************

I'll repeat that since it seems to be flying over (or under) everyones
radar. I do not trust Microsoft.

There's any number of instances dealing with this on the Internet
(Just do a search for 'microsoft dirty tricks'). I could supply a
whole list of references but it's been my experience it's a waste of
time. I could also list a whole pile of references to their other
software but, why bother? Yes, I know. MS fixed the 'accidents'. But
this is only after being caught.

I searched out and found all the software I needed and registry hacks
I needed to make W98 relatively safe. I checked out W2K when it came
out and it offered nothing new except that I was going to have to
search for a whole new set of hacks. And the program integration that
they started with W98 was developed further. Same as XP. I do NOT like
program integration.

One day I bought a MS multimedia keyboard. And installed the drivers.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear? But a ZA warning that
something funny was here. I said no and went to check the logs when a
second alert popped up. It was the keyboard. Now, I read the EULA's of
any software I install very carefully. Especially if it has to do with
MS. Nowhere was there a warning that it would be calling out. Nowhere
during the installation did it notify me it would do so. I checked the
software and nowhere was there any indication that it was going to
call out. I contacted MS and after some farting around and back and
forths got them to admit that:
-Yes, it was calling out (twice every couple of days)
-No. there was no fix for it except block it with ZA

Now, possibly it was just calling to check for updates. But, and this
is important:

THIS IS MY COMPUTER AND NEITHER MS OR GATES HAS ANY RIGHT TO TAKE
CONTROL OF IT FOR ANY PURPOSES (BENIGN OR OTHERWISE) WHATSOEVER
WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.

During the exchange I deliberately referred to it as a 'Trojan' and
they never argued the point. I took a hardcopy of the exchange back to
the store where I purchased the keyboard from and got my money back.

I will never purchase another MS product (software, hardware or
service) again. Why?

****************************************
*Because I do not trust Microsoft*
****************************************

Ohhh, lookie lookie:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/08/ms_wga_phones_home/

Now, tell me again why I should trust MS?
.

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