Who owns your computer?

You own your computer less and less every day.

The dissappearance of your right to own your computer generally started with Microsoft and the backdoor known as the “NSA key” back in the last half of the 1990s. Microsoft went on to assume full ownership of your computer as I mentioned in this article.

The following are all quoted directly from the Windows XP End User License Agreement found on your computer, and which is what you agreed to when you installed Windows XP on your computer. This document can be found by clicking on Start, Run and typing:

notepad c:(backslash)windows(backslash)system32(backslash)eula.txt

and then hit Enter or click Ok. (Replace (backslash) with a keyboard backslash.)

Item #1 - You agreed that Microsoft _AND_ any of it’s ‘affiliates’ can collect data from your computer:

Consent to Use of Data. You agree that Microsoft and its affiliates may collect and use technical information gathered in any manner

Item #2 - You agreed that Microsoft may check your version of Windows and/or its “components you are utilizing” (meaning they have intrusive access to your computer):

Internet-Based Services Components. The Product contains components that enable and facilitate the use of certain Internet-based services. You acknowledge and agree that Microsoft may automatically check the version of the Product and/or its components that you are utilizing

Item #3 - You agreed that _ANY_ third-party software vendor can have Microsoft download non-Microsoft, and non-Windows software into your computer:

Security Updates. Content providers are using the digital rights management technology (”Microsoft DRM”) contained in this Product to protect the integrity of their content (”Secure Content”) so that their intellectual property, including copyright, in such content is not misappropriated. Owners of such Secure Content (”Secure Content Owners”) may, from time to time, request Microsoft to provide security related updates to the Microsoft DRM components of the Product (”Security Updates”) that may affect your ability to copy, display and/or play Secure Content through Microsoft software or third party applications that utilize Microsoft DRM. You therefore agree that, if you elect to download a license from the Internet which enables your use of Secure Content, Microsoft may, in conjunction with such license, also download onto your computer such Security Updates that a Secure Content Owner has requested that Microsoft distribute.

Item #4 - Of course, Microsoft is not responsible for anything regarding your computer, even though Microsoft requires that you allow them full control of your computer and the data therein:

13. EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL AND CERTAIN OTHER DAMAGES. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS OR CONFIDENTIAL OR OTHER INFORMATION, FOR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, FOR PERSONAL INJURY, FOR LOSS OF PRIVACY, … EVEN IF MICROSOFT OR ANY SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

And now Macromedia (creators of Flash for websites) has joined into the fray with thier new end user license agrement. Section 2. License Grants reads as follows:

b. You agree that Macromedia may audit your use of the Software for compliance with these terms at any time, upon reasonable notice.

I am not going to speculate what Macromedia deems “reasonable notice” to be, suffice it to say, it could be an email to you (meaning they have already retrieved that data from your computer) or it may mean a notice on their website, which of course you visit daily. No? Ah well - your fault for not looking.

With these licenses, _YOU_ are giving permission to Microsoft, Macromedia, and any other software creators using this idiotic lack-of-thought process, to “break and enter” your computer, and then do as they wish once entered.

Now you can be all Bambi-eyed about it and say something like “I have nothing to hide!” without realising that if Microsoft and Macromedia can do it - a cracker can figure it out and do it too!

And they will.

How long did it take for a virus to be created for the new Windows Vista? Not even a week after Beta 1 was released! And it wasn’t _A_ virus, it was _FIVE_ viruses!

Here is the bottom line is for you as a consumer:
The best defense you have right now against someone else accessing, using, abusing or damaging your computer and the data therein, is to simply not run Windows.

Here are some Windows alternatives:
Xandros Linux
Mepis Linux
Linspire (formerly Lindows) Linux

CodeWeavers has created a product for Linux called CrossOver Office, that will let you run many Windows-type software on a Linux computer.

Want to know what kind of software is available for Linux?
Look here and here, or take a look at what software is available to MIT linux users.
Here is a more general list of over 10,000 Linux software packages.

It’s still your choice.

Decide who owns your computer.