If you block ALL cookies, there are many sites you can't get to, and functions are disabled. I tried doing that with the MS websites, and I could not longer access them. Cookies should NOT be necessary, and they are NOT necessary just to use a website! Some of the news & sports websites put cookies on your HD the second their homepage loads! I realize that cookies are necessary for some 'personalized site features', but when a site has no personalized web features, they have no business doing it. There is NO reason for that, just for a visit to their homepage!
It's not really a cookie thing that's at issue here, it's MS *scanning your PC* for personal data, that they are doing. Even if you blocked all cookies and still could get to the update site, this would not stop the site from getting your PC to send personal data back to MS (contrary to their lying statement that this "NEVER" happens). I have my cooking option set to "high", and it's a real pain at that setting getting to many websites. I have to constantly change the setting, since double-clicking the red - and selecting "always accept cookies from this site" doesn't work half the time. I empty the cookies that do manage to get in my temp net files a few times a week, and only leave those I need. Also blocking all cookies will not stop spying unscrupulous sites from placing items in the registry and the downloaded program files folder (like Xupiter and Alexa). I get 'malicious things in those areas just from a SPAM email, and my security settings are always max'd out. Yeah that's a good idea to say "NO" to those error warnings, I do the same. However you *should* worry about MS spying, it is going to become a major problem. What I'm going to start doing, is getting any Windows OS updates from ELSEWHERE, other than the "Windows update site". It can be done. I'm not about to have these 'cyber terrorists' suck info off of my computers into their "massive collection jar". That's inexcusable. What is really horrible about it, and the real point for me, is these jerks have the unmitigated GALL to actually put that comment on their webpage while the update site is 'scanning your PC', that reads "This is done WITHOUT sending any information back to M$"!!!!!!! I always doubted that statement, now I see with good cause. Those jerks are going to get themselves in such a legal mess greater than the one they are already in, that they will go bankrupt. It will be a $100 billion corporate class action lawsuit case (plus criminal charges) the likes of the legal system has NEVER seen in history. Since Gates has 60 Billion and counting, it would take about 100 billion to get anyone's attention. That case will uncover atrocities that will stun the world, you mark my words. I bet they have dedicated storage area for EACH and every one of us!!! "Big Brother" is an understatement, this is like a UPC barcode stamped on a billion people that use their products. This must be stopped. This makes what AOL does look like a simple "passing hello". It's never bothered me before, but I'm finding more and more cases regarding M$ spying and privacy violations, and you just cannot trust a company that does that. The majority of us have absolutely nothing to hide, however IMO, that's not the point. I feel as though I'm being "electronically raped". That *is* what they are doing to users. I bet they are getting all this personal info, selling it to spammers and telema*keting firms so they can harass us. My 2 cents. ;-) No, I didn't read the full article yet, I was waiting to see if anyone else did, and was able to get it ok. I'm not familiar with that payment service, so I'm a bit leery of it's legitimacy......even though it's only 2 bucks, they could do something with your CC number. On a note about SpyBot; I've found that it misses many things that AdAware finds, AND, AdAware can miss many things that SpyBot finds! So, I use both. Good idea to use both of them. -Clint God Bless Us All Clint Hamilton, Owner Want to exchange links with us? http://OrpheusComputing.com � ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For those concerned about "spyware" preying on their systems, simply turn OFF the COOKIES function. If one wishes to see how many cookie hits are being received just select the "PROMPT" function on the "Advanced Privacy Settings" menu. . . .I'll guarantee you that there'll be dozens of Cookie Prompts. I Block ALL COOKIES. I don't need, nor do I wish to have these unnecessary invasions in my system. When I run "Spybot" there's nothing found, all clean and this is the way it should be. Whenever I run a program that does require Cookies, like my financial Programs, I enable the Prompt to receive Cookies then disable it when finished running the program. This is usually a ONE time requirement on a new system. The article on "Spyware" is of an inflammatory nature it would seem, so as to promote SALES of their corporate article. . .greed for $$$ I don't worry about M$ and their spying. I Ignore those popup that read "Do you want to notify M$ of this problem??? This is one's invite to allow M$ access. . .so I always select NO. . .NO. . .NO Just my 2-cents. Ed -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] <Peter Kaulback wrote:> Did you pay for the article or just read the free pages? I don't think it will change anything as MS wants to have subscription based software sooner than later. One firm I worked for used MS SMS to read all desktops within the enterprise, and it was the entire system too. Every piece of software legit or not. And this was in 1999 too. It seems as if the technology is improving. Now if M$ products weren't so heavily pirated perhaps they would not engage in these practices, if this wasn't MS it might be true. Just my 2 cents, Peter Kaulback In the hour of 12:56 AM 11/03/2003 -0600, [EMAIL PROTECTED] spoke this: >That makes me SICK....and not surprising at all. Thanks for >the info. I hope it infuriates others they way it does me. >Something must be done about these people. >-Clint > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Roger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Now here is an interesting article: > http://www.spywareinfo.com/newsletter/archives/march-2003/10.php > >Roger ============= PCWorks Mailing List ================= Don't see your post? Check our posting guidelines & make sure you've followed proper posting procedures, http://pcworkers.com/rules.htm Contact list owner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribing and other changes: http://pcworkers.com =====================================================
