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**BuddMan** · 11 July 2002, 00:40

Well I would certainly stay away from any updates from Microsoft, esp SP1 for XP when it comes out. However, they are saying that the Corporate Edition (pirated one) that so many people have all share the same CD key for the most part, so they said that any that have that certain CD key will not be able to use SP1. I wonder which OEM has actually used the pirated version though....one of them had to use it. Gonna be some pissed customers if that's the case.

**xortam** · 11 July 2002, 00:47

I don't know of any reason to consider XP. I would like to update a fresh install of W2K since there has been many valid updates to fix bugs and close vulnerabilities. My concern is to not inadvertently include any of the big brother SW features.

**Fogel** · 11 July 2002, 01:04

You might want to try Sasami 2k media player. It is free and have some cool features.

**Dogbert** · 11 July 2002, 01:04

Instead of ditching M$ , you can always ditch the Internet

Or should I say Inter.net (read: inter-dot-net))?

As things are going lately, the world will have Palladium equipped computers (silly me, I always thought Palladium were commando shoes), running M$ OS and connected through the Inter.net .
Of course half our monthy sallary will be paid through verious license agrements to M$, our cmputers will give us only 1/10th of their true power cause M$ will be allowed to use our CPU, HDD and almost anything else connected to our computer (through their EULA) to run stuff from afar.

In 1984, the "Big brother" watched you, in 2004, M$ won't even let you flush the tiolet

**xortam** · 11 July 2002, 01:11

Thanks Fogel ... I remember hearing good things about that player. I'll check it out.

Dogbert, et.al. ... I don't want this thread turning into political commentary. There's plenty of good threads like the AVS DRM thread to read on that subject. I'm trying to solve a problem today with today's options.

**LvR** · 11 July 2002, 01:29

Cant complain about Sasami2K here either - it has served me well and seems to be totally happy with the type of work I do on my Matrox hardware and is also happy with the Pinnacle stuff I normally run.

Have taken to PowerDVD lately, and simply love the XP flavour - even at the price.

**Gurm** · 11 July 2002, 08:08

WMP 6.4 has no spyware attached. It's just a little frontend for directshow, just like Sasami (although I prefer Sasami).

However, this is another case of people being too damned paranoid about stuff.

Turn off the reporting from WMP, and just use it. Jeez. If you're THAT concerned, install Zone Alarm.

- Gurm

**xortam** · 11 July 2002, 11:26

Originally posted by Gurm
WMP 6.4 has no spyware attached. It's just a little frontend for directshow, just like Sasami (although I prefer Sasami).

This is the type of information I was trying to elicit. I figured I'd be hearing from you.

However, this is another case of people being too damned paranoid about stuff.

Well you know the old joke about being paranoid ...
I was dismayed that the automatic SW download wasn't detailed in the security bulletin but only snuck into the legalese of the EULA. This maneuver has lessened my trust of MSFT SW even more than before.

Turn off the reporting from WMP, and just use it.

I don't see any reporting options in 6.4. I had always run WMP 7 with paranoid settings but perhaps that isn't enough if you can believe some of the rumours.

Jeez. If you're THAT concerned, install Zone Alarm.

I had just looked over my Linksys outgoing log and saw a couple things on the HTTP stream that I couldn't explain. You're right that I should investigate enhancing the firewall.

**KvHagedorn** · 11 July 2002, 22:27

Sygate is always telling me that "WINNT Kernel" is trying to connect to the internet for some reason. For what reason does it need to? I refuse it permission. And why does every movie file now need its own "codec" for some reason? I remember when any player would play any mpg or avi file. Now WMP (6.4) needs to download some shit just to get anything to play. There is something awfully fishy going on, and who among us really knows the full extent of it?

Apparently Microsoft has become a real menace to society. From their inception they have been a bunch of thieves and sleazebags, and now they are powerful ones, overstepping their bounds into areas which by any sane person would be called felonious. Gurm, I really don't know what your motives are for always defending the pricks, but that's part of the problem. The vast majority of people who use computers are blissfully unaware of the things Microsoft is doing, and even those who are can't keep track of all the shit they could be hiding on our computers.

Microsoft is the enemy, pure and simple. And since they use every sneaky way to attack their own customers, they no longer deserve to have any. There must be enough people who cannot be bought by their crap to invigorate an OS such as FreeBSD/XFree86 into something easily usable by everyone. It's time for Microsoft to be taught that they are just a software vendor, not the masters of the universe.

If you can manage to dump them completely, I will applaud you in every way, xortam.

**BuddMan** · 12 July 2002, 00:07

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
Sygate is always telling me that "WINNT Kernel" is trying to connect to the internet for some reason. For what reason does it need to? I refuse it permission. And why does every movie file now need its own "codec" for some reason? I remember when any player would play any mpg or avi file. Now WMP (6.4) needs to download some shit just to get anything to play. There is something awfully fishy going on, and who among us really knows the full extent of it?

Apparently Microsoft has become a real menace to society. From their inception they have been a bunch of thieves and sleazebags, and now they are powerful ones, overstepping their bounds into areas which by any sane person would be called felonious. Gurm, I really don't know what your motives are for always defending the pricks, but that's part of the problem. The vast majority of people who use computers are blissfully unaware of the things Microsoft is doing, and even those who are can't keep track of all the shit they could be hiding on our computers.

Microsoft is the enemy, pure and simple. And since they use every sneaky way to attack their own customers, they no longer deserve to have any. There must be enough people who cannot be bought by their crap to invigorate an OS such as FreeBSD/XFree86 into something easily usable by everyone. It's time for Microsoft to be taught that they are just a software vendor, not the masters of the universe.

If you can manage to dump them completely, I will applaud you in every way, xortam.

*Stands up and applauds*

**The PIT** · 12 July 2002, 00:45

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
Microsoft is the enemy, pure and simple. And since they use every sneaky way to attack their own customers, they no longer deserve to have any. There must be enough people who cannot be bought by their crap to invigorate an OS such as FreeBSD/XFree86 into something easily usable by everyone. It's time for Microsoft to be taught that they are just a software vendor, not the masters of the universe.
.

Problem is will take years to remove the Microshaft monopoly. Most docs, spreadsheets, etc are written under office apps and are the industry standard. Sure theres star office but you want something thats 100% compatable and Microshaft will put coding to break star office if they feel they losing Market share.

If Linux does manage to start proving a major problem I could Microshaft releasing Microsoft linux and the average Joe will start using that as it's background they're familer with.

**KvHagedorn** · 12 July 2002, 06:09

Originally posted by The PIT

Problem is will take years to remove the Microshaft monopoly.

All it would take would be a president with cajones. Unfortunately, GWB has shown no signs of the guts (or bad manners) it would take to face off against any campaign contributor.

There is the greater good to be considered, though. Thank God for Teddy Roosevelt and what he did by busting up monopolies.. I wish GWB could follow his example.

If Linux does manage to start proving a major problem I could Microshaft releasing Microsoft linux and the average Joe will start using that as it's background they're familer with.

Sure, they stole from Apple (after Jobs stole from Xerox).. why not? It's not as though they would get in trouble. The US government has become the shrimpy tagalong bully-worshipper we all remember from grade school.. backing up the bad guys while they beat up the defenseless. No wonder there are so many anti-government people out there...

**Wombat** · 12 July 2002, 08:33

It's not GWB's <I>guts</I> that are lacking, but rather his brains, and where his loyalties lay.

**mungu** · 12 July 2002, 10:26

I know this is a moot point,
but the original MS-DOS was BOUGHT...not stolen

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