>Jerry,
>
>>Slashdot didn't break this story... Microsoft did with their emails. And just because "every body does it" doesn't make it right. It's about time we took our rights back.
>
>C'mon, this is just anti-Microsoft ranting. Which rights are you losing in this instance ?
>
>Slashdot is becoming less and less important as a source of "news for nerds" - mostly it seems to be used as a forum to attack Microsoft and other big companies. Of course, Slashdot may not be around for long if VA Linux collapses financially - especially now that they are leaving the hardware market.
>
>Best.
>
>Matt.

Slashdot is already unimportant, since there are more serfties there than Pinquins lurking /., or so it seems in the last couple of months since Ballmer and Mundie started bashing and FUDing Linux and GPL.

Bashing MS? Well, no... not any more than you do when you post opinions favoring MS.

As far as lost rights are concerned there are many (just read a recent EULA to see what you cannot do) but, how about this one: If your company tests MS product A against 3rd Party product A', and the tests are not favorable to Microsoft's A, then try to post them on a company Internet website without Microsoft's permission. But, since Microsoft started this practice other third party software companies have followed suit, hence the claim that "everyone is doing it".

BTW, did you see that little story about MS and a select group (major) PC manufacturers completing a meeting in Las Vega to standardize a PC product on Windows XP? I predicted that in this forum a month or so ago. It will be the complete deal: A WinPC (what I called it) booting directly into a pay-per-use PassPort server, running HailStorm pay-per-use software. No Passport account/connection? No operation. Each machine will have an unremovable GUID and it will be attached to every outgoing piece of Internet traffic.

Based on WinPC I made another prediction: Microsoft will start giving away free WinPC's if a 3 year subscription to PassPort (and it's pay-per-use additional fees) is purchased. For those folks, in all countries, that can afford PassPort subscription fees and pay-per-use-fees, it will spell the end of the General PC (one on which any OS could be installed) and the deligation of Linux to a hobbist status, until genera PCs wear out. Excpect to see free WinPCs by Xmas!

I also predicted that MS will push/promote/buy legislation to outlaw General PCs because they represent a threat to "Intellectual Knowledge", copyrights and patents.

I will further predict that PassPort rates for users in Socialists and impoverished 3rd World countries will be minimal or free, because rates on users in 1st World countries will be higher in order to pay for access by 3rd World countries. This is how Gates will defeat Linux in those countries. Pure Socialism. That's why rulers in Socialist and poor countries will approve. (And they accused Linux of being Communistic! :)

So, from a Window User's point of view the world is coming up Roses, as long as Bill keepts the rates down. How he will do that and maintain his standing as the world's richest man remains to be seen.
JLK