Jerry,

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I understood your comment "It's about time we took our rights back." to refer to the title "MSDN Subscriber Forced to use Passport".

That's why I asked you which rights you are talking about, since I don't see much loss of rights [if any] with regard to this.

You seem to now want to expand the argument to include a fair amount of conspiracy theory. I have replied inline:


>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.

So do you disapprove of people who post on Slashdot but don't support the "Linux Good, MSFT Bad" line ? Your comment above seems to equate favouring MSFT with being anti-Linux in some way, which isn't neccesarily the case.

>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".
>

In that case, why do you only criticise MSFT, and not Oracle et al.

>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.
>

Not sure what you are saying here. Some companies might like to buy such a product. Are you saying that it should be illegal to produce and market this ? Remember you have the "right" not to buy the product and thus avoid any perceived encroachment on your "rights".

>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!
>

This is sheer invention. Even if it weren't, the savvy user could buy a "general pc" or build his own. Or does your prediction include MSFT taking over control of all aspects of PC hardware ?

>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.
>

And this is even less likely than your previous prediction.

>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! :)
>

Since Linux is currently free, how would this prediction even work ? I don't see any logic here at all.

>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

To recap, when asked what rights you were losing, you sidestepped the original issue of Passport Registration for MSDN and introduced an argument based on an unspecified EULA and some spurious personal predictions.

That amounts to conspiracy theory rather than real removal of rights.

Best.

Matt.