>>>I submitted a support request for Office2000 through the MS site and I HAD TO get a Passport ID to do so.
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>>I stand corrected, then. Would it have been possible to do so without submitting personal info, though? I've got a Passport, and Microsoft doesn't know jack about me via my login ID. Granted, I got my Passport early on, and the required information may have changed since then.
>
>
>Whats to stop someone from giving bogus information?

I decided to go to Hotmail.com and see what the legal requirements to open a hotmail account were:
http://lc3.law5.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/dasp/hminfo_shell.asp?content=tos&_lang=EN&id=2&fs=1&cb=_lang%3dEN&ct=998164044
To "Create a false identity for the purpose of misleading others." is not allowed.

"

The MSN Web Sites are offered to you conditioned on your acceptance without modification of the terms, conditions, and notices contained herein. Your use of the MSN Web Sites constitutes your agreement to all such terms, conditions, and notices. Your use of a particular MSN Web Site included within the MSN Web Sites may also be subject to additional terms outlined elsewhere in this agreement (the "Additional Terms"). To go directly to any of the Additional Terms, click on the link below:
Carpoint MoneyCentral eShop GamingZone HomeAdvisor MSNBC Health Encarta Auctions MSN Music Picture It!"

"Click on the link below for the terms and conditions which govern these additional Microsoft web sites and/or services:
MSN Internet Access Expedia Microsoft Passport Microsoft bCentral "

"If a particular MSN Site/Service requires you to open an account, you must complete the registration process by providing us with current, complete and accurate information as prompted by the applicable registration form."

"Some MSN Sites/Services automatically provide you with a Microsoft Passport account when you open an account (e.g. Hotmail, MSN Explorer), to learn more about what a Microsoft Passport is please visit the Passport web site at www.passport.com. "

That these terms can change without notice and what was allowed today maybe disallowed tomorrow doesn't change the fact that you will be given no notice of such changes. It is entirely up to you to keep track on a regular schedule...so, what extracts I am posting now are only applicable now. No guarantees for tomorrow, no matter what rights you lose or information you are required to supply later on.

"Microsoft reserves the right to change the terms, conditions, and notices under which the MSN Sites/Services are offered, including but not limited to the charges associated with the use of the MSN Sites/Services. You are responsible for regularly reviewing these terms and conditions and additional terms posted on particular websites. Your continued use of the MSN Sites/Services constitutes your agreement to all such terms, conditions, and notices. "

" Microsoft has no obligation to monitor the Communication Services. However, Microsoft reserves the right to review materials posted to a Communication Service and to remove any materials in its sole discretion. Microsoft reserves the right to terminate your access to any or all of the Communication Services at any time, without notice, for any reason whatsoever.

Microsoft reserves the right at all times to disclose any information as Microsoft deems necessary to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request, or to edit, refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, in Microsoft's sole discretion. "

MS says they "don't own" your postings but they can do anything they want with them without renumeration to you.....

"Microsoft does not claim ownership of the materials you provide to Microsoft (including feedback and suggestions) or post, upload, input or submit to any MSN Site/Service or its associated services for review by the general public (each a "Submission" and collectively "Submissions"). However, by posting, uploading, inputting, providing or submitting your Submission you are granting Microsoft, its affiliated companies and necessary sublicensees permission to use your Submission in connection with the operation of their Internet businesses including, without limitation, the rights to: copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, translate and reformat your Submission; and to publish your name in connection with your Submission.

No compensation will be paid with respect to the use of your Submission, as provided herein. Microsoft is under no obligation to post or use any Submission you may provide and Microsoft may remove any Submission at any time in its sole discretion. "


Clicking through the the MS privacy statement reveals:

"Who else may receive my MSN Internet Access registration information: By becoming a subscriber, you agree that Microsoft may share your personally identifiable information with third parties for their use in providing services to Microsoft in the course of operating and delivering the MSN Internet Access service, such as to process or collect payments, or provide customer support to MSN Internet Access accounts. All such third parties are prohibited from using your personal information except to provide these services to Microsoft, and they are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information."


Clicking on Passport and looking at the "Terms of Use" reveal essentially the same clauses. What is says today is what is applicable today. If you don't read tonights changes and adjust your account accordingly .....

Passport and wallets.....

"When you click the sign-in link, Passport sends your profile information to the site, but it does not send your wallet information (described below). Passport sends wallet information only after you click the Passport Express Purchase or Passport wallet button/link and confirm which credit card and shipping address you would like to send to the site. In that case, Passport sends only the credit card information and addresses you choose, not all of the information in your wallet. The site may store the profile and wallet information sent to it during this process in their database.

Passport Sign-In Link:

Using your PassportWallet

If you shop at participating Passport sites, you can use the Passport wallet to simplify your online shopping experience. Just click the Passport express purchase or Passport wallet button or link on a participating site to get started.

The first time you click this button or link, you will be asked to sign in with your Passport, and then enter your credit card, shipping, and billing information. Your wallet accepts all major credit and charge cards, as well as debit cards that do not require a PIN (Personal Identification Number). Microsoft stores the information you choose to provide in a secure database, and then sends it using advanced encryption techniques to the Passport site you came from so you can complete your purchase.

From then on, clicking these buttons or links on any participating Passport site will take you to a page where you can select from a list of your credit cards and shipping addresses the information you want to use for that purchase. A second click sends that information to the site you came from so you can complete your purchase." and MS will track your demographics for their own economic purposes.' However, by posting, uploading, inputting, providing or submitting your Submission you are granting Microsoft, its affiliated companies and necessary sublicensees permission to use your Submission in connection with the operation of their Internet businesses including, without limitation, the rights to: copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, translate and reformat your Submission; and to publish your name in connection with your Submission." - jlk

If all you do is email msgs using hotmail from a PC that run Linux then you will have not problems and won't be tracked. IF you use WinXX then your 'cookie number' (which can include the GUID} will tell MS all it needs to know about you. Ask for any support, use any service requiring ID and Credit Card info, and MS has you in their demographic tracking radar for the rest of your WinXX life. All your "submissions" they own.

This site is an attempt to give non WinXX PCs a GUID, using the same technology that uses the IP address of your NIC card: http://www.guid.org. Sign on and loose your anonymity. They claim, just like MS, that the cookie doesn't store personal information:
" Cookies are small pieces of information stored on your browser. They take up very little space, and don't intrinsically know anything about you. However, if you give information to a web site, that web site can store the information, and a cookie allows them to retrieve it when you return to the site a second time. This is how stores keep shopping carts and shipping information, for example. GUID.org only uses cookies to store your GUID, which is essentially just a random 16-byte number. "

But, what they don't say is what can be done with that cookie info by the companies you do business. They can and will sell it to the big gorillia. Eventually, you will go to a site that will require your personal info, CC number, SSN, etc., and along with it will go your GUID.

Any FoxHead out there who doesn't know how to create a table of personal info by using a union on the GUID?

I knew full well that when Michel asked me to write a piece about Kylix-Linux that he could use it for marketing his UT site, and more power to him. But, that piece has no embedded GUID connected to my NIC card identity, so I could be any of many "Jerry Kreps'" out there in WWW land. Nobody can link it and my bio to my spending or browsing habits unless they are willing to do some expensive manual linking.... there is no GUID to make the demographic entry linkage reliable.