3 ms·
The flip side of this is that much of the reason the internet is a dangerous place is because MS didn't force or even acknowledge the vast number of illegally o
by KirinDave 10y ago
The flip side of this is that much of the reason the internet is a dangerous place is because MS didn't force or even acknowledge the vast number of illegally obtained installs of older, unmaintained OSs.
Owning a network connected computer is something more than a consequence-free. Like car ownership, it affects the world around the owner in many ways.
As much as I find the approach crass and poorly explained, the world of allowing users to pass on updates for network security has to come to an end or the internet will continue to be an economic resource for criminals on a grand scale.
As frustrating as that is for your relative and as typical as it is that it passed the minimum resource check, I can't help but maintain two minds on the subject. Emissions laws are a good analogue. They do disproportionately affect the poor and are often poorly enforced on the rich, but maintaining and strengthening them is essential. I wish we had similar laws for network connected computers running commodity os's.
- muraiki 10y agoI appreciate your view. However, I think it may be a false dichotomy to say that the only way to keep Windows secure is to require updates that bring along privacy concerns, software and hardware incompatibilities, and radically different UIs. Furthermore, we should also consider the responsibility that _Microsoft_ bears for releasing vulnerability-laden operating systems in addition to users who decline OS updates for the above-mentioned reasons.
- KirinDave 10y agoThe privacy co concerns are not specific to Microsoft, just fashionable to reference with them in this venue. I see these upgrade policies as Microsoft taking responsibility. They're not inexpensive and do not help with consumer protection. But modulo messaging and fairness, it sorta has to be done.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- digi_owl 10y agoCould have sworn that MS have done the exact opposite, by allowing any Windows install to get security patches.