4 ms·

I am not going to let anyone know the software that I have installed, nor will I trust or depend on a white list issued by a big private corporation with busin

by holri 14y ago

I am not going to let anyone know the software that I have installed, nor will I trust or depend on a white list issued by a big private corporation with business interests.

shanelja 14y ago
The only real issue I have with them using this method is whether or not Microsoft will then have a legal obligation to report the downloading of any software which could in the future become illegal, I'm thinking packages like Tor whcih can be used to directly contravene law inforcement efforts regarding things like child pornography. I'm not saying I support it, but what I am saying is I would feel very uncomfortable knowing that my computer company would instantly inform the police if I downloaded "suspicious software" regardless of my purpose, but that's just a glimpse of where I see their next move being after the idiocy of ACTA and all the recent changes to privacy laws.
- rz2k 14y ago
  Furthermore, the intent of Tor is the empowerment of dissidents under oppressive regimes. I imagine there's little likelihood that this capability could have impeded the Arab Spring since Microsoft wouldn't have cooperated, but it seems like this would create a vulnerability for Microsoft doing business in China. If China decided they wanted to more actively monitor software intended to bypass firewalls and circumvent censorship policies, I wonder how effectively could Microsoft could resist.
  - neilk 14y ago
    Tor would be useless if it was only for dissidents! You should think of Tor as a tool for everyone, where we all cooperate to increase our privacy, and have anonymity when we need it.
- TazeTSchnitzel 14y ago
  Tor's a bad example, Tor does not hide the fact you are using it usually. It simply hides what you are doing with it. Although I believe there is some sort of proxying system.
cookiecaper 14y ago
FYI Google keeps a big list of every app you've ever installed through Android Market/Play Store; it stays in "My Apps" even if you uninstall it.
- holri 14y ago
  I do not use Google products for this reason.
  - Jebus 14y ago
    You are not alone =) The only Google product I was still using is Youtube. But now it won't let me log in unless I give in my phone number, so that's it. Fuck Google.
- hoi 14y ago
  Apple do the same for the iPhone/iPad/iPod.
  - holri 14y ago
    I do not use Apple products for this reason.
    - csmattryder 14y ago
      Privacy aside, if this feature didn't exist, you'd have people complaining (hey, even i'd probably be one of them) that applications they paid for are obscured from being found again.
- cageface 14y ago
  The big difference here is that you can sideload other apps if you want. So you have the convenience of a centralized app source without the insane restriction that you need the consent of some corporate third party to install software on your (mobile) computer.
  - 14y ago

by holri 14y ago

I am not going to let anyone know the software that I have installed, nor will I trust or depend on a white list issued by a big private corporation with business interests.

shanelja 14y ago

The only real issue I have with them using this method is whether or not Microsoft will then have a legal obligation to report the downloading of any software which could in the future become illegal, I'm thinking packages like Tor whcih can be used to directly contravene law inforcement efforts regarding things like child pornography. I'm not saying I support it, but what I am saying is I would feel very uncomfortable knowing that my computer company would instantly inform the police if I downloaded "suspicious software" regardless of my purpose, but that's just a glimpse of where I see their next move being after the idiocy of ACTA and all the recent changes to privacy laws.

rz2k 14y ago
Furthermore, the intent of Tor is the empowerment of dissidents under oppressive regimes. I imagine there's little likelihood that this capability could have impeded the Arab Spring since Microsoft wouldn't have cooperated, but it seems like this would create a vulnerability for Microsoft doing business in China. If China decided they wanted to more actively monitor software intended to bypass firewalls and circumvent censorship policies, I wonder how effectively could Microsoft could resist.
- neilk 14y ago
  Tor would be useless if it was only for dissidents! You should think of Tor as a tool for everyone, where we all cooperate to increase our privacy, and have anonymity when we need it.
TazeTSchnitzel 14y ago
Tor's a bad example, Tor does not hide the fact you are using it usually. It simply hides what you are doing with it. Although I believe there is some sort of proxying system.

cookiecaper 14y ago

FYI Google keeps a big list of every app you've ever installed through Android Market/Play Store; it stays in "My Apps" even if you uninstall it.

holri 14y ago
I do not use Google products for this reason.
- Jebus 14y ago
  You are not alone =) The only Google product I was still using is Youtube. But now it won't let me log in unless I give in my phone number, so that's it. Fuck Google.
hoi 14y ago
Apple do the same for the iPhone/iPad/iPod.
- holri 14y ago
  I do not use Apple products for this reason.
  - csmattryder 14y ago
    Privacy aside, if this feature didn't exist, you'd have people complaining (hey, even i'd probably be one of them) that applications they paid for are obscured from being found again.
cageface 14y ago
The big difference here is that you can sideload other apps if you want. So you have the convenience of a centralized app source without the insane restriction that you need the consent of some corporate third party to install software on your (mobile) computer.
- 14y ago