[CS-FSLUG] Ready or not, Windows XP update is coming

[David Aikema]

On Thu, 3 Mar 2005 19:28:12 -0500, Don Parris <gnumathetes at gmail.com> wrote:
> It appears I got out of the MickeySoft world just in the nick of time!
>  As I wrestle with the moral question of who controls my computer, and
> have just been reading your other post from Stallman's site (and
> another site via that), this article really brings home Stallman's
> message.  This article sort of highlights the problems of commercial
> proprietary licenses in general - namely that the developer controls
> me, in spite of the supposed balance between his rights and mine.
> 
> Under US Copyright law, the developer's rights are actually limited,
> balanced against the public good.  Mickeysoft is obviously interested
> in its own rights - not mine.  Why should they determine whether I
> want their update?  That, technically, should be my right.  It's my
> computer.  To say that I have no right to control what happens on my
> computer is absolutely ridiculous.

I'm still a little confused here as to whether this is forced upon the
user using Windows Update (the article and microsoft site seem to
refer to windows update and automatic updates as being somewhat
different).  I know that Windows Update has a somewhat advanced mode
where you can select what you want to update.

You do not have to use automatic update from what I remember of
Windows XP ... it's a feature rather than a "feature" (ie. bug).

My guess would be that supporting Windows/SP2 and Windows pre-SP2
requires somewhat more work in the bugfix/qa department ... not that
Microsoft isn't raking in the $$$ with that division of the company
(or that their aren't things remaining in need of bugfixes)

David