From hungary-online-owner Tue May 30 06:36:41 1995 Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost) (fnord) by nando.yak.net (8.6.5/8.6.5) id GAA23698 for hungary-online-out31415; Tue, 30 May 1995 06:36:41 -0700 Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost) (fnord) by nando.yak.net (8.6.5/8.6.5) id GAA23658; Tue, 30 May 1995 06:36:12 -0700 Received: from carlson@odin.net () via =-=-=-=-=-= for hungary-online@hungary.yak.net (23652) Received: from odin.net (root@omega.odin.net [193.130.116.3]) (fnord) by nando (8.6.5/8.6.5) with ESMTP id GAA23555 for ; Tue, 30 May 1995 06:31:28 -0700 Received: from [193.130.116.13] by odin.net with SMTP (8.6.10/1.2-btv) id PAA02084; Tue, 30 May 1995 15:31:08 GMT Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Tue, 30 May 1995 15:24:36 +0100 To: Hungary-Online@hungary.yak.net From: carlson@odin.net (Steven Carlson) Subject: Re: (HOL) Warning ! Sender: owner-Hungary-Online@hungary.yak.net Precedence: bulk Reply-To: Hungary-Online@hungary.yak.net At 12:03 PM 5/29/95, Tamas Bodoky wrote: > Microsoft officials confirm that beta versions of Windows 95 include a > small viral routine called Registration Wizard. It interrogates every > system > > on a network gathering intelligence on what software is being run on > which machine. It then creates a complete listing of both Microsoft's > and competitors' products by machine, which it reports to Microsoft when > customers sign up for Microsoft's Network Services, due for launch later > this year. > "In Short" column, page 88, > _Information > > Week_magazine, May 22, 1995 This news has rightly generated a good deal of discussion on the Net. If you're a regular reader of the RISKS list, you know that other companies have tried similar schemes in the past. Simply put - it's relatively easy to create software that will scan your hardware and send a report over a modem or network. Here's an update from In and Around, Online: Update on Microsoft Registration Wizard ======================================= Last week, I ran a blurb from CMP's May 22nd issue of "Information Week" (http://techweb.cmp.com:2090techweb/techweb/iw/) stating that the "Registration Wizard" within the Microsoft Beta collected information on your computer (and an entire network if it was connected) and transmitted the information to Microsoft. The story oozed of "big brother" style implications. Since then, I've received many clarifications (including one that states only the machine the Wizard is run on is scanned). Microsoft Network GM, Russell Siegelman wrote saying that he wished I'd asked him about the Microsoft Registration Wizard instead of the old MSN vs. AOL topic! "The truth is that part of the Win 95 registration process allows a user to use the registration process to scan their hard disk for information about their computer, including installed software packages. This is done only with user agreement and users can complete online registration without this scan," said Siegelman. "Microsoft uses this information for customer support and marketing. We don't sell this information or our registration list. Furthermore MSN is involved in this only to the extent that registration uses the MSN transport to upload the registration information. You don't have to be an MSN member to register and once you register you are not an MSN member. Win95 registration is a separate function from signing up for MSN," he added. --- --- Steven Carlson moderator/publisher - hungary-online Critical Mass Media Inc internet trainer, consultant [+361] 133-4647 in Budapest, Hungary carlson@odin.net ############# # This message to Hungary-Online@hungary.yak.net # was from carlson@odin.net (Steven Carlson) # # To unsubscribe, # send "unsubscribe" to # An announcement-only subscription (less volume) is available # at # Send mail to for more information, # or to if you need human assistance. #############