Access of Evil?

News items have exposed that a company already known as the Evil Empire has started snooping and secretly picking up information from users through its Windows Advantage Program that no only installs things you don't need, but also spies on you.

You'd think Microsoft would have learnt from the disaster of SONY's similar spyware. Why do they have to access info on the valid use of their product through such evil-sounding mechanisms? Makes it sound like the Access of Evil (Empire) into people's hard disks.

I understand their need for controlling piracy, and it amazes me how double-standarded (I am the Decider who decideded that that that is a valided word) our society is.

Not that you'd EVER expect me to say anything good about Microsoft or to actually defend it but.... We complain when companies actually try to protect THEIR property from being stolen, but want companies to make their products so secure that our data is not stolen.

We complain that companies are trying to prevent fraudulent installations of their products. Yet, we leave them no choice but to use back door ways because of "outcries" if the companies just came out and said "We will not permit any more use of pirated copies."

I DETEST companies that require a CD to be inserted to run their software, and I also dislike products (like the otherwise truly awesome iSale 3 for Mac) that ONLY let me install on ONE machine instead of at least two personal machines. (e.g. someone using a 12" PowerBook may want to have a product installed on the PowerBook but want to work on a larger screen/keyboard on an iMac at home.)

But a one-time (preferably two machine) registeration that ensures only those 2 machines can use that particular copy of the software is an acceptable and fair tool that all companies should be able to use without negative public opinion.

What do you think? Let me know.

Imran