A reader in the field writes to correct the posts regarding Windows 8. To clarify, indeed, all systems since Windows 2000 phone home. What I object about with Windows 8 is that it now reports 3rd party programs that you install. Granted the theory is they are protecting you like government. This I find offensive and with the changes in law that the government can just walk in to anyone and demand whatever they have on you, there is no guarantee about anything going forward. We are switching to UNIX for all machines to be provided to clients to access our systems.
Nevertheless, to be fair, this is what a reader has sent in:
“You talk about cycles all the time so consider the Microsoft OS another cycle. Everyone knows that XP is rock solid and when the entire world started getting slammed with viruses after Love Letter the world realized that .VBS files actually should be blocked and signatures don’t always work and that security patches are actually required and not issued to keep people busy.
The reality is this is a business driver….Windows XP will no longer receive Security patches after April 2014 and every Microsoft product has an end date. If you are in a large company and have not upgraded, you will be subject to high costs to continue to receive patches that the public will not automatically receive after this day.
Windows 8 as with any OS upgrade is what drives the PC cycle and the PC manufactures love it. All computers “call home” since Windows 2000 and it wasn’t until post Windows XP and Office 2003 that just having a key to install a product would be enough….Microsoft introduced the “activiation” process after the required key is input during installation (unless your company has an Enterprise agreement). This killed a lot of piracy and boosted revenues. Who actually paid for software before this….nobody.
The reality is Windows 8 was an attempt to one-up Apple in having an OS that could be used on a tablet and Computer but this is clearly not appropriate.
Apple is actually built of BSD UNIX and I personally suggest someone like yourself should absolutely be implementing UNIX from a stability perspective alone.
I work in Threat Management doing computer security and I can tell you that most of what you are frustrated with is common but what has been reported is not accurate. Windows 8 sucks because it sucks and they tried to be cool…nothing new.”
