re: Computer Privacy
Friday, July 20, 2007 at 7:25 am
Windows 2000 Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by Curt R
(769 messages posted)
The problem with any monopoly situation is you have to put up with crap. That's
just one example of the problems that can be incurred when you have only one highspeed
provider in your area. A friend of mine lives where there's only one highspeed and
his connection is horrible. Since there's no competition, they overload the segments
so the bandwidth sucks. Anyhow, I digress......No, I don't think it's right. As
far as I'm concerned, it's my PC, I paid for it. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, else
in the world had the right to install any software on my PC without:
A) My prior
knowledge
and
B) My prior approval. Any software that wants to send information
to someone else (again, without my prior knowledge AND approval) is not OK with me. I
believe there should be laws restricting this type of behaviour with severe legal
consequences. What it amounts to in my eyes is an invasion of my privacy. In my
view, someone installing (or attempting to install) software on my PC without my
knowledge is akin to fraud. As a consumer, I should always have a choice and the
option of saying, "No thank you, I don't want your crap on my computer!". How would
we all feel if it suddenly came to light that all vehicles were to be installed with
GPS devices that report to a central gov't agency who constantly monitor where we
go? It's all very 1984 and I for one do not want Big Brother looking over my shoulder
every where I go. As long as what I'm doing is legal and not hurting anybody else,
what I do and where I go is nobody's business but my own. Knowing that type of
software is out there and unrestricted by law, I therefore take steps to prevent
it from reporting any of my surfing habits, my hardware or anything. I have my Windows
XP Pro set to not update automatically. I want control of what installs and
will not leave it up to M$. I have antispyware software installed and run it every
other day or so. I have a firewall device (SOHO Router) and a UNIX based router/firewall
between my PC's and my external connection. I'm careful about where I surf an what
all I click on when I am out there surfing. As to the question of the cable guy
installing the software. I would have told him, "Check the box buddy and leave the
garbage software OFF of my PC. If anybody calls and asks, we'll confirm you did
it". Most of them (at least the ones with brains) will agree and skip that part
as it's time consuming and of course, totally unneccessary. Being a computer geek,
I never let any ham fisted wannabe tech touch my PC. I've had a few squawk that
it was their job and they "had" to install the ISP software and install the NIC and
so on and so on. But in the end, I tell them, "When you can match my training and
experience year for year and cert for cert, then and only then can YOU touch my PC"
otherwise, just shut up and do as I tell you to do. For the most part, I already
have everything setup when they arrive and all they have to do is give me the modem
and run their stupid test to ensure it's working (note: I make them plug their laptop
in to verify the connection is active and working.....I'm not even letting other
people touch my keyboard.......lol).
On Friday, July 20, 2007 at 4:13 am, yhaj wrote:
>An interesting post on a computer discussion site raises some important questions
>about software installed by cable personnel. Here’s the entry in its entirely Posted
>by Cliff...
>
>“The cable guy came over o install a cable moderm at my Dad’s house. As I watched
>him do his stuff I noticed he was installing something called Broadjump Client Foundation.
>I know you don’t need software for a cable modem to work so I asked if I was necessary.
>He said he had to do his list of things, and we had to sign that he did list of
things,
>otherwise he couldn’t leave it with us to use. Since I can always remove the software,
>I agree, but I noticed while he was flipping through the install, he was clicking
>‘agree’ on every EULA that came up. Doing a search on Google for ‘Broadjump Client
>Foundation’ comes up with some pretty scary stuff as far as what it does, like:
‘Build
>a database of subscriber demographics and buying behaviors to help evolve and refine
>marketing efforts.’ Now, how does this affect us? Neither myself or anyone in my
>family agreed to the software; the cable guy did. And is there anyway to get cable
>companies to stop doing this as I can imagine since the cable company is a monopoly
>in this town, that the percentage of people who still have this software on their
>computers is pretty high.” The author raises some important issues here. One of
them
>is the general issue of the extent to which internet providers can report on the
>web activities of their subscribers. Another, related issue is the way in which
permissions
>are handled (or not handled) in this case, and obviously the way in which it affects
>the first issue. A related issue occurs when users unknowingly download software
>that then monitors their web browser activity think about this issue on two levels.
>First, what do you think is right or wrong (permissible or impermissible) in this
>scenario? Was it wrong, for example, for the computer technician o click off on
the
>EULA’s?, Second, o what extent should these things be regulated? That is, should
>there be legislation or government regulation overseeing the monitoring behavior
>of internet providers? If so, what provision should it contain?
>
>
>i have a sort of case study about that topic... please help =[
>
>
>this would be the format of my case study!!! please need some help.. i really don't
>know what about this issue =[
>
>
>I. Define the problem:
>
>II. What will be your objective
>
>
>
>III. Areas of consideration
>a. Strengths
>b. Weakness/es
>c. Opportunities
>d. Treats
>
>IV. Alternative Course of Action
>V. Conclussion
>
>
>Thanks
- Written in response to:
- Computer Privacy (yhaj: Friday, July 20, 2007 at 4:13 am)
There are presently no replies to this message.
|
|
