Posted by the ManGeek
Friday, July 29th 2005 6:42 pm CDT
Personally I am a fan of the things people can do when left to do it at their whim and desire. Some of the best ideas to come from the world have come from free people, and our (the United States that is) national political approach has fostered impressive feats over the past 300 years. However there's a downside which is that some things which are in the publics best interest are often overlooked by corporate interests.
One can't blame them either. There is no reason that someone should be forced to give something of their own to someone else simply because it would be in that individuals best interests. Ones own interests should always sit in the forefront of their imagination. The question is at what point ones own interests are outweighed by that which we know we need to do.
To make a long and preaching moment shorter, Microsoft recently implemented a policy to disable patch distribution to Windows installations that were not properly licensed. This has been a difficult thing for them to accomplish for some time and while their initial implementation was flawed and cracked within 24 hours [www.theinquirer.net] I suspect it won't be long before they work out many of the bugs.
However there's a distinction here to the typical closed door. Microsoft left a small open hole for their security patches. This is an applaudable approach which has other members of the security community (Bruce Schneier for example [www.schneier.com]) giving their kudos. I must join Mr. Schneier and the rest of the crowd as although I personally don't appreciate the exploitation that occurs regarding many peoples hard work, there is a social need that exists to keep the Internet safe and operational. Pirated software will get deployed and will get connected to the Internet. It's not in the public's best interests or indeed Microsoft as a member of that public to allow the potential explotation of an unlicensed machine to wreak havoc on the better masses.
While I still believe they're as unlikely to hold off the stampede of unlicensed software as they are to defeat the wolves (Linux and Google) scratching at their doors, I appreciate this one little cookie thrown to the public's benefit.
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Posted by: grahamc
Friday, July 29th 2005 8:15 pm CDT
"national political approach has fostered impressive feats over the past 300 years" I would be interested to know what aspects of the national political approach these are. I would think the relative size and affluence of the US economy would have more influence on there being enough people with the time and energy to create these impressive feats.
The ManGeek replied:
I'd be more than happy to document a few that in my opinion, are great achievements. Granted by our political approach, I'm referring to the fact that people in the US are given the opportunity to explore what their hearts drive them to do.
The construction of the first international mass-transit system would be a good example from my point of view. Also the development of personal computers. I wish we could add the rubber duck to the invention list but alas, Norway beat us to it. Though we do get to claim Duct Tape and after all, that holds the universe together. But easing the sarcasm, some credit should be given to the spirit of the US people and how it is indeed the only blocks this country was built upon. I like to think that the US economy has only been carried by the impressive feat of the US people.
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