***Excerpt from THE INTERNET TUTOR***
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Live OneCare for Windows XP
Today's computer tip column will be a little different from
most. It's a bit of a rant about what may turn out to be a
great product that I don't want you to ever buy!
Windows Live OneCare runs in the background on your computer
offering live antivirus protection, firewall protection,
spyware protection, computer tune-ups, and file back-ups. It
also monitors your computer's health and more. It may turn
out to be the best program of it's kind.
Why?
Because it's made by Microsoft, the same people that make the
Windows XP operating system. But wait - who better knows the
operating system they want to protect than the company that
makes it?
No one, so why not buy it, then?
Because most of it is fundamental, system level security and
safety features that should be built into the operating
system you've already paid for! What Microsoft is attempting
to do here is like you buying a house from me, then me
charging you a yearly fee to close the doors to burglars that
I left open either through negligence, incompetence, or
arrogant disdain.
It seems to me, this product represents a conflict of interest
for Microsoft. How might they sell as many yearly subscriptions
to Windows Live OneCare as possible? One way would be to make
sure the Windows Operating system it's designed to protect
remains vulnerable to the problems Live OneCare is suppose to
protect against!
DID YOU GET THAT?
One way to maximize sales for Live OneCare is for Microsoft
to ensure Windows remains vulnerable to the problems Live
OneCare solves. In my opinion, this smacks of racketeering.
If they made a better operating system (OS) this product
would be unneeded! By selling this product Microsoft is
admitting the OS is flawed, but, they can protect your
computer from their inherent flaws, for a yearly fee, and
you're supposed to be grateful for that!
If Microsoft knows what the dangerous holes in their OS are,
isn't it incumbent upon them to fix them for free rather than
continuing to sell the OS as is and tacking on a subscription
fee to finish the product?
Do you want to reward Microsoft for this kind of behavior?
I sure don't...but not everyone thinks like me. If you do, the
only way for this kind of protection to be built into the OS -
as it should be - is if Windows Live OneCare fails as a com-
mercial product, or if we cause a big enough stink Microsoft
is forced to rethink their strategy. That's going to be an
uphill battle, so we must unite. How?
1) Don't buy it.
2) Pass this article on to every Windows user you know.
3) Write or call Microsoft and complain, and tell them you're
going to complain to your elected officials - then do it!
Let's put as much heat on them as we can. Here's their contact
page:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/
4) Go here:
http://firstgov.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
..to find the phone numbers, fax numbers, mailing addresses
and email addresses of the elected officials for your state.
You'll find the information you need to contact your US
Senators, Representatives, Legislators, Governors, and even
the President - then complain to them. Just do it!
5) Go here:
http://firstgov.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml
..to find your state's web site where you can locate the
contact information for your attorney general and complain
to him or her. Just do it!
6) Feel like doing more? Complain here:
National Association of Consumer Advocates
1730 Rhode Island NW, Ste 710
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 452-1989 voice
Fax: (202) 452-0099
Email: info@naca.net
7) Complain to anyone else you can think of that might take
action. Call in to talk radio shows. Write to newspapers.
Make noise! Don't forget to pass this on to every Windows
user you know so we can maximize our power -- the power of
numbers.
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