I'm crazy!

Hello, All! ================== Start of file: ms.txt ================== "Your mail will be assimilated" Author: Anisimov Alexander - corporate law lawyer. Date: 04/07/2001 One of the most important elements of the Microsoft.NET system, a new strategic Microsoft's development direction is HailStorm (Grad) - a system which should combine in one XML-based database located on the Mocrosoft web server, all the information necessary when working with personal computers and any other devices - from pocket PCs to mobile phones. HailStorm will be based on the Passport authentication system (Passport), which is already used for user authentication Hotmail and Messenger services. According to Microsoft, "HailStorm allows you (users - A.A.) control everything." However, the one on whose server all this information is stored also controls it, and here the question arises about trust in this keeper - Microsoft itself. More recently, a scandal erupted in which Microsoft's reputation as a reliable custodian of other people's information is extremely strong suffered. On March 30, 2001, the well-known website The Register published an article that caused a whole flurry of indignation among Internet users. Columnist Andrew Orlowsky drew Please note the terms of use of the Passport service. As it turned out whencareful reading, these conditions contain extremely strict and, one might say, discriminatory rules that do more than just infringe on the rights of all service users Hotmail and Messenger, but literally robbing them, giving them to companies for free Microsoft has all rights to all information transmitted through these services and other objects of rights, including copyright and patent. These terms apply to all users of all owned Microsoft services that provide authentication through Passport. So Thus, millions of people around the world using a hotmail.com address, received in those distant times when Hotmail was not owned by Microsoft, and knowing nothing about the new "initiatives" and services of Microsoft, all are equally considered to have entered into an agreement with Microsoft. The point is that Microsoft How does the company providing the services consider the very fact of using the services? agreement with the terms of their provision. The terms of use themselves contain the usual, unfortunately, for the world information technology terms that release Microsoft from any liability for any damage caused in connection with the services provided, prohibits the use of the services for illegal purposes and provides Microsoft the right to terminate the provision of services at any time. But this, I repeat, is standard practice and this is not what caused the outrage of Internet users.But the scandalous norms deserve to be cited in full. "GRANT OF RIGHTS TO MICROSOFT CORPORATION By sending messages, posting materials, entering data, providing feedback and proposals, as well as by entering into any other form of data exchange with by accessing the Passport website, you hereby authorize Microsoft and its affiliated companies have the right to: 1. Use, modification, copying, distribution, transmission, public display, public display, reproduction, publication, broadcast licenses, creation of derivative works, transfer or sale of information, participating in such data exchange. 2. Transfer under license to third parties of the unlimited right to exercise any of the above rights in relation to the data involved in such exchange. 3. Publication of your name in connection with such communications. These rights include the right to use any property rights, related to the above data exchange, including, in particular, but not limited to this, the rights arising by virtue of the legislation on copyright, trademarks, service marks, patent laws in any relevant jurisdiction. Corporate use Microsoft information in such data exchange does not entail payment any compensation. Microsoft makes no commitmentpublish or use any Submissions and may remove them at any time at your discretion." What does all this mean in practice? This means that by routing an email through the Hotmail server or by sending emails through Messenger, you assign to Microsoft all rights to any using everything they contain. That is, you remain the author, but Microsoft can publish them, sell the rights to publish them, etc. But in relation to regular mail, this is not so scary (if you do not take into account Attention: complete violation of the secrecy of private correspondence). Now imagine that you have written an article and are submitting it to the journal through your account on Hotmail. In principle, if Microsoft then publishes it and gets paid for it money, you will not be able to make any claims against him. But in a letter maybe contain a trade secret, information about an invention, unregistered trademark and the like. Interestingly, these provisions do not violate the privacy statement, declared by Microsoft in relation to various types of services, since in order to steal someone else's book, to reveal personal information about the author completely optional. You can just publish it and get paid. ;-) The scandal forced Microsoft to act. April 4, 2001Tom Pilla representative stated that this version of the terms of use Passport service is obsolete and will be replaced with a new one within one day (i.e. before April 5, 2001). Currently, April 7, 2001, at http://www.passport.com/Consumer/TermsOfUse.asp there is a new option agreement in English, which does not contain the provisions discussed. The Russian version of the conditions still remains unchanged. In general, a significant part of these conditions in any case seems extremely dubious from a legal point of view, since it is in contradictions with mandatory norms of legislation, both from the point of view from the point of view of Russian and American law. Another question is that the judicial the process is an expensive and lengthy task, for which not everyone has enough money, especially if we are talking about a lawsuit with such a huge company as Microsoft. Conclusion. This story once again draws attention to the situation with confidentiality and general security of email and other means communications. By sending regular text or HTML messages by mail, including including those containing attachments, you are not protected by anything, at least technically, Therefore, you shouldn’t trust email with anything really important. What if this is necessary - using PGP, encrypting ICQ messages, sending files topassword-protected archives with a normal key length will protect you from unscrupulous companies providing services. Hotmail/Messenger users should consider option to change your account to another company that respects the rights of its users. But Microsoft, seeking to create HailStorm - a system where centrally all information about the user and about the user himself will have to be stored, including personal information, credit card number, favorite links, lists Contacts, address book and email messages are worth seriously think about changing the approach to protecting your users' data. At the end after all, few people will want to entrust all their personal information to a company which is not only not responsible for its safety, but also considers all this your information. Despite the fact that Microsoft seems to have come to its senses, and the Russian the version of the agreement will probably be changed in the near future, an unpleasant aftertaste will remain. Rebuilding trust is more difficult than destroying it. And finally, this whole story contains another moral - about the need pay attention to the legal side of various issues. Overwhelming Most users click the "accept" or "agree" button license agreement for the program or agreement on the terms of provisionservices without even reading its name to the end. In some cases this may lead to very sad consequences. ====================== End ms.txt ====================== Happy connections. Roman. 2:5030/597.90@FidoNet.Org roman@biogate.com ICQ 18451676 500:812/5@ZxNet http://members.nbci.com/strolling