Windows 7: DRM system masquerading as an OS

Cantab.

Windows 7, while it looks good on the surface, is undoubtedly hiding all kinds of new Microsoft evils.

CIA back doors left right and centre and all kinds of obtuse encryption standards.

I'd rather subject myself to a spiked bed than use Windows 7.



http://content.zdnet.com/2346-12554_22-256914-57.html

projectmayhem

At this stage all I want is the thing to be stable and more friendly (stop prompting me when I want to do something!). The CIA can watch everything I do as long as I can do it easily...

Thomas_S_Hunterson

/mandatory 'use linux' + gpg

PogMoThoin

So what exactly has it got that Vista hasn't? Come on, explain Yourself?

I mean its really Vista 2, nothing special, but M$ need it more than we do. I tried the beta and found it like a re-skinned Vista. I have been running Vista ultimate 64bit without any problems for the last yr.

Random

What does it do that XP doesn't?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Random wrote: »

What does it do that XP doesn't?

Can't you see the slick new taskbar?

sceptre

Random wrote: »

What does it do that XP doesn't?

So far they've been pushing multi-touch quite a bit. Of course, for the majority of people who can only type with two fingers, that's not necessarily a feature that will complete their thitherto mundane lives.

And the all-singing all dancing Windows Peek - intended to make overlaid windows transparent so you can see the desktop easily. Older users may be as happy with continuing to use WIN+m twice.

ethernet

The new taskbar has seen a major change. Programs can be in there as shortcuts and while running. Seems a little confusing! Loads on info and screenshots on the Winsupersite as usual.

Goodshape

ethernet wrote: »

The new taskbar has seen a major change. Programs can be in there as shortcuts and while running. Seems a little confusing! Loads on info and screenshots on the Winsupersite as usual.

Sounds like what OS-X has had for as long as I can remember?

astrofool

Random wrote: »

What does it do that XP doesn't?

It's an operating system, unfortunately a lot of the improvements are behind the scenes and won't be visible to anyone, needless to say the Vista/win7 kernel was a quantum leap over XP with regard security, driver models, how components interfaced with each other.

However, if you want to sell an OS, you need a flashy UI on top of it (linux take note).

Overheal

Im regarding 7 as an attempt to win back consumers that have it stuck in their heads that vista is evil - very much in the same way if my cat doesnt eat its food I put it back into the bag and serve it again.

mick.fr

Well Microsoft themselves are saying it:
"It is just a revamp with more Live services integrated"

In essence, Microsoft is integrating Live services even more closely, so we can start spending money on Live.com and so (Well this is what they are hoping).

Microsoft in 2007 lost 250M+ USD on Live services. That is the reason why we started to see Google type advertisements on their sites, including knowledge bases etc (Very annoying), they are trying to catch up with the majors.

MSN.COM is the most visited web site in the world, well yeah, that is the starting page of any newly installed Windows PC. But as a matter of fact, MSN.COM has very little interrest and people do not really hang around. Microsoft still has not understood that.

Like the Yahoo.com anecdote with Steve Balmer when he discovered people are not really browsing Yahoo.com...

PaddyTheNth

Cantab. wrote: »

Windows 7, while it looks good on the surface, is undoubtedly hiding all kinds of new Microsoft evils.

CIA back doors left right and centre and all kinds of obtuse encryption standards.

I'd rather subject myself to a spiked bed than use Windows 7.
http://content.zdnet.com/2346-12554_22-256914-57.html

Not that I'm a MS white knight, but have you got any evidence that any of what you are saying is true?

mick.fr

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

Not that I'm a MS white knight, but have you got any evidence that any of what you are saying is true?

ECC in Vista, based on CryptoNextGen libraries.

National security measure for counter terrorism we might think?

Just google it, plenty of resources on the Net, including references to MS employees who "discovered" the whole/backdoor.

Official presentation about the encryption in Vista.
https://partner.microsoft.com/download/sverige/40072526

PaddyTheNth

mick.fr wrote:

https://partner.microsoft.com/download/sverige/40072526

Got any translation software for PDFs?:rolleyes:

I tried Googling as you said and I'm still not clear exactly what is being talked about here.

Is it that the native encryption provided in Vista has a built in backdoor, this backdoor being the weakness in the Dual_EC_DRBG standard which the NSA are championing?

If you're doing something illegal enough or you're seriously uncomfortable with law enforcement agencies having access to information about you to the extent that you need to encrypt your data then why wouldn't you just use an OSS encryption utility?

Edit: And is the OP seriously stating that this was deliberately implemented for DRM reasons?

Donald-Duck

PogMoThoin wrote: »

So what exactly has it got that Vista hasn't? Come on, explain Yourself?

I mean its really Vista 2, nothing special, but M$ need it more than we do. I tried the beta and found it like a re-skinned Vista. I have been running Vista ultimate 64bit without any problems for the last yr.

I assume you mean the leaked alpha builds not the beta which is starting soon?

PogMoThoin

Donald-Duck wrote: »

I assume you mean the leaked alpha builds not the beta which is starting soon?

Yeah, was the alpha

papu

wtf is this thread,
useless is what, Using windows 7 for a day or 2 now , its faster easier and more intuative to use than vista , which in turn was better than xp , If your worried about Security , Go use linux , make a tinfoil hat , grow a beard and move to iceland.

also , CIA wtf i dont live in the U$A

mick.fr

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

If you're doing something illegal enough or you're seriously uncomfortable with law enforcement agencies having access to information about you to the extent that you need to encrypt your data then why wouldn't you just use an OSS encryption utility?

Oh don't assume criminals are always smart...

Some got catch simply because they prepared a roberry with a mobile phone, calling their accomplice etc. then they go to the robbery place with their phone again...

PaddyTheNth

mick.fr wrote: »

Oh don't assume criminals are always smart...

Some got catch simply because they prepared a roberry with a mobile phone, calling their accomplice etc. then they go to the robbery place with their phone again...

So was the backdoor that you were referring to this weakness in the encryption algorithm?