Much has already been said about the stealth updating of certain Windows files. It appears that the only ones that have been verified as being changed without notice are the files relating to the Windows or Microsoft Update services.

If you have read your EULA (yes, boring stuff, but if you care about what is happening on your machine, you should read it) you would know that:

1) Microsoft owns the software, you are merely using it,

2) the software rental is open ended, for now,

3) if you object to any provision of the software agreement, your solution is to stop using the software

All else aside, it is underhanded of Microsoft to make changes on your machine without your knowledge - and because of the EULA, they can simply change what they want and tell you, as user ‘and we hope you don’t like it!’

So why not do it that way?

Perhaps it is like the teenager who decides that asking forgiveness after a sin is easier and better than asking permission before commission - or it could be like the spokesperson told ComputerWorld today

He did issue a mea culpa — of sorts. Although he stopped short of apologizing for the lack of information, he said Microsoft is considering changes. “[This] is not to suggest that we were as transparent as we could have been,” he admitted. “To the contrary, people have told us that we should have been clearer on how Windows Update behaves when it updates itself. We are now looking at the best way to clarify WU’s behavior to customers so that they can more clearly understand how WU works.”

This was after several paragraphs of obfuscating the process by which the update mechanism works. (this was the manure part - the explanation is a winding road to Bandini Mountain)

The update explanation is one that would be hard to know, unless you did a controlled experiment. Microsoft says the only times the software was changed was when customers were voluntarily connected to the update sites. If that is the case, fine. If, and I’m sure someone is going to do that controlled experiment, Microsoft is ‘calling home’ from your desktop and changing files, the whole picture takes on a sinister tone - things will happen, lawsuits will come.

But until then - don’t worry, be happy!

ComputerWorld article

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[tags] Microsoft, Windows Update, Microsoft Update, stealth changes, lawsuits, bad press, tarnished image, don’t worry - be happy [/tags]