Windows 7

[Smitty]

There is always WGA. Which most people can't disable, unless the computer is disconnected from the internet.

[HKG]

What is this phone check?

[critter]

I was only putting this out there as a word to the wise

you can use any operation system you feel safe with

 

but maybe you should read ALL the settlement papers on that

law suite, that is if you can truly get them

 

lets just say I have been working somewhat with coding since 1987

 

sorry I will not bring it up again

Edited July 4, 2009 by critter (see edit history)

[griz326]

I think not!! I know for a fact this is not true!!!

 

The idea that Microsoft can trigger a "phone home" check? I think NOT!

 

Actually, I think so...but it depends on how you are defining "a phone home check."

 

MS has licensing checks embedded into their OSs now, including XP that periodically re-checks your licensing. They also have the automatic update engine. Either of these components could be considered a "phone home check." The exchange certainly includes at least a GUID.

 

The company I worked for in the 90s caught MS transferring all sorts of computer/user specific configuration information with Win95; it was big news then. The communication was not encrypted then and I guess MS didn't expect anyone to sniff that connection. They were busted. Now the exchanges are encrypted so who knows what information they really transfer. ...and with the millions of lines of code involved I can conceive of some innocuous code slipping past some tired geek's eyes.