MS's definition of "Software Choice"

[Alan Dayley]

Microsoft funds "The Institute for Software Choice" 
(http://www.softwarechoice.org) that supposedly promotes choices for 
software consumers (and fights against at laws mandating use of Free or 
Open Software).  This article 
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,104940,00.asp describes the 
efforts of one company to provide security choices when MS won't and is an 
example of MS's definition of choice:

1. A security hole in Windows XP's "self healing" operation allows a 
cracker full access to your system.

2. The patch for the hole will only be available in Service Pack 1.

' ""We concluded that the best way to deliver the fix was via [SP1]. This 
is in keeping with our long-held conviction that service packs--not 
patches--are the delivery vehicle of choice for security fixes," says a 
Microsoft statement posted this week. A Microsoft spokesperson verified the 
company will not release a separate security patch for that specific bug.

This bug is unique, however, because security researchers consider it to be 
"trivially easy" to exploit. " '

3. The Service Pack contains a new EULA that gives MS full permission to 
alter or even disable programs on your system at any time.  If you choose 
not to accept this EULA, you can't install the pack, leaving your system 
vulnerable to a "trivially easy" exploit.

4. The Service Pack breaks and/or causes problems on many end user PCs.

"Besides the identity-switching problem, some users say they cannot start 
their systems without crashing repeatedly. Some couldn't even install SP1, 
while others describe disappearing screen icons and loss of DSL connectivity."

Users who choose to keep their PC functional cannot get the security patch 
from MS separately from the Service Pack.

Conclusion:
MS's definition of "software choice" is: "Do it our way under our terms or 
remain vulnerable because of the error we created.  And, if you can't do it 
our way through no fault of your own, too bad."

Some choice.

Alan