Windows software question

[Chris H]

I gotta question.

If I have a registered copy of say, Microsoft Publisher on me pc does MS know that I have a registered copy on me pc? What I'm really asking is if they do know how does the communication occur? Does the software 'phone home' or does MS audit yer pc?

Any ideas?

[Dolda2000]

Well, I think it's a commonly known fact that all Microsoft software phones home at every time whenever you least expect it, reporting your browsing habits, bookmarks, hardware configuration and maybe gives them a sneak peek at the copyrighted code you're currently writing in Visual Studio or the secret company PM you're writing in Word. ;-)

Seriously, though, when you install M$ software, doesn't it pop up a dialog offering to register over the Internet?

[Opnosforatou]

I gotta question.

If I have a registered copy of say, Microsoft Publisher on me pc does MS know that I have a registered copy on me pc? What I'm really asking is if they do know how does the communication occur? Does the software 'phone home' or does MS audit yer pc?

Any ideas?

You every used that Windows Update ?????

In the beginning it send all information regarding your computer back to M$.

It states now that it doesn't, but who knows...

Maybe we could disassemble it and take a look ?

[Chris H]

It's a hypothetical situation

As recompense to having to use MS products at work, MS will send me Office XP to bung on my machine at home cos of some sort of deal with me company. Cost is basically postage & admin.

However, if I ever left the company then the licence states that I must remove the software.

I was just thinking how will they ever know.......

Especially if me firewall doesn't allow the phone home process to get through.

All hypothetical of course as the only pc I have that could run it is the kid's one and they're quite happy with OpenOffice.org.

[Muser]

well there always is the option of cracking the software. i believe there also may be some dll's that do the phone home stuff, which u can edit or delete, which is what a cracking program would do. that's just an idea, i don't condone cracking, or do I?

i swear i really bought photoshop 7!

[Goran]

I am not sure how they would know.. but I know one thing: firewalls on a windows box won't prevent it from doing that. One day i will hook it up with a linux box and set it up to use it as a gateway and see where it is really going and what it is doing