[Atrocities]

Part of MS agreement with the US Government to avoid monopoly break up was the "secret" incorporation of back door access that only the US Government can utilize. I.E. they get a computer that is encrypted or protected and MS will break into if for them, or give them the tools and training to do it. The FBI has special tools that allow them to remotely access any computer on any network that is running any Microsoft OS product, such as XP. And now that the US Government is moving toward a "centralized" email hub shadow network, even our emails will not be safe from investigation. (this goes beyond what the NSA, and others now have.)

Also many people don't realize that their printers, Digital cameras, DV Cameras, and even your CD burner all encode the products they produce. Your printer prints all information about itself, and your PC on each and every peace of paper printed. The META data in Digital images gives all information about the camera and its settings at the time the image was taken. Your CD burner burns its serial number, and your PC information onto each disk you create.

They say this is to help prevent and reduce counterfeiting of money, movies, music, and documents, but it what it really is all about, is knowing who is doing what, when, and where.

I believe that we live in a free society about as much as I believe that IE is a better product than FF.