Re: PhotoStory 3 released

From: No Spam (NoSpam_at_no.spam)
Date: 10/27/04 

Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 18:49:33 -0500

"John Inzer" <oobie@doobie.xyz> wrote in message
news:usb8t0HvEHA.200@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> No Spam wrote:
>> Of course, you have to do their "voluntary" compliance
>> stuff.
>> All that's going to do is screw the honest people. The
>> warez / pirates will just get it from somebody who
>> already downloaded it. Or the direct download link will
>> be published somewhere in about 6 more minutes.
>> And, of course, you have to lower your security settings
>> just to be able to get through Microsoft's checks. (For
>> example, my security settings are high enough that I
>> can't get through either of their two checks.)
>> And they wonder why nobody likes or trusts them...
> ===========================================
> All I had to do was click the Download
> button at the following site:
>
> Photo Story 3 for Windows
> http://tinyurl.com/555tu

That link goes to their validation page where it tries to *automatically*
install an activeX control.

The fact that you managed to do it with just a simple click says that your
system has very poor security settings.

It means that you allowed an activeX control to automatically install
without even asking you (assuming it wasn't already installed), and it
definetly means you allowed an arbitrary activeX control to run without even
asking you.

Internet Explorer doesn't really have any safety controls for activeX
controls. They can be marked 'safe' but that doesn't mean they actually
are. The reality is that once you allow an activeX control to run, it can
pretty much do whatever it wants. You just have to hope that it's honest
and safe.

Sounds like your system is pretty open.... Hope you don't visit any warez
or porn site that might try to install a few things you'd rather not have!

If the automatic installation doesn't work, they do offer a manual method.
It downloads a .HTA file that you are supposed to manually run.

But, again, on my system, apparently I have my security settings up high
enough that it can't do the activeX control that way either.

To be honest, I'm rather glad my default settings are that good! Internet
Explorer isn't exactly known for its security.

But that, of course, doesn't mean I'm happy with Microsoft.

Just like their activation, the only people this is really going to bother
are the legit people. (And yes, for the record, I do own XP. I bought it
right off the store shelf.)

PhotoStory 3 isn't that major of an item, but their attitude here is really
is a bad sign of things to come from Microsoft.