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Voices Carry (6/14/98)
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The more we learn about Word 98, the more we're glad we still use Nisus Writer instead. First, there was that fun little bug that could potentially trash your System Folder when you tried to uninstall the application. Then, more recently, it was discovered that Word 98 suffers from an admittedly fairly common bug which can embed data from other documents and other open applications whenever you save your Word files. And now, MacWEEK is reporting on an apparently undocumented "feature" whereby Word 98 may initiate a hidden "conversation" with Microsoft's servers via the internet, and send system details without notifying you.
It appears that the information sent is fairly innocuous: just your computer's IP address and your Word application version. It's used to prompt you to download updates if you're using a version that's out of date. While that's potentially a nifty feature, we're slightly concerned by the fact that Microsoft doesn't list it in its documentation (though we can't confirm this ourselves). And since the information is sent without telling the user, there's always the potential that Microsoft will send itself some other information from your hard disk-- maybe something not quite as harmless.
Then again, it's widely acknowledged that we at AtAT are more paranoid than your average bear. Heck, we pride ourselves on that fact. This Word "Auto-Update" function is probably nothing more than a company trying to keep its customers up to date with the latest versions of its software. Still, to be forewarned is to have four arms. Or something.
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 6/14/98 episode: June 14, 1998: Rockin' Ralph Nader just won't let up on Microsoft; now he wants the government to get them to stop forcing PC manufacturers to preinstall Windows on every machine they ship. Meanwhile, Word 98 anomalies continue to surface, and Intel's new processor carries a price tag worthy of the Apple of old...
Other scenes from that episode: 773: Still On Their Backs (6/14/98) UCLA undergrads aren't the only ones who notice that you can't buy a PC without Windows. Consumer watchdog Ralph Nader, who's long been a critic of Microsoft's anticompetitive practices, recently sent a letter to the Department of Justice requesting that they prevent the Redmond giant from requiring their Windows licensees from shipping Windows on every system they sell, whether the customer wants it or not... 775: Pricey Pentium II's (6/14/98) Intel's got some new processors coming out soon, but don't expect them to show up in systems that compete directly with Apple's PowerMacs. The new "Xeon" class Pentium II's cost a pricy $1124 each when purchased in volume-- and that's just the low-end model, which is 400 MHz with 512 KB of cache...
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