The Bell Hath Tolled

"You acknowledge and agree that Microsoft may automatically check the version of the OS Product and/or its components that you are utilizing and may provide upgrades or fixes to the OS Product that will be automatically downloaded to your computer,"

The preceding verbiage appears in the EULA for SP1 for WinXP and SP3 for Win2K. This is it. The bell hath tolled. The tax-man is here. It's time to pay the piper. You must now decide: Will you deed your computer over to Microsoft, or wean yourself from your Microsoft dependence?

(You can hobble along temporarily by not installing these service packs, but that carries the danger of deeding your machine over to a cracker.)

Spread the word: Microsoft operating systems are no longer a viable option for a computer owner. Anybody that agrees to this EULA provision has forfeited the freedom of the PC (Personal Computer) and entered into bondage to Microsoft.

Remember, this provision means Microsoft can force "updates" to your machine that seek out and destroy other OS's on your machine, disable software and force you to upgrade, forcibly install any DRM they see fit, forcibly uninstall any software or capabilities they see fit, or indeed, anything they so desire. The machine will be "yours" in the sense that you have to buy the hardware and pay the power bill, but all the rights of ownership will be firmly in Microsoft's possession.

I strongly recommend to everyone who cares about their computer that they examine alternatives to Microsoft at this point, and go with one.