Why I'm Afraid of Vista

Microsoft's Windows Vista looks cool. I saw it the other day at a local computer store. I was tempted to install it to take a look, and perhaps even use it for sometime. (I have this freedom, as my company's enterprise license agreement with Microsoft allows me to use various pieces of software for development purposes.) While Vista is slick, supposedly more secure and perhaps provision some performance gains over previous MS operating systems, I'm still leery of it. Why? Well, I'm just not sure about MS' security -- and by this, I don't mean just the fight against viruses and spyware. I'm also concerned about MS' insistence of validating the OS and revalidating it on a regular basis by uploading data from my machine to MS HQ.

Now, I read on a post by Michael Geist that maybe I have even further cause for concern -- and those are buried in Vista's fine print. Apparently, even after I've obtained Vista, it's still not mine -- and not mine to use how I wish to use it. The MS fine print allows MS to remove software they deem as "spyware, adware, and other potentially unwanted software" -- although they don't define those terms, and MS is sole entity to determine what those terms mean. Further, as Geist points out,

the terms and conditions remove any doubt about who is in control by providing that "this agreement only gives you some rights to use the software. Microsoft reserves all other rights." For those users frustrated by the software's limitations, Microsoft cautions that "you may not work around any technical limitations in the software."

As a consumer, if I want to use Vista, I have absolutely no choice. I have to accept their terms. However, an enterprise may not be in the same position, as they have more to bargain with. I'm concerned that MS has basically said that they have control over how you use the software you've purchased, and are effectively enforcing their control. Where else are such controls demanded and enforced?

Updated: Feb. 6, 2007

• c|net's Robert Vamosi writes about Windows Vista's half-cocked firewall. It's a must read for those who are going to install Vista, as outbound firewall protection, while present, allows all outbound traffic flow by default.