Potential Legal Issue??

[David Smith]

As a MCP I feel there's a level of responsibility that
comes with the Microsoft name. Although I like the new
program there's something that I found that I think has
the potential of being a legal issue for Microsoft.

I noticed that the software "appears" to allow microsoft
programs to automatically and make you select allow for
other software being installed.

I see this as amo for the Anti-Microsoft folks,
Lawyer to Reporter
"Microsfot doesn't want to block their software just
everybody elses."

Just thought you'd want to know.

Thanks,
David Smith

 

[RandyB]

My 2-cents...

I see this going the other way as well...

"What? You flag your own software? Don't YOU know what it
does?" People will scream because MSA isn't "MS-
aware"... There will always be issues because of the
nature of the remote access software, and adware in
general.

I'm not sure how far this would actually go in court. I
think there is an "expectancy" on the part of the consumer
that believes that a vendor should be aware of their total
product line and be able to account for it in their
products. For example, AV products are becoming more
atune to personal firewalls written by the same vendor.

The problem will be, and is, not the product itself,
rather, how it is used or mis-used out in the world...

Rb

 

[Jerry Ham \(433588\)]

Trust me, it flags plenty of Microsoft software.

It flags SMS every time it tries to run an inventory
It flags Windows Messenger 5.1 during install *(calling it "fusion").

There are others...

Jerry

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Here's one KB article relevant to your particular issue:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892375 End users may be prompted to allow or
block administrative actions that originate from a central management tool
after they install Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) on a computer that is managed
by Systems Management Server 2003


And, for the broader thread:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892340 Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)
identifies a program as a spyware threat (Listing criteria and Dispute
process)


The above article gives clear critera for listing an application, and, at
the end, a Vendor dispute form to allow a listed vendor to dispute the
listing.

This article and the process for resolving disputes I'm certain will be the
basis of legal arguments around the operation of the product.