Windows 8: as hackable as ever.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400985,00.asp

The blogosphere has gone berserk with all sorts of menacing commentary, such as the following from the Vigilent Citizen:

The very anticipated operating system Windows 8 will have a feature that was never found on PC's before: A kill switch that can remotely delete software and edit code without the user's permission. Although Microsoft claims the switch would only be used for software that is downloaded from its app store, no official policies clearly define the actual purpose of the kill switch... nothing is truly considered "illegal" and that includes issues regarding spying, censorship and free speech.

Pretty scary, kids. Less-than-totally-freaked-out Computerworld has this to say:

Kill switches -- so called because a simple command can deactivate or delete an app -- are common in mobile app stores. Both Apple and Google can flip such a switch for apps distributed by the iOS App Store and Android Market, respectively.

In the Windows Store terms of use, Microsoft made it clear that it can pull the kill switch at its discretion.

Considering Microsoft's history in (in)security I wonder what will this mean. They are basically turning Windows 8 into a glorified App Storer where they control everything. I know I'll be staying away from this.

Obviously you just configure the firewall so the signal never gets through.markop2003

Obviously you just configure the firewall so the signal never gets through.markop2003

I'm going to buy thousands of copies of windows just to get your goat.

Ubuntu ftw. CptJSparrow

For once I agree with you.

Christ, sounds like a fustercluck. Will delay updating.MrPraline

My god, the banned walk among us!

[QUOTE="CptJSparrow"]Ubuntu ftw. theone86

For once I agree with you.

Yea, read something like about 2 weeks ago. However, I still plan on using XP and the most stable version of Vista on my 2 machines that run Windows, otherwise, most my other machines will copntinue to use Linux Ubuntu distributions.

[QUOTE="CptJSparrow"]Ubuntu ftw. theone86

For once I agree with you.

Christ, sounds like a fustercluck. Will delay updating.MrPraline

My god, the banned walk among us!

I've stuck with XP so I don't have to give up my 16-bit hardware (flight sim stuff). I was considering waiting on Windows 8, but it looks like I'll be going with Gentoo Linux. I've already got Gentoo running on a spare box here and it's really very nice. If I have to dual-boot into XP to get my games to work, that's not a problem, but most of my games can be set up to run in Linux with some work.

I really don't like the way that Windows 8 interface looks.

Hackers are f**ed up aren't they?

fustercluckMrPraline

PRALINE

:3

< 3

[...] fustercluck [...]MrPraline

I'm going to buy thousands of copies of windows just to get your goat.

sonicare

I thought it was general knowledge that every other version of windows blows? :P Millenium? bleh. XP? Neat! Vista? bleh. 7? Neat! 8? >_>

I wasn`t planning on upgrading anyway.harry_james_pot

Wow, another reason not to upgrade. Window 7 can do for now.

Also, you're supposed to skip every other Windows release anyway.CptJSparrow

Pretty much. I can't imagine many are ready to simply switch over to a new version. Hell, I'm even still on XP......though I do need a new computer.

Funny. I don't see any statements by Microsoft saying that it will be unhackable.NiKva

Not surprising considering it is still in beta testing mode.

This only deletes or modifies applications downloaded from their app store. iOS and Android have essentially the same thing. Its intended to stop abusive or poorly written applications that you found through their portal. A safety measure for themselves and for people using that app.

This killswitch isnt going to delete any applications or personal information outside of that.

There is nothing to get excited over.

Window 8...........what an absolute joke of a product and a business idea....

Do they have a bunch of monkeys managing microsoft? This is going to flop worse than Vista. Windows 7 is just startig to get popular among business (their main customer) and now they're gonna release windows 8? The OS itself is incredibly ugly, and its designed with touch screens in mind before regular mouse and keyboard input. How Bill Gates fails to see this is beyond me. You guys should look up dev releases of Windows 8 to see for yourself how horrible it is.

And where the hell is Windows 7 sp2?

Viva Linux!

Window 8...........what an absolute joke of a product and a business idea....

Do they have a bunch of monkeys managing microsoft? This is going to flop worse than Vista. Windows 7 is just startig to get popular among business (their main customer) and now they're gonna release windows 8? The OS itself is incredibly ugly, and its designed with touch screens in mind before regular mouse and keyboard input. How Bill Gates fails to see this is beyond me. You guys should look up dev releases of Windows 8 to see for yourself how horrible it is.

And where the hell is Windows 7 sp2?

Viva Linux!

BossPerson

Which will further convince me to stay with W7 as long as I stayed with XP.

We DO NOT need another OS already. Windows 7 is great.

I didn't know it was released.

I'll stick with my Mac.

I'll stick with my Mac.

muller39

Window 8...........what an absolute joke of a product and a business idea....

Do they have a bunch of monkeys managing microsoft? This is going to flop worse than Vista. Windows 7 is just startig to get popular among business (their main customer) and now they're gonna release windows 8? The OS itself is incredibly ugly, and its designed with touch screens in mind before regular mouse and keyboard input. How Bill Gates fails to see this is beyond me. You guys should look up dev releases of Windows 8 to see for yourself how horrible it is.

And where the hell is Windows 7 sp2?

Viva Linux!

BossPerson

Bill Gates works full time for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He's no longer pulling the strings over at MS. Everything from windows 7 is still in windows 8 they just changed the interface of the start menu, added an app store, and added ribbons to everything.

Microsoft is always behind the ball. They get criticized for not entering new markets on time (windows phone being a perfect example) so they decide to go head first into the tablet market. Home PC sales are slipping. MS needs to be on top of the tablet game going forward or they are in trouble and that's a fact. A key idea behind windows 8 is to make the tablet a business device and not a toy and O by the way it also works on your desktop. Have you used the dev release? It works fine with a mouse and keyboard.

Here is a screen of windows 8:

Yup, looks like windows.

XP lasted me 8 years. I think Windows 7 should last me about that long too.

Ubuntu anyone?

[QUOTE="BossPerson"]

Window 8...........what an absolute joke of a product and a business idea....

Do they have a bunch of monkeys managing microsoft? This is going to flop worse than Vista. Windows 7 is just startig to get popular among business (their main customer) and now they're gonna release windows 8? The OS itself is incredibly ugly, and its designed with touch screens in mind before regular mouse and keyboard input. How Bill Gates fails to see this is beyond me. You guys should look up dev releases of Windows 8 to see for yourself how horrible it is.

And where the hell is Windows 7 sp2?

Viva Linux!

limpbizkit818

Bill Gates works full time for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He's no longer pulling the strings over at MS. Everything from windows 7 is still in windows 8 they just changed the interface of the start menu, added an app store, and added ribbons to everything.

Microsoft is always behind the ball. They get criticized for not entering new markets on time (windows phone being a perfect example) so they decide to go head first into the tablet market. Home PC sales are slipping. MS needs to be on top of the tablet game going forward or they are in trouble and that's a fact. A key idea behind windows 8 is to make the tablet a business device and not a toy and O by the way it also works on your desktop. Have you used the dev release? It works fine with a mouse and keyboard.

Here is a screen of windows 8:

Yup, looks like windows.

I'm fairly excited about Windows 8. Up until now tablets have been toys first that can also do buisness functions and Window's 8 seems to be balancing it out. Whether or not they can get people behind them with this move remains to be seen, but I would like to see tablets be less toys and more buisness.