So as another current topic here doesn't get derailed into a big discussion as to rather or not common software like .NET doubles as 'spyware.'

If you ever came to discover that entirely everything you do on the webs, no matter where, is being documented, monitored and recorded.

How many of you would really care?

"Oh noes! They're coming to incarcerate me!"
So I snuff myself
Then what?
*shrugs*

Is life so desperately valuable to any of you that you would go through the entirety of it, groveling to keep it, with a camera up your asses?

I would rather live than die. And everything on the internet is already documented and has been for years. I can deal with them knowing what I do, because nothing I do is worthy of their attention.

In the end and to myself, despite what some others sense of self-righteousness is - as long as >I< know that I have not been any sort of detriment to anyone else and I can justify myself, to myself, I'm not bothered.




In order for "Death" to really be a "Penality" Life is going to have find some way to turn itself around to be something of enough value to be a loss if lost.

Ask the terrorists.

On what exactly are you basing this belief? The .NET framework is merely a runtime, it has a library and an interpreter, there's no spyware really (though spyware could be written to run on the .NET runtime, but it's hardly the only platform that people would code spyware for).

There's a disclaimer paragraph in the .NET application that you install that suggests that the primary intention behind the software is to take note of third party software on your PC I think it has something to do with MS making sure that other developers are not pushing products that will sabotage MS products or reveal coding and such that could jeopardize MS.

ie; Early incarnations of IOBit Security were locating and revealing hidden serial unlock keys for Malwarebytes.

I've noticed a number of indexing txts that get generated on my PC documenting my usage most of the concerning what I am burning to disk.

Also, one night while trying to subvert XInput with dummy dlls in order to get my non XInput game pad to work I noticed a text file appear in the folder. Opening the text it was more or less documenting my activity and attempts.

.NET is constantly connected so soon after these files are being generated they are also being retrieved.

I pretty much think .NET doesn't care much about stuff like emulation or abandoneware UNLESS it involves an MS product - hence why you will probably never find an XBox emulator even though there appears to be an emulator for every other console.



Also why they say good hackers don't go online with a pirated version of Windows.

You'll notice that .NET is a mandatory install to use Autodesk software which usually retails for several grand.

Also the Steam client insists on it before you're ever allowed to run Steam.

More so than spyware it's probably just easier to relate .NET as one really big intricate DRM.

I'd suggest most of this stuff is generated by software that works on the .NET platform. There's thousands of very technically adept folks that love nothing better than an excuse to sling mud at MS, I'm not sure what you're describing can fly under the radar like that. However, if it's actually doing that there's probably some reports somewhere you can dig up online.

Most of what you do on the internet is recorded. Most of what's recorded then gets dumped after the legally required period to retain records expires. Most places that's a year, give or take. Storage of all your activities is not cheap, and let's face it - we're not exactly interesting enough for anyone to give a crap about what we do. But, since I work in networking and security, if you're feeling like indulging in a little bit of paranoia, I can give you some tips to make it much less likely that "they" know what you're doing.

Proxies. This is the first and most important step in hiding or anonymizing your online activities. Paid proxies are usually better than free ones, and I've paid for proxies before by mailing an envelope with cash in it and a username, just to see if it worked. It did. Probably not so much in, say, Eastern Europe, though, where the mail system is less trustworthy than here in the US.

Encryption. End to end encryption (from your computer to the proxy you're using. You're using a proxy, right?) is supported by many proxies. The proxy keeps the website you're surfing from knowing who you are. The end to end encryption keeps the network devices (routers) from knowing what you're looking at. Deep Packet Inspection is a PITA, though, so we come to...

Actual router at home. Not some D-Link special. Go on eBay and buy a Cisco 2651XM for $60. Make sure it has 128MB flash memory. Now you can build an AES128 or AES256 encrypted VPN tunnel to your proxy and NAT your devices on the inside of your network. This is better than host-to-proxy encryption for a few reasons, not the least of which is your router will also support an access control list and stand as a hardware firewall in addition to your firewall on your computer. Don't sweat someone cracking AES. We aren't worth that kind of CPU time. (Of course, you wouldn't have to use cisco if you don't like them. Old Juniper or business-class Netgear routers are also inexpensive. Cisco's just sort of ubiquitous, and I can speak from experience that there's more help for them than most other brands.)

There's three easy steps that aren't too expensive. If you're concerned about someone having records of your activity somewhere, that will mitigate all but the most determined of eavesdroppers from getting anything useful from you. If you're engaged in actual criminal activity and have law enforcement or government after you, though, nothing you can do will help. It's not like on TV. They're pretty awesome, and they have better toys than you do.

Oh, and turn off your damn wireless. People who think wireless is secure make me lol.

Now that I think about it, marketing ware could be generating usage txts as well. The ironic thing is, if someone cares enough to sit there and watch, they're watching you as you sign up to the proxy site. XD

Yeah, all this hardcore midget bondage stuff is really unnerving!

I guess I can live with it, but there's a reason I haven't created an account to e.g. Facebook (because I have no friends, har har har).

This new Big Brother/15 minutes in fame generation probably wants their whole life to be recorded, and noticed at least by someone. As if it makes them immortal or something, no need to get kids for that purpose anymore. I think especially these people don't mind at all even if they were spied on.

Interestingly, yesterday there was an article in the local newspaper about the anonymous "darknet", ie. Freenet, Tor and I2P, mainly how it has supposedly become the haven for criminals, even if they were originally created for the freedom of speech.

I wasn't even aware of Tor and I2P, you learn something new every day. I've heard about Freenet long time ago when it was still in its infancy, but I've never checked it, I thought it is a nice idea that is far too slow and cumbersome in practise. It seems they are especially suited for the people who are afraid of monitoring an breaching of their anonymity.

I don't quite like the idea of some encrypted Freenet files residing on my hard disk, files whose contents I'm not aware of. I'd prefer the ability to choose what actions and movements behind the anomymity I want to support actively (by granting them part of my HD space and bandwidth). Now you could have encrypted kidsie pr0n or terrorist handbooks residing on your hard drive, just for being part of Freenet.

Using the same logic, your operating system is DRM required to run your internet browser, and your motherboard is DRM required to run your operating system.

It's a runtime. A standard set of libraries and instructions that makes the life of Windows developers a lot easier. There really is nothing sinister about that.

Now that you mention it, my PC has to be ALWAYS ON to play games! I thought GOG was DRM free!!!

Oh, you mean log files? Believe it or not, those are used for debugging purposes. If something crashes, a log file tells you roughly where and when that happened. Download Wireshark and use it to watch your computer's internet activity closely. I'm pretty sure you'll find this retrieving only takes place in your head.
Electricity: the one DRM to rule them all.