From: "James M. Cobb" <jcobb@ahcbsd1.ovnet.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 95 00:05:02 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: No Privacy Right on "My" Desktop ?
Message-ID: <Pine.BSD.3.91.951205025944.29416B-100000@ahcbsd1.ovnet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


 
 
Friend, 
 
 
A 12 04 95 The Electronic Telegraph newsstory headlined 
 
            'Spoilsport' software bars games 
 
reports that 
 
   An American company called DVD has developed a utility 
   called UnGame that can delete up to 3,100 games from a 
   computer network.  Even if the game is hidden on the com- 
   puter user's own hard disk, it will find it. 
 
 
The user's own hard disk? 
 
   Although the machines at work usually belong to the com- 
   pany, most employees regard them as an electronic equi- 
   valent of their desk, and are similarly territorial. 
 
 
John Davison, PC Zone editor, says: 
 
   If anyone stole something from your desk you'd be fed up. 
   If anybody stole something from my computer, I'd be equal- 
   ly disgusted. 
 
 
What kind of software is UnGame? 
 
The newsstory suggests the answer: 
 
   ...industry experts have complained that companies may 
   be releasing "tailored viruses".... 
 
 
I believe my first post to the list was about McAfee's Virus 
Blocker.  Perhaps that can be...adapted. 
 
If so, those who then declared the information had nothing 
to do with privacy may continue playing their games. 
 
Of course companies may try another tack: Oracle's "internet 
terminal." 
 
As dlv@bwalk.dm.com pointed out in his 11 18 95 post, 
 
 [I guess, they mean no permanent storage or software other 
 than the browser in ROM. No remembered state, no viruses 
 ... -DV] 
 
 
In "my" terminal. 
 
 
Cordially, 
 
Jim 
 
 
 
NOTE.  The Electronic Telegraph's website URL is: 
 
       http://www.telegraph.co.uk 
 
       The newsstory's online filename is: 
 
       ngame02.htm 

       It was written by: 
 
       ROBERT UHLIG, TECHNOLOGY CORRESPON- 
       DENT 
 
       It first appeared in 12 03 95 The Daily Telegraph. 
 
       The McAfee website URL is: 
 
       http;//www.mcafee.com