Folks, as was said farther up the thread... $$$ rules the world. If consumers refuse to purchase items, software, etc that they feel is in violation of their privacy, then the company will not continue to make the product. That's how competing OS systems like Linux got their foothold in the first place and are doing so well now. Information is the key. Widely distributed, accurate information is the only way to prevent widespread corruption. My biggest problem with the artical above is the assumption that the consumer/user is powerless to prevent the actions of MS. So what if your e-mail disappears from your work files? If it's important enough to keep, MAKE A HARD COPY. No corporate officer (i.e. the boss) is going to give improper instructions through the e-mail system because the risk is too great that it would be used as evidence in the future should something backfire. My second biggest problem with the artical is the assumption everyone is on the internet. There is still a large percentage of home PC users who do not have internet connection, nor could they care less about being on the internet. Do they miss out on the spiffy newfangled updates? Probably. Do they really care? Probably not. As consumers, we have the ultimate power to control what companies produce. If they want to make money, then they have to give us something WE WANT. If they don't, we won't buy it, and they will no longer be in business. Keep that in mind next time you see something from MS you don't like. If you don't agree with all the rules and regulations they require, then simply, "Just Say No".