Charlie_Tuna, MS can poke only as long as my internet connection is "on" and my firewall is not up. There are alternatives to MS... why not take advantage of them? IF (big if) MS can push through invasive computing practices, they will lose millions of customers. People should have no qualms about moving to MAC, Linux, or anything else that provides them with the internal security and freedom granted by the U.S. Constitution. This includes freedom of speech, which Mr. Stallman implies will be lost if MS doesn't like what you're saying. Am I saying turn a blind eye to possibility? No. I'm saying don't panic. The consumer public still has an overwhelming say in what a company makes. Just like politics, we have the power to VETO what doesn't work for us by simply not buying it. So what if I can't play a game that looks really spiffy because it only works on a MS box? I don't own an XBox, or Playstation either, and there are some fantastic games I would really like to play. If MS wants to make me give up a freedom to have a few hours of pleasure, the pleasure is not worth it. Mr. Stallman's recommendation that you write to the companies that produce computers is one of the good things about the letter. It is a sort of warning shot before a "Just Say No" campaign. So being proactive is good. Just don't feel like a "1984" type government and corporate business is inevitable. As long as the consumer doesn't follow a herd mentality and believe they must accept whatever drek is fed to them, things like this will not come to pass.