 sj |
||
|
||
Tech: Free USB Flash Drive
|
|
|
Subject: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 03 Mar 06 - 02:28 PM Go to this link.... http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mysterysolved/corp/default.mspx Read the 3 bullets, then click the "learn more" button and read. Then use your browsers BACK button and click on the "Get yours" button on the right. Fill out the form, and it'll be in the mail... Delete the info that's on it, and Bob's-yer-Uncle.... Hopefully this isn't just a way for Microsatan to distribute a root kit... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JohnInKansas Date: 03 Mar 06 - 04:02 PM Note that you will need to be able to log in to your "Microsoft .NET Passport" identity when you get ready to complete the paperwork. (You can create one, using any valid email address and a password that you choose.) The paperwork includes a quiz, so you need to look briefly at the info at the links before you start it. They will send an email to the email address you give them, which must be returned via the link in the email to "validate your email address." Talk about making it complicated to ask a simple question - and they still don't answer the question. But it appears that they will send you a free USB memory, preloaded with all the stuff that's on the pages at the one CH linked above. Expected delivery time 6 to 8 weeks, although on previous similar offers about half the "expected" has been normal. John |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 03 Mar 06 - 04:41 PM "Microsoft .NET Passport" If you have a hotmail account you have a .Net Passport.... Everything worth doing on the net these days asks you to 'validate your email addy', from online contests to Forum Memberships... It helps cut down on spammer assholes... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JohnInKansas Date: 03 Mar 06 - 06:09 PM True - I should have mentioned that anyone with a Hotmail account has a passport. Quite likely a lot of others will also have registered - if they can remember how they did it. John |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JudyB Date: 03 Mar 06 - 08:21 PM Interesting runaround. I thought I had an unused MSN account but they wouldn't acknowledge it. I created another one, and got into a loop that asked for my e-mail then said they'd send me an e-mail to confirm, then said I needed to enter an e-mail address (which I did and which is valid usually). Oh well - fortunately I'm not in serious need of another USB flash drive. JudyB |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 03 Mar 06 - 08:30 PM Yeah, I got screwed around for ages too - still haven't got my email to give me my forgotten password - also got heaps of new 'certificates' (all unrevokable btw) on my PC... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: GUEST Date: 03 Mar 06 - 08:38 PM many thanks, that seemed easy enough. Do you think I could get away with using other hotmail addresses and have more USB drives sent c/o various relatives postal addresses ? or did that email validation procedure log the machine codes and XP serial of the PC I just used on-line? |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 03 Mar 06 - 08:55 PM You could always try it and see. Give us a real handle other than GUEST, and we'll try to scrape up your bail... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: GUEST Date: 03 Mar 06 - 09:00 PM errr.. why else d'ya think I opted for the anonymity of "GUEST" in this thread........ So, I'll wait for a couple of hours until the microsoft security guard takes a toilet break, then try to see if other hotmail addresses slip past the system.. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 03 Mar 06 - 09:14 PM I used other than hotmail.. twice.... Once for me, and once fer m' wife.... Holy rampant paranoia Batman.... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: wysiwyg Date: 03 Mar 06 - 09:20 PM I think you can use multiple Hotmail accounts from the same computer (the assumption being you have many housemates), but using the same name to register them under would probably get flagged on this one and then you'd be risking losing the accounts. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 04 Mar 06 - 03:04 AM "you'd be risking losing the accounts" Like Hotmail cares how many accounts you have....... Wt-fggn-ever |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Mar 06 - 04:34 PM I can't get past my various security programs. They won't let the Javascript work. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: wysiwyg Date: 04 Mar 06 - 05:19 PM Yeah sure Clinton-- they probably wouldn't notice sending a dozen units to just one person. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 Mar 06 - 05:27 PM I just read the small print: *This offer is available in the U.S. only while supplies last. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 Mar 06 - 05:28 PM So surely that means they won't be sending one to Clinton anyway? |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 04 Mar 06 - 06:16 PM "They won't let the Javascript work." Then you're hamstringing yourself with too much security.... "*This offer is available in the U.S. only while supplies last." I guess we'll see if I get one eh... And even if I don't, ya can't miss what ya never had eh.... *I'd also like to request more "Operation Timed Out" messages from Mudcat if that's o.k.....* |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 04 Mar 06 - 06:30 PM Well, I tried it...just once..(without Hotmail) I finally worked my way thru the maze. I do not & will not use Hotmail ever again. I know MUCH better places for online email accounts...though I seldom need one. I guess it will be a nice toy to have, assuming it all worked. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JohnInKansas Date: 04 Mar 06 - 06:41 PM Bill D Theoretically the PassPort was to be used by all kinds of places to ID you when you log into something where they actually need to. Hotmail unfortunately decided to use your PassPort ID for an email login, so if you logout from your email connection, you still have to log back in on your PassPort ID if it's to be useful somewhere else. Hotmail doesn't have an "exclusive" on the PassPort, they just assumed they're the only one using it. In actual fact, they pretty much are; but as seen here, Microsoft also uses it occasionally. Not: MSN (and Hotmail) are INDEPENDENT ENTITIES that do not recognize the existence of Microsoft, although they're willing to trade on the name recognition factor. (They're independent, but with an incestuous relationship.) John |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Mar 06 - 06:50 PM I have the Net Passport for Microsoft Money, I don't have a Hotmail account. Clinton, I went through and systematically uninstalled various security programs because I've wondered which one might be the one that seems to block stuff. All of the free programs are out and I still can't get there. Must be Symantec doing it, because it isn't my browser settings. None of my browsers can get to it. My Symantec firewall expires in 9 days. It keeps asking me to re-up it. I haven't decided if I'm going to. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 04 Mar 06 - 08:15 PM " I know MUCH better places for online email accounts..." Such as??? |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 04 Mar 06 - 08:44 PM best I have used is Fastmail (It's been a couple of years since I flirted with the others...I had a big list of 'approved' ones..I'll try to remember where I found it,...) |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 04 Mar 06 - 08:47 PM I actually have a (Google) Gmail account, but seldom use it...it is powerful, but there are 'interesting' security issues that I have read about. It probably wouldn't bother you, Clinton. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 04 Mar 06 - 08:56 PM This might be the one ..LOTS of choices. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 05 Mar 06 - 08:39 AM Bill D, do you download Google mail into your computer? I had never used Outlook Express for anything, but as a test I set it up to download the Google. That's what's different about it when compared to Yahoo--they have a true POP3 system that lets you download for free, they don't charge an annual fee like Yahoo if you want that option. I have gotten a couple of spams through that one, though I use it rarely, so I'm not sure what kind of phishing the spammer did to get this address. I can't detect a spam filter yet it ends up in my spam (via Outlook). Any ideas on that? What security features are you aware of? SRS |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JohnInKansas Date: 05 Mar 06 - 10:31 AM Stilly - You can set some filter options in OE (or Outlook) but I suspect that the mail is being diverted as junk by Google's filters. Even Hotmail does a mediocre to fair job of sending junk to the Bulk Mail folder now. I've had no junk in my inbox (Hotmail via OE) for several months now, and only 2 or 3 "real" mails diverted to Bulk. (And the ones that were diverted were advertising, but from known senders who had my permission to send me stuff.) Note: We have a "charter" MSN account that lets us use POP3 on a Hotmail addy without paying extra. New Hotmail accounts generally can't use POP3 (or OE) with Hotmail without paying for it. John |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 05 Mar 06 - 10:35 AM No, the very point of Google mail...for me, anyway....is that Google gives me promises that they save it, it is available from anywhere I can access a computer, and I don't need to use my HD...one way to keep spam & viruses away. Of course, if I WANT a copy, I can forward it to my local email address. (I actually uses GMail very little, as I don't travel much, and have a spam avoidance system that works fine (mostly deleting it online thru a POP checker program..) It is nice for getting confirmations of logins and throwaway registrations,,,etc.) No, I don't really know how the filters work if you run mail thru Gmail and into a local folder...but I'd assume that the settings on the local program..(OE, Eudora, Thunderbird, Pegasus...whatever...)are the final determining factor. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:19 PM Gmail.. Hotmail.. ICQMail... Yahoo... AIM mail.... They're all more or less the same... And they beat 'fastmail' cause they're free... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:36 PM Fastmail has a totally free mode if you are not a heavy user..*shrug*...I gather that it is good enough that some don't mind paying for extra space and no 'taglines' on emails. I never needed much space. Yep..Gmail gives you lots of 'free' space...but that's what choices are for. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Mar 06 - 01:15 PM In the For-What-It's-Worth department, this week I uninstalled the Symantec Firewall and Antivirus and installed Earthlink firewall and AV software. I read a few reviews of it before downloading and making this move, and it seems to be generally well received, though I agree with one complaint. When it pops up a little window asking if I want to permit access to a site that is just a number, not a name, it's a little perplexing. If I've just told a program to DO something then I click "yes" for all of the time. If I'm not sure I allow it or block it for an hour to see what happens. So far the heuristics seem to be pretty good and it isn't fussing with things I've permitted. AND (!) I finally got through on this link and was able to fill out the form for the free USB flash drive. I'm going to set this up on the kids' computer this weekend. Symantec has had such a strangle-hold that the kids may find some of their games work better. They still need to be careful, but some things might be a little easier. Since I subscribe to Earthlink anyway, I might as well save a few bucks instead of re-upping Symantec's stuff. They also offer this software to non-subscribers for a monthly fee of $5 or $6. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:36 AM So since ZoneAlarm firewall won't update on my WIN98 SE any more, what other freebies are out there that are recommenede for WIN98SE? |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Mar 06 - 01:35 PM A place to start looking is http://www.tucows.com. Search based upon your Windows operating system and see which ones will work for your version. Tucows has a mix of freeware and shareware. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 11 Mar 06 - 02:09 PM "recommenede for WIN98SE" Ya... get a real OS.... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 11 Mar 06 - 06:14 PM I've been a UNIX/MINIX/..../Linux geek for yonks - It's just that a basic form of Windoze has been the easiest, least hassling, most compatible way to do certain things, including certain games. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: GUEST,Bill D Date: 11 Mar 06 - 07:50 PM a very good free firewall for WIN98 is Kerio...version 2.15 ...NOT the newest 4.X, which has all sorts of issues. http://www.kerio.com/dwn/kpf2-en-win.exe Highly configurable, yet not bloated. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 12 Mar 06 - 05:37 PM If you've got two computers, and have therefore set up a home network using a router, so as to enable themm to share the same internet connection, you have to disable Zone alarm and so forth, and rely on the router's built in fire wall. Seems to work very well for me. For email Gmail seems to work pretty well. The point for me being that it means I don't have to worry about losing all my email if the PC goes pear-shaped, which has happened before now. I can't say I'm too worried about the " 'interesting' security issues" Bill D mentioned, whatever they are. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 12 Mar 06 - 07:45 PM ' I can't say I'm too worried about the " 'interesting' security issues"' So you're not making illegal drugs or planning on blowing up things then? Of course you have absolutely no worries then! It's just impossible for a good Government serving the true course of demagoguery (oops - sorry! typo the spell checker freaked on - I meant democracy!) to snoop on every one of its citizens and get the wrong end of the stick and put them in jail and throw away the key and torture them and secretly execute them and hide the bodies and... |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 12 Mar 06 - 08:05 PM only obvious issues are Google's technical ability to monitor you, even if they swear they don't...without a court order..etc...But they do collect 'data' on certain key words, I gather, 'for statistical purposes'...I really am not worried, but I have spoken to those who DO resent any hint of spying. (I suggest they use encryption, if they have issues) |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 13 Mar 06 - 12:07 AM I have firewalls up on both computers that are on a network with a router. I wouldn't trust the router's firewall to catch everything, though they're known to do a pretty good job in general. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: wysiwyg Date: 03 May 06 - 11:30 AM So where is my flash? Anybody get one? ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 May 06 - 12:03 PM Nope. I'd forgotten all about it. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 03 May 06 - 12:15 PM No one from ANY of the message boards I've seen this on has recieved anything |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Bill D Date: 03 May 06 - 01:07 PM not holding my breath |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JohnInKansas Date: 04 May 06 - 05:21 PM The page at the link (first post) now has a note up that "supplies have been exhausted." I think they said they had 25,000 of the widgets, and with 300,000,000 users (just the WinXPs on monthly automatic updates) they probably were gone before any of us got there. I'm still looking for a complete answer on the licensing issue for WinXP, which was the "reason" for the freebie widgets - so they could put their "license rules" on them and send them out. The vast majority of people get Windows with a new machine, and the OEM version is "part of the machine," so you can't transfer it to a new machine. That's been fairly well known for some time, although it might be news to some people who didn't read the EULA. Another thread here had some complaints about the Microsoft stance on some equipment upgrades constituting "making a new machine" so, in the instance cited, if you have the OEM product you have to buy a new license (i.e. a new copy of Windows) if you replace your motherboard. Rules on upgrading hardware had previously been only vaguely published, and a new information release clarified some of what they mean. It doesn't appear that they've changed any rules; but they have "said out load" what rules they've always followed. Aside from the OEM version, theres a "Volume License" that you can get, with slightly different rules on moving the OS to a different machine. There is some information on both the OEM and the VPP licenses available. It took a while for me to figure out that the Volume License is only available with "upgrade versions" - i.e. you have licenses for all the older OS versions on a group of machines, and with the Volume License you can upgrade a specific number of them - and under some circumstances you can move the new OS to a different machine. I think the minimum buyin for this is 5 machines, so it's not something most of us are going to be interested in. The third way to get WinXP is to buy it from a retail store. There is NO PUBLISHED INFORMATION at Microsoft on what the EULA says for the "FPP" (full package purchase) - sometimes called the "shrink wrap version." Apparently the only way to find out what the FPP EULA says is to buy the &^@!$ thing and read the contract after you get it unwrapped. I tried the "talk to a live person" link at the widget freebie site, and got a "rep named Tyler" to state: "The FPP version of Windows may be transferred to another PC as long as the EULA, manual and media (such as the backup CD) accompany the transfer to the other PC." So, if anyone thinks they might want to do a motherboard swap someday, they should buy the retail (FPP) Windows from the beginning, and if Microsoft questions your license, you can tell them "Tyler said it's okay." (The retail version probably will be somewhat more expensive than the OEM version that comes with a new machine, but it's a "more liberal license.") When I asked "Tyler" where this is published, so that I could cite it to others, he gave me a couple of links - but neither of them had any information on the subject requested; so I'm still of the opinion that the EULA for the FPP (retail version) of WinXP IS NOT, AND NEVER HAS BEEN, published in a publicly accessible form - except inside the package(?). But I'm sure "Tyler" knows what he's talking about. After all - he's a MicroSerf. John |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 04 May 06 - 05:33 PM "Apparently the only way to find out what the FPP EULA says is to buy the &^@!$ thing and read the contract after you get it unwrapped." Something which once was allegedly illegal in Australia (meaning among other things, that you were entitled to a refund if you asked), but now with the FTA#, who knows? # F@@@@ The Aussies! |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: JohnInKansas Date: 04 May 06 - 07:41 PM There's lots of variation from one locale to another in the US, and lots of retail sales places have restrictive "return" policies. A lot of software sellers say no refund, but allow exchange for a "like piece of software." A few US places, usually in state laws, have "merchantability at point of sale" clauses, that say in effect the the one who sells it has to take it back and give you a refund if it's "unmerchantable." This is sort of vague, but something that doesn't work as reasonably expected would usually qualify. An unusual or unexpected restriction on use would probably qualify for a refund under most such statutes. The problem with these laws is that none of the sellers seem to know they exist. I've been known to carry a printed copy of the local statute in with me when I took something for return. Even when they see it in print, they may refuse to believe it, but it's usually enough to get a refund since they "don't want a dissatisfied customer who yells a lot in front of other customers." John |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: GUEST,EBarnacle Date: 04 May 06 - 08:46 PM I haven't received mine either. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 04 May 06 - 10:21 PM Take out a NEW e-mail address - and use it once.
Send it to someone - you don't know - like clinton, or SWYGY - or any other catter whose address is known....sort of like Secret Santa....but more sinister.
Your recipient "wins" and another address is added to the international database.
Sincerely,
If you want to be really "evil" use their MC listed e-mail and address to register. Like herpes, give them the gift that keeps on giving. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: GUEST Date: 04 May 06 - 10:23 PM
Same goes for lunches. |
|
Subject: RE: Tech: Free USB Flash Drive From: Clinton Hammond Date: 05 May 06 - 12:34 PM "but more sinister" You have to be capable of being a threat to be sinister.... You are neither.... |
| Share Thread: |