Windoze XP security issue

[Uranium-235]

98SE is very stable for me. It has a hickup every once in a while. But sometimes I can go to two days without any crashes. I've already been able to find ways arond certain crashes (one specific one is a video crash, usually happens when I exit fullscreen dos mode into windows mode, the screen gets all corrupt (I'll try to take a picture next time of this phenomenon)).

[Uranium-235]

and also how long till someone who has a leagl version creates their own patch that will work in an illegal version? You know it's possible.

[MIK3]

not only could it happen but i assume that it would be quite easy as well!!!

Actually this doesn't matter what OS you use, your IP is enough to obtain all the personal info about you from ISP and then take all the legal actions. But you have nothing to worry about as MS doesn't hunt individuals (again this is not cost-effective). And FBI doesn't care if you have "backup copy" of XP.
However, connecting to internet you may want to prevent from "certain" applications to access the Web. Windows update can be activated without your knowledge ! But you may set it accordingly.

So installing some sort of personal firewall (Zone Alarm probably the most popular) would block outgoing traffic from your machine. Also some software utilities spy on you (u c lots of posts about). Don't let to applications you know nothing about to access the Web.


Good luck
Chef

Buy the software.  Good God, the worry you have you'll be caught is not worth just paying for it.  If you pirate, you are stealing.  Stealing is wrong, and will make you feel guilty, and you will worry, a little, everytime that commercial runs on the radio about the "software police" and ex-employees or such turning you in.  I agree, single users have little to fear about being caught.  I would not like worrying about it every time I go for an update, or a patch.  Thats when I think they could notice an illegal copy.  Its like with shareware; I pay for the good ones, that way they make money and will create more good software.  Without compensation, they will not be around to support or offer new stuff.  What I hate, is when I buy something like Win ME and it just sucks, and you have no recourse.  I feel Micrsux owes me an OS for that,

about using open proxy servers... the IRC network i use doesn't like them and kicks you off for using them (not sure of the full reason but there must be somethin against them!)

anyway, no-one is fully anonymous, that proxy server could be logging everything you do, then the FBI or whoever can just get a warrant to get the logs, then they have a complete list of everything you did in one place, so in effect its worse!