[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: computer stuff...
> LOL, sorry, perhaps I am stupid. but *how* can you have a 'built-in' id
> number that identifies you by name? They don't know *who* is going to buy
> it, so please fill me in, how exactly does this work???
Each PIII does have a unique serial number that can be queried. Intel
agreed to allow end-users to turn off the id but refused to make it
off by default and then enabled by the end-user if they so choose.
It's not really a matter of identifying you by name, but rather your
habits. Currently, it's difficult for marketing droids to track what
sites an individual goes to since practically all ISP's use dynamic IP
addresses. This would change if a web page (via Java/JavaScript/
ActiveX, whatever) could query your machine, uniquely identify it, and
send that info back to a server. Given enough data on you, say you
make an on-line purchase, they could easily cross-reference it back to
you.
It works the other way too. It would give customers peace of mind if
an on-line vendor could tell that an order did NOT come from one of my
registered machines and report it as possible credit card fraud. That
might significantly boost online sales.
On an OTR note, I caught the last half of a Cowboy Junkies set on a
public-access (?) TV station a month ago? Karin was with them. I was
very happy. At least I got some of it on tape...
Robert Lau Systems Programmer | Security | Postmaster
213-740-2866 Information Services Division - Core Services
rslau at usc_edu University of Southern California
http://www.usc.edu/~rslau 1020 W Jefferson, LA, CA USA, 90089-0251