Re: What's the big deal with installing .Net?

From: Will DeWitt Jr. (edge_at_NOSPAM.icehouse.net)
Date: 11/22/04 

Date: 22 Nov 2004 02:59:51 -0700

Joanna Carter (TeamB) wrote:

> One of the most important advantages of .NET is the security aspect
> where it should no longer be possible to append code to unterminated
> buffers.

Wow, talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater-- wouldn't a
simpler solution have been to make code frameworks more secure so such
errors in design are more difficult to create (at least, accidentally)?

Next you'll be telling me that in these post-9/11 times we need to be
more concerned with terrorists taking over America's computers and
using them to launch attacks against our allies, and that .NET is just
the solution we need.

> M$ address an issue (security) which obviously is being compromised
> at the very core of the operating system and folks complain ??

Given Microsoft's track record for security you'll forgive me if I'm
not exactly ready to jump on the bandwagon. I note you also used the
derogatory abbreviation for Microsoft, 'M$'.

> But hey, you never have had any problems with viruses, trojans, worms,
> etc... ??

Actually no, I've never had any problem with viruses, trojans or worms.
The only time I ever became remotely concerned is when vulnerabilities
were discovered (and subsequently exploited) in Outlook, but otherwise,
no, I've never had any problems. (And up until a few months ago I'd
never used a virus scanner; I only use one now because of flaws in
Microsoft's products (Internet Explorer, Outlook, etc)).

I view .NET as an attempt by Microsoft to exert one monopoly in yet
another market-- that of CPU's. Without constructing a single fab of
their own (where CPU's would conceivably be manufactured) Microsoft
will, with .NET, have a monopoly on the CPU market. They'll no longer
be worried about being tied to Intel or AMD or any other semiconductor
manufacturer.

It's a power grab, pure and simple. Akin to a "bloodless coup".

Will 

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