Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!ptimtc!nntp-server.caltech.edu!news
From: heathh@owl (Heath Ian Hunnicutt)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: PRODIGY
Keywords: PRODIGY Privacy Does anyone use these keywords Tell Laura I said hi
Message-ID: <1991May5.055342.1612@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Date: 5 May 91 05:53:42 GMT
References: <3BBF6B2220A00238@ulkyvx.bitnet>
Sender: news@nntp-server.caltech.edu
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 33

In article <3BBF6B2220A00238@ulkyvx.bitnet> MLLERN01@ULKYVX.BITNET ("MICHAEL L.  
LERNER") writes:
> Can anyone  confirm/deny the report on CNN the other  day that claimed
> Prodigy has violated user's privacy?  I'm not clear on the details of this
> scandal, as I saw only the tail-end of the report, so any facts will be
> appreciated.  Please use E-mail, as I do not read this group regularly.
> 
> Thanks,
> Mike

I don't know whether this is true or not, but I know I read somewhere about two  
or three months ago that Sears and IBM have the ability to scan through PRODIGY  
users' hard drives looking for pirated software, etc.,  

Apparently PRODIGY has the ability to perform scans in the background while the  
user is distracted by flashy ads.

I don't know about anybody else, but I don't think I _ever_ want to risk using  
PRODIGY, whether I have pirated software or not.  (And, actually, I don't: I  
get _tons_ of free software through Caltech's Site-Wide License :)  )

What if Sears and IBM see that I have a directory named C:\HACKING\BBS?  
_I_ know that it is just where I keep the source for the BBS I once tried to  
write, but it probably looks like the directory of a pirate bulletin board.   
Next thing you know, the SS (Secret Service) is bang on my door.   :(

Incidentally, I have written a TSR program that restricts access to  
subdirectories.  When a protected subdirectory is used by the currently running  
program, a window pops up (text-mode only for now) alerting the user, and  
asking for a password.  It's not being released right now, due to being between  
versions, but interested parties should drop me a line at:

heathh@pooh.cco.caltech.edu