Planning the Future of Privacy at Microsoft

Tony writes "Peter Cullen, Microsoft's chief privacy strategist, found himself in the front line in the wake of the software giant's recent antipiracy controversy. He talks about his role at the company, and what's in store for the future." From the interview: "Cullen, Microsoft's chief privacy strategist, has been very involved with the issue and readily admits that the software maker dropped the ball on WGA Notifications. The flap puts him on the front line, rather than his usual role behind the scenes. For the most part, Cullen, who joined Microsoft three years ago from the Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto, is happy with his role at the software giant. He works on things such as guidelines for developers and privacy policies."

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Microsoft seems to do this alot

[Anonymous Coward]

and by "this" I mean rewarding people who help them kill competitors.

Remember when SGI was a Unix company and a leader in 64-bit computing with their high end MIPS chips and then they switched to become a Wintel reseller and drop their chips and started selling Windows and practically stopped devloping their Unix? Well, if you look at who made that decision (Belluzzo), Microsoft hired the guy and made him a company president [theregister.co.uk]

Remember when HP was a Unix company and a leader in 64-bit computing with their high end PA-Risk chips and then they switched to become a Wintel reseller and drop their chips and started selling Windows and practically stopped devloping their Unix? Well Microsoft hired that guy and made him a company President too (oh yeah, it was the same guy).

This is what I expected to happen long ago, and posted on Groklaw (as an AC, of course) -- I bet Darl and friends get executive positions at Microsoft or a Microsoft backed company as rewards for their service too.

Re:Microsoft seems to do this alot

[Anonymous Coward]

More speculation of MSFT hiring people who betray other companies for rewards here [slashdot.org] and here [osnews.com] and here [slashdot.org]

Off topic, but...

[sillysnipes]

Windows Error Reporting, for example, has privacy built into it. When there is a problem with the system we want to know about that, because it is perhaps the only way that we can fix it. But we also understand that you need to have the choice about whether the information is sent. So, before it gets sent, you have to affirmatively say "please send".

...I hate that "Send/Don't Send" screen with a passion. Why not just tell us the error message instead so we can try and fix it?

...please...

[djupedal]

I know it is a holiday, but is this type of word usage necessary...?

...found himself in the front line in the wake of...

'front line' means just that...front...way out in front...

'wake', in the context seemingly indicated here, means 'behind'...'following'...'trailing'...the activity resulting from some other activity.

At least try "..in the wake of the recent xyz, JimBob finds himself on the front lines of having to deal with..."

There's one other thing...

[XB-70]

Regardless of The Royal Bank of Canada's little software upgrade issue (which was an error, not deliberate), bankers would totally freak if their organizations did anything that even hinted at things like Microsoft's WGA. It's obvious that Mr. Cullen is a neophyte who has no idea of the degree of sleaze that he's signed himself up for.

Best of luck, Peter. Welcome to the spotlight!

Re:Privacy... Microsoft? Hah.

[RM6f9]

Sure they do - simply incorporate a superlative negative, e.g.:

"The holes in Microsoft product ensure that no one will worry about privacy because with Windows, there's absolutely none to be had."

(suspend pedant mode)

Re:Put some elbow into it!

[Ohreally_factor]

Wasn't RBC one of the big PIPE investors or a front for an investor that bankrolled the SCO v. IBM case? There are already threads from that leading back to MS*. Is this another?

*MS execs "advised" RBC to invest in SCO.

The Act of Contrition

[mpapet]

This is the usual apology after the fact. Americans love this stuff.

Meanwhile plans are afoot for something like WGA. (looks, smells, maybe doesn't quack like wga)

The more minor stories like this get press on /. the more concerned I am it's a big distraction.

There's no action. Linux on the desktop. Now.

I converted two desktop users last week. How many did you convert?

Re:WGA is about security and privacy of the users?

[killjoe]

Because if we did then all the CEOs of the fortune 500 and 90% of the upper management would be in jail.

Come to think of it so would their lawyers.

Well I am in. When do we start the petition drive. Let's get the potheads out of jail and replace them with PHBs and lawyers. The world would be a better place I am sure.

Re:its for you own good thing

[CastrTroy]

But here's the problem.

1) This is the major problem. People don't think it's worth it to spend twice as much for a Mac. This is the only problem that has ever existed with Macs.
2) If Mac was as ubiquitous as windows, then at work they would be running Macs, and then you could run a Mac at home with no problems.
3) There would be more people to work on Macs including the neighbour's kid or the guy across the street, if Mac was as popular as windows.
4) Best buy would stock a lot more Macs if that is what people were buying. As it stands right now, not enough people buy Macs, so it's not worth it for them to put it on their shelves. It's not like they're against selling Apple products, because they have tons of iPods, and it's not like you can't buy an apple computer retail, it's just that most stores don't think it brings in enough money to take up precious shelf space with Macintosh computers.
5) Games would be made for Mac if there was more people using them. Plain and simple.

I need more coffee

[sm62704]

It's early and I'm not used to being able to see without glasses yet. I thought the blurb read "Peter Cullen, Microsoft's chief privacy strategist, found himself in the front line in the wake of the software giant's recent antiprivacy controversy."

On second thought, maybe "antiprivacy" was more accurate?