I've seen too often that what they put in your records does not match with what they told you... Or didn't tell you about at all. If you have full access to your records, you get to see it all. Makes them look kind of stupid and you have to wonder how they got through med school...

Oh.. Would you/someone mind posting how you get updates from WindozeUpdates using Firefox? When I go there (http://www.update.microsoft.com) I get the following:

Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

To use this site, you must be running Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later.

To upgrade to the latest version of the browser, go to the Internet Explorer Downloads website.

If you prefer to use a different web browser, you can obtain updates from the Microsoft Download Center or you can stay up to date with the latest critical and security updates by using Automatic Updates. To turn on Automatic Updates: 1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Depending on which Control Panel view you use, Classic or Category, do one of the following:
* Click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.
* Click Performance and Maintenance, click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.

3. Click the option that you want. Make sure Automatic Updates is not turned off.

To clarify then.. I was referring to the interface, not the automatic update that only a fool would use. Sure updates can be downloaded and installed manually as well, but that's a pain in the ass for most users. It's funny regarding the comment about being able to get the updates using Firefox 1.5... Whenever I would use it to go tot he update site to get the updates, the site would tell me I needed to use IE. Experience shapes how you see things. Your experience was obviously different than mine. So I use IE to get updates and Firefox for everything else. Time to go to Windows update and try it again with FF I guess.

And don't forget that Microsoft Update only works with IE, so you have to use it then too... Unless they make changes for it to work with the others.

I don't know that I would leave that hole open in my VPN configuration, but have you tried using OpenDNS (http://www.opendns.com/)? I don't know if it'll work in your situation or not, but I hardcode it vs. picking up the automatically assigned ISP's DNS and it works great. It doesn't have the problems with the redirection for advertisement when an incorrect URL is entered. In fact, that's one of my primary reasons for using it. Give it a try. Their site will give you the two IP addresses you need to use them, and best of all... it's free.

Didn't Microsoft try this before with DEC? That marriage didn't last too long, if I remember correctly.