Chills at Microsoft's security huddle

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LD's comparison inept.

Microsoft has a security conference, people release the right for Microsoft to use whatever they say. Sounds fair enough, its no different than a reporter quoting someone at press conference.

You haven't been to many press conferences, have you Loverock. At a press conference the attendees are given information by the caller of the conference with the express permission, and expectation, that the reporters will use the information and talk. With Microsoft's security conference, the restrictions are opposite to the press conference.

Read the article again! An NDA prevents attendees from talking about information Microsoft gives, thereby they are unable to do peer review, or even talk about the security failings of Microsoft products. The information given can never "get out". Meanwhile, Microsoft takes express license to any and all information given by attendees, and, here's the rub, Microsoft is not bound by to mutual non-disclosure. Thereby Microsoft may take information and use it both to slam competitors products and compete in an area they've just entered. This is no better, if I might be permitted to hyper-extend, than contractual industrial espionage.

the information flow is meant to flow towards Microsoft and nowherelse. I can understand why parnters might be nervous. The answer, of course, is if they're nervous; they should simply not attend. As one interviewee pointed out: Microsoft has not given them any information not already available online. The competitors no longer need Microsoft and should stop suckling at the beast's teat.

Posted by: John Le'Brecage   Posted on: 07/24/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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