Intuit chains TurboTax to CPUs

Cory Doctorow 8:41 am Fri Jan 3, 2003

Will's just discovered that his copy of Intuit TurboTax and discovered that the software locks itself to his CPU and he's hopping mad.

Why is Intuit requiring TurboTax customers to activate their software?
We're money-hungry morons who seek to alienate our loyal customer base.

How does Product Activation work?
Consider this analogy: it's like you bought a book that is licensed to a single lamp. You can read the book under that lamp, but if you go to a different room, you'll have to take the lamp with you. If your dog knocks over the lamp, you'll have to buy a new copy of the book. If you want to give your brother-in-law your book when you're done reading it, you'll have to give him the lamp, too. If you need to put a new bulb in the lamp, you'll probably be able to read the book, but no guarantees

How do I benefit from this approach?
(sound of guilty whistling).

How does Product Activation protect customer privacy?
Trust us. We use magic fairy words.

(Thanks, Will!)

Amazon used a China firm on U.S. blacklist for thermal cameras to monitor workers for COVID-19 fever

• Amazon's new Chinese thermal spycam vendor was blacklisted by U.S. over allegations it helped China detain and monitor Uighurs and other Muslim minorities READ THE REST
Financial Times journalist Mark Di Stefano accused of accessing private Zoom meetings, then publishing the information

Mark Di Stefano of the Financial Times is accused by The Independent of accessing private Zoom meetings held by The Independent and The Evening Standard as journalists were learning how… READ THE REST
Hackers tried to break into WHO, which faces more than two-fold increase in cyberattacks

Hackers tried to break into the World Health Organization earlier in March, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread, Reuters reports. Security experts blame an advanced cyber-espionage hacker group known as DarkHotel.… READ THE REST
Short Post, just one paragraph

Dessert cheesecake wafer bear claw fruitcake. Fruitcake chupa chups donut candy canes marzipan. Apple pie sweet roll tart chocolate cake macaroon marshmallow carrot cake gummi bears sweet. Pastry sugar plum… READ THE REST
Save 50% on a 1-year subscription to Dashlane's premium password manager

We all know vital information about ourselves and our private digital accounts can be compromised by cybercriminals. However, many would be frightened to know just how compromised they and their… READ THE REST
The Bite Helper removes the itch of a mosquito bite in seconds

While mosquitoes have certainly earned their title as the deadliest animal on earth, their impact on most of our lives is usually a lot less consequential. But even though they… READ THE REST