It is my suspicion that Internet Explorer under Windows does an inventory of a person's hard disk and sends a list of Microsoft software along with serial numbers back to Microsoft. However, I have no real evidence to backup this suspicion. When I boot Windows 2000, I notice that my LAN switch is always polled (it can't get past the switch because it doesn't know the DSL protocol). Linux doesn't talk to the switch until I specifically tell it to. My system is dual boot so that enables me to never access my DSL link through Windows 2000 (I do all my Internet access through Linux). I was once asked to install an older version of Windows on another person's computer. I initially installed it with the computer disconnected to the network. When I first accessed the internet through MIcrosoft's software, I noticed the operating system was thrashing the hard disk pretty hard (looked like it was reading every track). I strongly advise not using Internet Explorer. Use Mozilla or Firefox instead. I think this advise would be echoed by most security experts.

Gary