IP: AND Another view on Pentium III serial number not really off by default

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

From: shapj () us ibm com
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 15:18:13 -0500

A gentle observation for IP readers:

If your PC has an ethernet card or a recent modem card, it already *has* a
unique serial number.  All ethernet cards, and most of the new modem cards,
have a serial number built in. Adding a CPU serial number to the box
doesn't really change anything.

Windows 98 and Windows NT have a unique installation number (the CD Key)
that can be used for the same purpose.  Go to the control panel, bring up
the "system" control panel application, and check the "registered to"
section.  For tracking purposes this is a better choice than any hardware
number, because it is less frequently altered by upgrade.

Given this, the hooraw over processor serial numbers seems a little silly.
The phrase "locking the barn door after the horse has escaped" comes to
mind.

Jonathan