[jim-x]

I've wondered if the US hasn't done the same thing with Microsoft's Windows software.

Actually, there is this little item called a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) used liberally throughout Windows. They are generated on the fly and are supposedly unique to a computer because one of the pieces of data used to create it is the computer's hardware MAC address (i.e., a unique identifier for your ethernet card). Not sure what it uses if there is no ethernet card...

These GUIDs are also passed around between systems, applications, clients, servers, etc., and have (again supposedly) been used to track down a few hackers and virus writers.

[SAJ]

MACaddys become irrelevant on a non-networked computer, even non-existent (if one considers the onboard NI to be a 'card', a MACaddress or the equivalent does exist, even if the box isn't attached to a net. To disable this address, though, is child's play. To erase it entirely is a bit more difficult...but not much (g!)).

So, create your (poison-pen letter, scandalous commentary, deliberate and well-deserved insults, whatever) on an old box (c. 1998, running Win95 or even DOS), then send it via 8-bit faxmodem, and tell the PC police to go whistle. Graphics are difficult w/this schema, but doable if you're quite dedicated.

Oh, yes, almost forgot. Route the transmission through a blind turnaround circuit (bit of hardware you can attach to any Western Electric deskset) at some other address, and you've no worries.