Phil Cook v2 wrote:
> http://flipc.blogspot.com/2010/07/xbox-live-and-lack-of-security.html


 > So you don't have to set up a pass-code you can just sign with
 > your Gamertag - the one that's public displayed every time you
 > play online?

There's a passcode, then there's a password. You get prompted to set up a
 
password right away, but you can save that to your profile so you can pla
y 
online without entering the password. The password is what gets you into 
the 
online store and such.

The passcode is four button presses on the controller that keeps other 
people in the house from logging in as you locally, so that big brother 
can't (for example) mess up your saved games and high scores.

> 1) Is it possible to log in online without a passcode using only the 
> publicly displayed gamertag?

Don't confuse password and passcode. The password gets you online. The 
passcode logs you in locally.

> 2) How easy is it to 'accidentally' purchase something from Marketplace
 
> in this case a full £20 game.

Yep. If you have the means to purchase stuff, and you're not careful, it'
ll 
buy it with just a couple of key presses.

This is why, if you have kids, you put points into the system instead of 
the 
credit card. Or set the kid's account to be a kid's account so they can't
 
buy with it.  Why did they give the kid the credit card?

> As it stands my friend's son is on the brink of forfeiting his next 
> Christmas and Birthday presents unless he pays up; but as an accident i
t 
> could lead to a slightly more lenient response and the default "Bloody 

> Microsoft" outcry :-)

If they gave him an adult account and associated a credit card with it, y
es, 
it's pretty easy to buy stuff without jumping thru hoops. The choice is t
he 
same screen as the demo downloads (which they "sell" you for $0, basicall
y).

Take the credit card off the kid's gamertag, or set the gamertag to be a 

child's gamertag.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    C# - a language whose greatest drawback
    is that its best implementation comes
    from a company that doesn't hate Microsoft.

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