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With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

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Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#31
post #2

Some highlights: Microsoft installed an app in users’ system trays advertising the free upgrade to Windows 10. Not satisfied, the company eventually made Windows 10 a recommended update so users receiving critical security updates were now also downloading an entirely new operating system onto their machines without their knowledge. This is essentially equivalent to saying: You've been running whatever version of Win…

So all the talk about the "new" Microsoft has been for nothing.

The new Microsoft picked up a lot of habits from Google and other newer companies.

1. Open sourcing crud.

2. Taking away your rights and violating your privacy.

We need to communicate clearly to Microsoft what types of new behavior are good, and what types of new behavior are bad. It's just like raising a child. :)

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#32
post #2

Some highlights: Microsoft installed an app in users’ system trays advertising the free upgrade to Windows 10. Not satisfied, the company eventually made Windows 10 a recommended update so users receiving critical security updates were now also downloading an entirely new operating system onto their machines without their knowledge. This is essentially equivalent to saying: You've been running whatever version of Win…

> Specifically, when prompted with a Windows 10 update, if the > user chose to decline it by hitting the ‘X’ in the upper right > hand corner, Microsoft interpreted that as consent to download > Windows 10. So what? I clicked that X multiple times and it didn't _install_. It may have _downloaded_, I'm not sure, but did not install.

They changed this behavior after huge public outcry. It used to install the update too. Microsoft was even ordered to pay $10k in a civil suit[1] because of this.

[1] http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/27/12046738/microsoft-pays-10...

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#33
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So all the talk about the "new" Microsoft has been for nothing.

THIS is the new "new" Microsoft.

Nope, there have been multiple Microsoft's that have been in conflict with each other for years.

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#35

I upgraded willingly so the deceptive upgrade practices, while deplorable, didn't really affect me. What does affect me is that Microsoft refuses to let me control my computer. - If you turn off Windows Defender Real Time Protection it explicitly tells you "You can turn this off, but if it's off for a while we'll turn it back on". It turns itself on upon next reboot, it seems. - You can't turn off Windows Update. It…

Everything you've listed is addressable by enterprise users in an AD environment. I.E., Microsoft's real customers. Using a copy of Windows 10 with no Cortana, Auto-updates, Groove, or Windows Defender right now.

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#36

By default, Windows 10 sends an unprecedented amount of usage data back to Microsoft... location data, text input, voice input, touch input, webpages you visit, and telemetry data regarding your general usage of your computer, including which programs you run and for how long. Unprecedented for Microsoft or everyone? This is inline with what Google collects on Android. ...the fact remains that many users would much p…

So!? The fact that anyone else does it, doesn't give MS a pass. I'll never understand these types of arguments.

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#37

Microsoft paid $10k [1] to one single count of this deceiving practice and decided to settle not to pursue further. Me and my young children see Transvaginal Mesh Implants class action lawsuit invitation few times a day for probably a year now on multitude of national TV stations. When will some tech-literate lawyer start gathering evidence to file a class action lawsuit over what MS just did?? [1] http://www.theverg…

The EULA you agree to during Windows 10 installation prohibits class action lawsuits, but Windows 7 should be fair game...

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#38
post #2

Some highlights: Microsoft installed an app in users’ system trays advertising the free upgrade to Windows 10. Not satisfied, the company eventually made Windows 10 a recommended update so users receiving critical security updates were now also downloading an entirely new operating system onto their machines without their knowledge. This is essentially equivalent to saying: You've been running whatever version of Win…

> Specifically, when prompted with a Windows 10 update, if the > user chose to decline it by hitting the ‘X’ in the upper right > hand corner, Microsoft interpreted that as consent to download > Windows 10. So what? I clicked that X multiple times and it didn't _install_. It may have _downloaded_, I'm not sure, but did not install.

> It may have _downloaded_,

Was it bright enough to reliably detect metered connections (did it even try at all?). If not then just this could have cost people money.

And consuming a couple of Gb of space could be a noticeable inconvenience on a small system (say one of the many tables and laptops with nothing more than a 64 or 32gb solid state drive).

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#39
post #15

By default, Windows 10 sends an unprecedented amount of usage data back to Microsoft... location data, text input, voice input, touch input, webpages you visit, and telemetry data regarding your general usage of your computer, including which programs you run and for how long. Unprecedented for Microsoft or everyone? This is inline with what Google collects on Android. ...the fact remains that many users would much p…

>>> Apple, Google, and Amazon currently So in your world 2 wrongs make a right... because "everyone else" is doing it is a justification for you? See I was taught from a young age that just because my friends did something incredibly stupid, illegal, or immoral that dis not give me license to commit the offense.

Same here.

Edit:

Re: With Windows 10, Microsoft Disregards User Choice and Privacy

#40

I upgraded willingly so the deceptive upgrade practices, while deplorable, didn't really affect me. What does affect me is that Microsoft refuses to let me control my computer. - If you turn off Windows Defender Real Time Protection it explicitly tells you "You can turn this off, but if it's off for a while we'll turn it back on". It turns itself on upon next reboot, it seems. - You can't turn off Windows Update. It…

> You can't remove worthless apps like Microsoft Groove and OneDrive integration. You can, it's just not super-easy. I've done both. Groove was pretty easy but OneDrive took a few steps. I almost have file explorer configured in a good way for me -- it actually seems much more flexible than previous versions even if half that flexibility is only available in regedit.

OneDrive comes back to the File Explorer after each Windows 10 big update, even if you disable its icon with the registry editor. The same happens to the library folders (Videos, Pictures etc.).
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