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Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

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Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#211

Post by cm2187 »

csdreamer7 wrote: post #197
cm2187 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Linux is a world full of obscure acronyms and undiscoverable CLI commands. RTFM or nothing. I would like to switch to Linux (particularly when I read these things) but I just don't have the time to learn all the basic things the hard way and deal with all the compatibility issues.

You really do not need to learn the command line to use Desktop Linux these days. At least for what most people do. Browsing, office, gaming (with Steam). I would highly encourage you to learn the command line as it is considered a valuable skill on this site. You do not need to learn every obscure program. I often forget how to use quite a few Linux comamnds and just refer to Google or man.

Yeah but a few examples of common things that I can do with a UI with windows but had to edit text files and figure out the syntax in linux:

- Setting up a scheduled job

- Manipulate the firewall (I don't include third party packages as "UI")

- Configuring a website

- Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it

I also had huge problems a few years ago when the only Linux servers I could rent from OVH had no UI, and I didn't manage to figure out how to install the UI from a command line.

I'll need to get into Linux. But I find it to be hard work (for someone who does that as a hobby).

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#212

Post by morrbo »

kabdib wrote: post #174

We're doing some qualification of Windows Server 2016, which we use to run some business logic [insert history here]. Imagine my surprise when I found some Cortana-related processes running on one of the test boxes. Cortana. On an OS that's supposed to be a server . I can tell that I'm going to have a ton of fun locking this stupid thing down. Also, seeing a process named "NetworkSpy" got fun, fast; whoever named tha…

The forced restarts on a server are funny too. As is the feedback information to Microsoft (which iirc can not be turned off completely, only to basic, maybe there is a registry/gpo hack but i havent played with this yet).

Can't set the "active hours" to more than 12 hours to prevent restarting when it dictates, so end up disabling the update service entirely which is a complete anti-pattern to what they were trying to "achieve". I mean, the active hours stuff is a good idea, but for the love of god in a server environment it should be easy to disable automatic restarts.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#213

Post by morrbo »

jftuga wrote: post #184
alistproducer2 wrote: post #46

Serious question: does MS sell a version of Window 10 outright that doesn't include all of the snooping? I've been a Windows user my whole life but I will NEVER use an OS that collects data on the OS level.

If you are not a gamer or don't care about invasive/live widgets, etc. and just want a more simplistic desktop interface then you should consider running Server 2016 as your desktop OS. You can turn off the telemetry.

Not sure what you mean about "not a gamer". After my problems installing the drivers (which turned out to be me downloading the wrong thing) i'm using server 2016 as my daily driver, with an rx480 and getting 60fps ultra on overwatch. Server 2016 is fine for dx11/12 and will be great for any games. Would highly recommend (i did the same with server 2012 for years, ran several games with no issues whatsoever).

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#214

Post by ShareDVI »

cm2187 wrote: post #211
csdreamer7 wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You really do not need to learn the command line to use Desktop Linux these days. At least for what most people do. Browsing, office, gaming (with Steam). I would highly encourage you to learn the command line as it is considered a valuable skill on this site. You do not need to learn every obscure program. I often forget how to use quite a few Linux comamnds and just refer to Google or man.

Yeah but a few examples of common things that I can do with a UI with windows but had to edit text files and figure out the syntax in linux: - Setting up a scheduled job - Manipulate the firewall (I don't include third party packages as "UI") - Configuring a website - Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it I also had huge problems a few years ago when the only Linux servers I could rent from OVH had no UI,…

> Setting up a scheduled job

http://corntab.com https://github.com/alseambusher/crontab-ui

> Manipulate the firewall

http://gufw.org

> Configuring a website

http://apachegui.net (How can you do it in gui on windows?)

> Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it

Any normal file manager, i.e. thunar.

> I don't include third party packages as "UI"

Why? They're not hard to install if you need it.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#215

Post by mschuetz »

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #166
paulddraper wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you call "uninformed FUD" are unfortunately real problems I have had in the past 12 months on Lenovo Thinkpad W530 with Ubuntu 14.04. Perhaps I am missing the ever elusive combination of distro and machine.

Looks like there are a couple of minor issues that can be resolved with a trivial amount of research: http://www.linlap.com/lenovo_thinkpad_w530 If you hit other problems, did you do any research? Did you ask for support anywhere?

> can be resolved with a trivial amount of research

If someone has to do a hundred trivial fixes then you might start to believe that there is something fundamentally broken with whatever software confronts me with a hundred trivial problems.

I'd absolutely love to get away from windows but I tried it multiple times in the past and linux just isn't close to being an alternative in the desktop market. There are so many problems and almost everytime the solution involves doing some arcane stuff in the terminal. This isn't going to win your average user over to linux.

Linux runs on all my servers, where it does an excellent job, but I can't see it replacing windows on my desktop systems, not until they fix some fundamental usability and driver issues.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#216

Post by alephu5 »

When I get a new computer with Windows preinstalled, the first thing I do is split the hard disk and put a nice Linux distro on. On the odd occasion I need to use Windows it's really no big deal having to navigate the ocean of bloat and whatever else. I don't even mind being tracked on these disparate occasions.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#217

Post by Sir_Cmpwn »

mschuetz wrote: post #215
Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks like there are a couple of minor issues that can be resolved with a trivial amount of research: http://www.linlap.com/lenovo_thinkpad_w530 If you hit other problems, did you do any research? Did you ask for support anywhere?

> can be resolved with a trivial amount of research If someone has to do a hundred trivial fixes then you might start to believe that there is something fundamentally broken with whatever software confronts me with a hundred trivial problems. I'd absolutely love to get away from windows but I tried it multiple times in the past and linux just isn't close to being an alternative in the desktop market. There are so man…

A hundred trivial fixes? More like 3 trivial fixes max! Jesus christ, Linux isn't that complicated. You're likely to run into a similar number of problems setting up your scanner on Windows! I've run Linux on desktops and laptops for years with next to no problems.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#218

Post by frik »

cube2222 wrote: post #209
frik wrote: post #194

When will Microsoft stop with this shit, and do a 180 degree U-turn? What does it need? It's unbelievable how MSFT turned Windows from the great Win7 to the worst spyware operating system in human history aka Win10 in just 5 years. Is it just greed? Is it that they failed with Mobile (WinPhone is dead and has 0.1% world wide market share) and Android amd iOS have a bigger market share than Windows 7? (Win10 has way s…

Well, I think we should calm down from the paranoia a little bit. Nobody has ever proven any actual spying on windows 10 (it's actually a very secure system) What everybody's talking about are metrics. Anonymous usage metrics. And trust me, as a user and programmer I know of no company that doesn't collect metrics like that. It's totally common. Between, as far as I know, from the next update "creators" (this or next…

As a MSFT employee: Provide a proof that Win10 is not sending home the data I mentioned.

Oh wait, it has been documented by third parties.

Win10 has a whitelist in the signed 64bit kernel mode network driver, so you can't stop it except by putting a hardware firewall in front of your Win10 box - good luck with your Win10 notebook.

If an app sends home metrics, it can be stopped with a software firewall. If you can't trust your operating system any more, it's a whole different ballpark.

Adware and spyware companies with their unwanted toolbars and what not got problems with the US law since 2004. Win10 is an adware and spyware per definition, see news article of this HN thread.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#219

Post by witty_username »

cm2187 wrote: post #32
chc wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This works well if your hobbies include manually editing obscure config files and replacing perfectly good hardware, and if your hobbies do not include playing games. I frequently explore the possibility of switching to Linux, and while it's not the garbage fire it was 15 years ago, it's still just not a peer to Windows for the way I use my computer.

I agree. Linux is a world full of obscure acronyms and undiscoverable CLI commands. RTFM or nothing. I would like to switch to Linux (particularly when I read these things) but I just don't have the time to learn all the basic things the hard way and deal with all the compatibility issues.

I've played TF2 and CS:GO on Linux; although it's true many games aren't available on Linux.

Re: Windows 10 is bringing ads to File Explorer – how to turn them off

#220

Post by cube2222 »

frik wrote: post #218
cube2222 wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, I think we should calm down from the paranoia a little bit. Nobody has ever proven any actual spying on windows 10 (it's actually a very secure system) What everybody's talking about are metrics. Anonymous usage metrics. And trust me, as a user and programmer I know of no company that doesn't collect metrics like that. It's totally common. Between, as far as I know, from the next update "creators" (this or next…

As a MSFT employee: Provide a proof that Win10 is not sending home the data I mentioned. Oh wait, it has been documented by third parties. Win10 has a whitelist in the signed 64bit kernel mode network driver, so you can't stop it except by putting a hardware firewall in front of your Win10 box - good luck with your Win10 notebook. If an app sends home metrics, it can be stopped with a software firewall. If you can't…

I haven't denied the metrics. But please provide proof of it sending home non-anonymus data the kind you mentioned. Also, as I said, it should be possible to turn it off soon.
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