Seriously, why use Windows in 2026? Such a hideous OS and ecosystem with endless malware, backdoors, and dark patterns.
The worst OS except for all the others.
LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
181–190 of 671 posts
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#182Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is one of those typical HN replies that adds absolutely nothing to the discussion.
Much like your own, and this one!
I wonder if this ritual of meta-self-policing serves some particular purpose or if it's just a case of the brain drawing comfort from going through a familiar ritual. "This comment adds nothing" is like the reverse amen in church of our days.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#183Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh definitely, it's more a question of why Microsoft allows any 'driver utility' to have internet access or do anything outside of just configuring the hardware.
> why Microsoft allows any 'driver utility' to have internet access Firmware updates for devices are not a thing in your world?
It seems like windows update should handle distributing the verified new firmware file if it is also distributing the driver utility to avoid any issues like this post talks about.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#184Workaround: gpedit.msc Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation Prevent automatic download of applications associated with device metadata Set to enabled OK On home editions sans gpedit.msc: sysdm.cpl Hardware tab Click Device Installation Settings Under 'Do you want to automatically download manufacturers' apps for your devices?', select 'No' Save Changes
This is getting technical enough that you might as well install Linux if you figure out how to do this.
In other words, we all know that regular consumers will never find this and they’ll never understand that their LG software is spyware in the first place.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#185Not surprised. My wife CONVINCED me to buy an LG tv instead of my typical dumb monitor. Now I get constant ads and a constant nagging of updates available, that will install more ads and spying features...
I have a pihole in front of my LG TV blocking nearly every DNS query it tries. I only allow a couple streaming apps I do use and see zero ads.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#186Earlier quoted context omitted.
My understanding is that the monitor doesn't do anything by itself - it's just Windows detecting the device and automatically downloading and installing LG:s proprietary add-on software. The monitor itself isn't attacking the machine by exploiting vulnerabilities or spoofing user input or anything like that. So you won't have this problem if you're running Linux and other Free Software under your own control. The pro…
> My understanding is that the monitor doesn't do anything by itself The understanding should also included that unless LG actually asked Microsoft to implement this autoinstalling malware, it wouldn't have been installed by itself. I think parent commentator is making the argument that they don't want to financially support companies who engage in these sort of things, regardless if this particular scenario applies…
Sure, but I was addressing the question that was asked (although perhaps it was asked rhetorically): LG cannot do this to you if you don't install their proprietary software, so Linux users are safe (assuming they use a trustworthy distro).
You could choose to buy from another vendor, but other vendors have the same incentives to abuse your trust in the same way once they manage to persuade you into running their proprietary software on your machine.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#187I am tired of this. LG is now on my blacklist alongside EA and Blizzard Entertainment for their anti consumer practices. I can't change them, I can't change policies about it. I can choose to not buy.
> Blizzard Entertainment You mean "Microsoft Xbox Activision Blizzard King Bethesda Mojang"? I wish you luck with your boycott.
Not that hard, last game I played was WoW Classic, last I bought was diablo 3, only game that is remotely interesting is diablo 2 resurrected. Microsoft deleted my mojang account as well. Seems like new xbox mgmt will accelerate their slow enshittification.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#188Earlier quoted context omitted.
> This situation has.. no precedent as far as I can tell.. Microsoft has been allowing this sort of ludicrous behavior for decades at this point, it's not a new issue. What's new is how visible LG made their malware, compared to previous auto-installs that happen like this, where they try to make the thing not so in your face, as they know there will be a huge backlash. I don't know what Microsoft is thinking even al…
If you have been reading the news about Windows 11 then I will enlighten you -- they view the Windows 11 consumer business as a cost center that must be mitigated. As such, all manner of monetization has been approved and it will continued to be approved without regard for user experience. This article obviates that this is not an LG problem, it is a Microsoft problem. Also, don't fool yourself if you think this won'…
As long as you have a computer that can run unsigned software, or software signed by yourself, this won't come to Linux as non-optional features: you can always recompile your kernel removing things you do not want like this.
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#189Earlier quoted context omitted.
When preinstalled (as multiple major OEMs do), or when bundled in unrelated installers in these sorts of ways, it matches the definitions of scam excellently, and protection racket not badly. When you uninstall, they give you an opportunity to type a reason. I wonder if anyone actually reads my accusations of them being scammers and bad people. I have uninstalled McAfee from more people’s computers than I care to rem…
How exactly does it match the definition of a scam? Windows does get viruses, and it does protect against them. It's not something you actually need, like most consumer VPNs, but they have high pressure sales tactics to trick people into buying it, but they do deliver what is promised, which makes it not a scam. They are creating artificial demand with their scare mongering, and I tell everyone I know not to get it,…
They push this message hard: unless you pay us, the bad guys will eat your lunch.
The truth is that if you uninstall their software (and hopefully also if you just let the trial lapse, though I don’t actually know whether Defender Antivirus gets enabled automatically in that case) Microsoft will defend you against the lunch-eating bad guys just as well as McAfee, for free.
That easily qualifies it as fraud.
For that reason, I’m willing to call it a scam when preinstalled or otherwise installed without user intent. I wouldn’t call it a scam if people installed it deliberately (though I would still disparage it and its tactics).
Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
#190Seriously, why use Windows in 2026? Such a hideous OS and ecosystem with endless malware, backdoors, and dark patterns.
IMHO it's the best OS as a games developer, Visual Studio just doesn't have anything remotely close. And all console toolchains are windows only. But genuinely as a C++ dev I much much much prefer it over MacOS or even Linux for work.
Of course this is a “I need the OS for work” situation. It reminds me a lot of 20 years ago when we’d say things like “I’d love a Mac but it’s not compatible with anything I do for work,” and that sentiment didn’t last.
I definitely wouldn’t predict that Linux is taking over the world or anything but it wasn’t that long ago that playing AAA games on Linux on day one of release was ludicrous. Now the most popular PC handheld runs Linux, a PC console launched that runs Linux.
Now we have hardware like the MacBook Neo that threatens Windows even more. Sure, the XPS 13 came out and is arguably a compelling alternative. But I think the mindshare damage has been done on that one.
The idea that Windows might disappear entirely is not that far-fetched, especially when you look at Microsoft’s financial results.
If I was a PC OEM like Dell I would probably band together with other OEMs like Lenovo to make my own Linux distribution and support Windows offboarding even further as a hedge to my business.