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LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

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Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#361

Post by mrob »

Grombobulous wrote: post #177
ihsw wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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'…

Just look at Microsoft’s revenue breakdown that they publish. Windows revenue is alarmingly small. I don’t think it’s a loss leader but Microsoft gets almost nothing from OEM Windows licenses and basically nobody buys it retail. This is not coming to the Linux world. The moment this sort of thing happens, distros get forked.

>This is not coming to the Linux world. The moment this sort of thing happens, distros get forked.

I installed Debian 13 recently. The first time I opened Firefox ESR (installed by default), I got something that looked like adverts on the home page (banner blindness means I have no memory of what they actually were, only of the feeling of disgust). The Home section of the Settings page had options for "Sponsored shortcuts" and "Sponsored stories" enabled by default. Changing a default setting is a lot easier than forking software, yet it was not done.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#362

Post by OptionOfT »

Windows urgently needs to revamp their driver consent model.

You can't block a just one driver. E.g. for my touch screen on the Lenovo website there is version X. When I install it the next day Windows installs X-1.

On Lenovo's website the latest version is 7.7.2.66 (https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netb...).

Windows reverts that to 7.7.2.44.

I tried blocking that update with the Powershell command-thingy, but even that doesn't work:

    Administrator in ~
    get-windowsupdate -isHidden | ft Status,KB,Size,Title

    Status  KB Size Title
    ------  -- ---- -----
    ----H--    92KB Wacom Technology - HIDClass - 7.7.2.44
(this command by the way takes 20+ seconds), and the filtering doesn't work because there is no KB.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#363

Post by mrob »

Aerroon wrote: post #333
ufmace wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they are anymore. The vast majority of ordinary person computer/internet use has already moved to smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and other such devices. It seems nowadays many people don't even know the basics about how to use a desktop operating system.

I find this hard to believe considering how bad the UIs are on phones and TVs. Even google.com does not offer feature parity between their desktop and mobile websites. My phone still didn't come with a functional paint or notepad apps. Google docs is a horrible experience on phones (but at least it works now - a few years ago it was straight up unusable). And you're telling me that this is the only computing platform…

That fact that you're posting on a web forum makes you an outlier. Most people only passively consume, and mobile devices are good enough for that.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#364

Post by jayd16 »

wat10000 wrote: post #197
joe_mamba wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I don't know what Microsoft is thinking even allowing and enabling this sort of thing This has been a feature since Windows 7, and it worked great since it would pull all necessary drivers after installation without you going hunting on the internet like in the Windows XP days. Just that no HW manufacturer thought to push spyware in their driver repos at that point to improve some team's KPIs.

Auto-run when inserting a CD worked great, until people realized you could do bad stuff with it. User action must be required to run or install new software.

OK so you get a pop-up that says "install driver or it won't work" and so you do and then you're at the same situation.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#365

Post by drnick1 »

numpad0 wrote: post #263
necovek wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Ubuntu snap

Just use Debian. It's just as easy to install and use nowadays, and does not come with bloatware/malware.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#366

Post by preisschild »

orblivion wrote: post #278
devttyeu wrote: post #20

This is so much worse that the title makes it out to be: 1. Your OS installs malware (technically manufacturers software) from a 3rd party vendor in background, zero user interaction 2. Happens as soon as you or anyone with physical access plug in a device into the HDMI port 3. That malware has internet and full system access, no sandboxing 4. It starts with every system boot 5. This software gets installed when you…

Thank you for the summary. As a Linux user, am I spared because of relative obscurity, or is it that Microsoft is explicitly allowing this to happen?

Linux only auto-loads the drivers in the kernel tree

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#367

Post by whalesalad »

BoingBoomTschak wrote: post #205
whalesalad wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LG TV’s are really really good. If you never connect them to the internet. And that rule should be applied to all TV’s. Use an external device like an Apple TV or a self-crafted solution (Roku, Amzn stick, etc all garbage phoning home and listening with Alexa crap) Treat your TV like a computer monitor (ironic here in this context lol)

Image quality may be good (minus the horrible banding and ABL) but I'd put LG and Samsung in the same bag concerning hardware reliability: don't expect it to last much more than the warranty period and if it does, give some offerings to your lucky star.

In my experience they are both good. I have a 15 year old 1080p Samsung 55” panel that has moved across the country 3 times. It’s in my garage and still works great. My C2 OLED is 5 years old, knock on wood still working great. B5 OLED latest in my fleet it’s only a year old.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#368

Post by StumpChunkman »

gambiting wrote: post #176
regexorcist wrote: post #166

Seriously, 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.

Have you tried Rider? I've been using that for C++ Unreal development and absolutely love it. It does help that IntelliJ was my daily driver for Java dev for a while.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#369

Post by CodesInChaos »

jayd16 wrote: post #360
orbital-decay wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>This situation has.. no precedent as far as I can tell.. Printer, mouse, tablet and display tablet makers use this to insert their crapware since at least Windows Vista or Windows 7, I think. The last one I remember is plugging a Razer mouse just to watch it instantly pulling 1.5GB of bloated junk with "telemetry" exfiltrating the data from my gaming PC in realtime. At least it doesn't leave my mouse in a non-workin…

Microsoft could end up being a higher barrier but how much do we really want that? To me, it seems like LG is the one to blame.

> Microsoft could end up being a higher barrier but how much do we really want that?

For drivers installed automatically via Windows Update? Absolutely yes.

For software the user installs manually? No.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#370

Post by IgorPartola »

yndoendo wrote: post #265
orbital-decay wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>This situation has.. no precedent as far as I can tell.. Printer, mouse, tablet and display tablet makers use this to insert their crapware since at least Windows Vista or Windows 7, I think. The last one I remember is plugging a Razer mouse just to watch it instantly pulling 1.5GB of bloated junk with "telemetry" exfiltrating the data from my gaming PC in realtime. At least it doesn't leave my mouse in a non-workin…

Back in my Window days. I would start the driver installation and let it sit. Open the temp folder and copy content the install extracted to a new directory. Cancel the installation. Open Device Manager and install the drivers from there so non of the excessive bloat was installed. This worked greater with being an IT consultant. The client's machine to run smoother and drivers installed fast since they would buy mul…

To be fair Microsoft was always shitware. I don’t remember a time when using a Windows machine just worked, didn’t take up gigabytes of space, didn’t crash, and didn’t get messed up by simply using it requiring a yearly or semi-yearly reinstall.
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