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Fix Windows 10

fix10.isleaked.com

131–140 of 201 posts

Re: Fix Windows 10

#131
post #110
post #32

In my opinion, if those privacy issues bother you, the first step should be an overview of non-Microsoft operating systems.

Have a look at ReactOS, a free open source OS that is binary compatible to Windows (its what Linux is to Unix). http://www.reactos.org

Fixed: Have a look at ReactOS, a free open source OS that ideally will be binary compatible to Windows if it attracts enough talented and interested developers and gets off the ground.

ReactOS is nowhere near usable as an everyday operating system; the site you linked to even says: ReactOS 0.3.17 is still in alpha stage, meaning it is not feature-complete and is recommended only for evaluation and testing purposes.

Re: Fix Windows 10

#132
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>American internet speeds suck enough without Microsoft grabbing some for itself. Which is why you should only have to download updates once for your entire network and not per device and why you shouldn't waste bandwidth on failed partial updates. This feature fixes both of these issues. >They seemed to be able to improve their services before. In fact, I think that's what a Security Researchers job is. MS has sever…

> If you don't use voice or ink, why are you worried about sharing your voice and ink data with Microsoft? For what it's worth, I don't think this is a fair assessment. Sure, with ink data, you actually need a tablet or some kind of input device in order for Microsoft to collect and send data. But almost every laptop or off-the-shelf computer nowadays comes with a microphone, and they will be more ubiquitous now that…

The idea that Microsoft would capture all audio depends on the company being simultaneously malicious enough to bug your computer while being honest enough not to lie about it. The truth is that they would have had the ability to do this type of thing for years. If Microsoft had an intention to do evil things, why would the bring attention to the fact by spelling out the possibility of them doing evil things during installation of their software?

Re: Fix Windows 10

#133
post #32

In my opinion, if those privacy issues bother you, the first step should be an overview of non-Microsoft operating systems.

I hope they start with Android and Google Maps on iOS where Google tracks which stores you visit when you have your phone with you. http://9to5google.com/2013/11/11/google-tracking-your-store-... If you disable it, Google Now stops working. Or with Chromebooks, where everything is forced to be stored in Google's cloud with very paltry storage like 32GB and 64GB even in high end Pixels. I somehow don't see the outrage…

You can just turn off location services on android. However, we also began with almost no privacy expectations on phones from the beginning of smartphones.

The difference here is that people using Windows in the past did have an expectation of privacy, which is no longer the case. Also, privacy is being retroactively removed.

At the end of the day, it is their product and they can do whatever they want with it. People are free to migrate away to Linux.

Re: Fix Windows 10

#134
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you want to be blocked from downloading malware? Guess what? You have to check with a central db first. Or it could download the db and do the checks locally. There wouldn't be privacy concerns about MS knowing which sites one's browsing.

You realise Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft all use Google's database[0] for this and have for at least seven year. Why is this anti-phishing blacklist all of a sudden an issue in 2015? [0] https://developers.google.com/safe-browsing/developers_guide...

As far as I know, that should be okay. Browsers don't query the database online like some RBL, but download it locally and check visited sites against a local copy. No URLs are sent to Google.

Which is - as far as I know - is very different from how Windows anti-malware system works. At least I think I saw a network requests from Windows 8 machine when "untrusted" applications (.exe) were started.

Re: Fix Windows 10

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are: 1. Install an AOSP ROM without the proprietary Google Apps or Google Play Services. 2. Install the F-Droid market to download whatever programs you like. 3. Enjoy using an Android phone without the anti-privacy Google tracking.

Unfortunately 90% of useful apps aren't on F-Droid.

That's just your opinion. 90% of the apps in Google play are junk that don't respect user rights or privacy.

I'm perfectly content using only the apps available in F-Droid, and have been for years.

Re: Fix Windows 10

#136
post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope they start with Android and Google Maps on iOS where Google tracks which stores you visit when you have your phone with you. http://9to5google.com/2013/11/11/google-tracking-your-store-... If you disable it, Google Now stops working. Or with Chromebooks, where everything is forced to be stored in Google's cloud with very paltry storage like 32GB and 64GB even in high end Pixels. I somehow don't see the outrage…

Forced to use Google's cloud? Chrome OS supports local network drives[1], third party cloud providers (like Dropbox), SD cards, USB drives, etc. Nobody is forcing you to store stuff on Google Drive instead of any of those others options. Yes, your Chrome OS settings are backed up to Google's cloud, but you can always set an encryption passphrase separate from your Google password so that Google can't decrypt your set…

It's very telling that you get a 3 year free Google Drive storage account with 1TB or so storage instead of more local storage on Chromebooks.

The terms of service allow them to mine all your documents etc. for keywords once it's in their cloud. Otherwise why would they sell Chromebooks at or below cost.

Re: Fix Windows 10

#137
How naive it is to believe that Microsoft will obey these settings? It is very time-consuming to make sure if they fulfill the promise because that requires reading disassembly as Windows is closed-source. And, even if they were caught not following the settings they could use the word "bug" as an excuse.

Also, it should be emphasized that providing options to disable privacy-invasive features doesn't justify invading the privacy of the non-tech savvy people, who cannot disable privacy-invasive functionalities.

Re: Fix Windows 10

#138
post #18

> 7. To disable telemetry (...) Why should I disable that? What does it do? My understanding is that it's only statistics on data usage, which I find useful?

Exactly because we don't even know what does it do. (Hey, had anyone did a protocol analysis and/or telemetry binaries reverse-engineering already?)

Do you want your machine to send some information, derived from your personal data, at third-party discretion - without you knowing what exactly is being sent?

Re: Fix Windows 10

#139

Uhm.. As someone who havn't used Windows for a long time, can't you just create a PowerShell script to do all these things?

Yep, this one does all that and more: https://github.com/Ugion/Win10PrivacyForGits

I thought it was shown that Windows ignores the hosts file when sending the data. So wouldn't this fail?

Re: Fix Windows 10

#140
post #121
post #61

I think Microsoft messed up the messaging and wording of their features, bigtime. Many products these days are integrating analytics to see how their users use their products. Personally, I prefer to disable such tracking, but I don't view it as malicious. MS should have realized by now that people don't quite trust them with this stuff, and they should have make it clear at the outset that they are never going to us…

It's a PR disaster for Microsoft, they tried hard to give little specific information and their paid commenters made it worse. It's time to change for the Microsoft CEO, better release an early 10.1 than burn the Windows brand for generations.

If you believe this is the keystone issue that is going to permanently stain their reputation and pariah Windows around the globe for decades to come... well, you may be in an echo chamber.

I'm not saying it isn't important or a big deal. But- as best I can tell, this is a sideshow compared to some of the offenses that have come before, and in the greater public it seems most people don't even know, let alone care.

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