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Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

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Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#281

Post by ionised »

scholia wrote: post #274
ionised wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're jumping to a lot of conclusions. 1) I do use app stores (F-Droid, Play etc) but I have no use for the Windows Store. Windows ModernUI apps are basically stripped down versions of more feature-filled desktop applications, so why wouldn't I just use them instead? 2) Secure apps? What does this even mean? 3) I love AI. I play games, so I have to. 4) Again, not even sure what you're suggesting. 5) I do use cloud s…

> My Windows machine is for games and games alone. I have no need or want of any of Microsoft's cloud integration. Fair enough. You could have skipped the other six points. > Windows ModernUI apps are basically stripped down versions of more feature-filled desktop applications, so why wouldn't I just use them instead? Windows ModernUI apps are written to Windows Runtime, not the old Win32 API. This means they are ava…

> they are easy to install, can be updated automatically, they are easy to uninstall

I generally don't have problems with any of those things.

> they are more controlled than Win32 apps

Not necessarily a good thing for power users.

> and they run sandboxed, so they are more secure.

Already got my own solution for this.

> If a ModernUI app does what you need, it would be sensible to run the app rather than a traditional desktop program.

That's what I'm saying. In my experience they generally are inferior to most desktop applications that already exist and are far more powerful and featureful. It's been this way since Windows 8 debuted the Windows Store.

If at some point in the future that changes then I'll consider switching over to them properly. Until then, I'll stick with Win32 programs that are...well, better in both UI (in my opinion, they are easier to navigate) and features.

ModernUI apps are just Microsoft's foray into the walled garden ecosystem. I can't blame them for doing it this way, there is a lot of money to be made and Apple and Google are both doing it so they run the risk of being left behind.

I still like control over how my operating system and the applications on it run though. I'm not an error-prone casual user. I don't need the use of my OS and programs dictated to me., nor do I like my applications to be delivered through a single vendor-controlled portal.

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#282

Post by iancarroll »

simoncion wrote: post #280
iancarroll wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is you can't explicitly tell a browser to fetch a cookie from cookie.example.com - and when you have multiple subdomains which rely on the cookie, plus analytics software which sets it for the whole domain, you can't do that.

The following isn't snark: So, is that a "yes" to my question? A "sort of"? A "it's too complicated to summarize"?

Sort of: If you only ever need a cookie set on app.example.com, you can do that and use assets.example.com. It'll work for simple applications and not much else.

Things like Google Analytics also set cookies by default on *.example.com so you'll have to figure out a way around that.

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#283

Post by ultramancool »

nathanaldensr wrote: post #230

The following fix worked for me. I don't see any outbound traffic on Fiddler when typing searches in the Start menu or when actually running the search. Granted, Microsoft needs to make this MUCH easier to do; the VAST majority of Windows users have no idea what group policies are. 1. Run gpedit.msc 2. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search 3. Set the State to Enabled fo…

Just to confirm, I have all of these set, have rebooted and this traffic still occurs. If you really don't have it, I have no idea what you did.

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#284

Post by scholia »

ionised wrote: post #281
scholia wrote: post #274

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My Windows machine is for games and games alone. I have no need or want of any of Microsoft's cloud integration. Fair enough. You could have skipped the other six points. > Windows ModernUI apps are basically stripped down versions of more feature-filled desktop applications, so why wouldn't I just use them instead? Windows ModernUI apps are written to Windows Runtime, not the old Win32 API. This means they are ava…

> they are easy to install, can be updated automatically, they are easy to uninstall I generally don't have problems with any of those things. > they are more controlled than Win32 apps Not necessarily a good thing for power users. > and they run sandboxed, so they are more secure. Already got my own solution for this. > If a ModernUI app does what you need, it would be sensible to run the app rather than a tradition…

> I generally don't have problems with any of those things.

Good for you. Sadly, roughly 1.5 billion people frequently do have problems with all of those things.

> Not necessarily a good thing for power users.

Windows isn't written for power users. If it were, Microsoft would be a very small and very poor company.

> Already got my own solution for this.

Good for you. Sadly, roughly 1.5 billion people don't.

> In my experience they generally are inferior to most desktop applications that already exist and are far more powerful and featureful. It's been this way since Windows 8 debuted the Windows Store.

Absolutely true. But, as you say, the vast bulk of users seem to be very happy with iOS- and Android-level apps. Microsoft's strategy is to run the apps that most people appear to want.

> I can't blame them for doing it this way, there is a lot of money to be made and Apple and Google are both doing it so they run the risk of being left behind.

Yes, well put. That hits the nail right on the head....

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#285

Post by Istof »

mtgx wrote: post #197
Istof wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

is it even possible to get perfect privacy with a smart phone?

Let's not talk about "perfect privacy" when we could still be happy with "reasonable privacy". Just because not everything is private by default, doesn't mean we should be okay with the ever more invasive privacy policies of these companies. It reminds me of the argument that "of course NSA spies, that's what it does" completely merging together the spying on dangerous targets for national security with the spying on…

lets aim for perfect privacy and see where that gets us, how about that....

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#286

Post by gnufrra »

Gracana wrote: post #122
gnufrra wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On my Mac I use Little Snitch to monitor outbound connections and I love it. I haven't found an equivalent simple and lightweight application for Windows yet.

Oh man, I am racking my brain trying to think of the tool I used to have installed on my PC at my last job. It was built by somebody who posted on HN, lightsomething or something? It would warn you about new programs connecting to the network and do other neat stuff. Not quite the same as little snitch, but similar and very pleasant to use. I'll update if I think of it (or maybe somebody else can name it.) [edit] Gla…

Thanks, This looks interesting I will definitely give this a try.

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#287

Post by gnufrra »

jack_straw wrote: post #125
gnufrra wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On my Mac I use Little Snitch to monitor outbound connections and I love it. I haven't found an equivalent simple and lightweight application for Windows yet.

Have you tried GlassWire? https://www.glasswire.com

Thanks.

Re: Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled

#288

Post by gnufrra »

uptown wrote: post #236
gnufrra wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On my Mac I use Little Snitch to monitor outbound connections and I love it. I haven't found an equivalent simple and lightweight application for Windows yet.

Do you actively block then grant-access to everything, or just periodically check what's happening? I've tried the active filter before, but found it to be very disruptive to my typical workflow.

I do active blocking. I permanently allow any application that I can trust. For example I will allow chrome to connect permanently. But if it is some cryptically named service trying to connect I will block it permanently. After an initial approval stage you do not see too may popups for approval.

But I can see how this can be a disruptive process, when all you want is some work done. I wish we lived in a place where I did not have to use tools like this.

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