Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021) • Hacker News Board

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#91

Post by quickthrower2 » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:33 PM UTC

norman784 wrote: post #27

I read a lot of comments here wanting to block the connections, but wouldn’t be easier/better to switch to an OS that doesn’t spy you? The answers possibly is no, because they might use X or Y that requires them to use Windows, so a better question is, what holds you back to switch to Linux? (macOS also talks to a lot of servers and collect telemetry as Windows, maybe in a different scale, so isn’t an alternative if…

I am working more on Linux these days because I am too tight to upgrade from 12Gb RAM, and that seems like not enough to do dev work in Windows, but an endless bounty to do the same on Linux.

Also rm -rf being instant is a big win (I know it probably isn't under the hood but I don't care, as a user I can get on with my day).

Also another nice suprise - I can get photos off my iPhone without it screwing up. Not possible on Windows. I can get the original DCIM images in the weird iPhone format (which is perfectly viewable in Linux too) and I can access all the hidden files to the extend iPhone makes them avilable.

I am really liking the experience. I am not into 'hacking' and just want it to get out the way and make it easy for me to install stuff and use it, so I go with Ubuntu.

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#92

Post by temac » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:34 PM UTC

Jamie9912 wrote: post #21

tmdh wrote: post #3

Is there any way to block connection to these sites with DNS or something?

I doubt you'll have a working operating system if you were to block all of those Hosts

Windows works (nearly) fine if you block all connections except those from the "Core Networking" group.

Of course you won't have access to some services in that case, like Windows Update, etc. One particular weird thing I have noticed is that the process that checks CRL on behalf on others is LSASS. So basically you have some extra tuning to do to get a system to your liking if using just the Windows Firewall, after you block everything but "Core Networking" (and programs you want to authorise), but it looks reasonable. I would suggest saving the initial state before you go that route, though.

If you trace connections you will find funny things, like cl.exe phoning home.

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#93

Post by ridgered4 » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:34 PM UTC

norman784 wrote: post #49

lelanthran wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I personally prefer Linux, but what’s holding me are the streaming services (netflix, amazon, etc), I can only watch SD content if I’m on Linux, I hadn't noticed. Wife's 43" TV is connected to a linux box with firefox that is used for Amazon Prime, Netflix AND Disney+. I haven't noticed poor picture and assumed it ran at 1096x1080. I will certainly have to check this out.

Back in 2020 I couldn't stream from Amazon at a higher res than 720p from linux (tried every browser), as soon as I dual booted to Windows the quality improved a lot. Could it be that you are using Plex, Kodi or similar that might allows you to stream at a good quality?

I'm guessing that (like myself) he probably just isn't that picky about it. The only IQ issues that I see that frequently bothers me is washed out dithering in dark scenes or low quality due to connection hiccups. I don't think UHD would improve either of those.

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#94

Post by nyuszika7h » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:35 PM UTC

charcircuit wrote: post #80

notanote wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OCSP is done over plain HTTP (for obvious reasons), so the OCSP provider doesn’t have exclusive access to this data. There is not much value there for DigiCert and others when every ISP can potentially sell the same data. OCSP stapling helps maintain privacy, so eg. ESNI isn’t completely pointless when stapling is used.

>OCSP is done over plain HTTP (for obvious reasons) It's not obvious to me. Why can't it be done over HTTPS? From what I can tell nothing stops you from doing that.

If OCSP was done over HTTPS, you'd end up with an infinite loop - you'd have to do an OCSP query to check that the OCSP server's certificate is not revoked, and so on.

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#95

Post by blacktulip » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:35 PM UTC

dijit wrote: post #67

agent008t wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Linux still has horrible font rendering, which makes web browsing uncomfortable. It doesn't come close to Windows or Mac. Fonts often appear soapy, kerning is off etc.

Linux can have crappy font rendering. I can also have gorgeous font rendering. I would mess around with some live distros to see what you prefer. This is how my comment looks to me (on linux): https://i.imgur.com/wvruFyX.png

I hope the blurriness is because of image compression. Because if it is not, the rendering is really bad here.

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#96

Post by quickthrower2 » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:35 PM UTC

boondaburrah wrote: post #72

norman784 wrote: post #27

I read a lot of comments here wanting to block the connections, but wouldn’t be easier/better to switch to an OS that doesn’t spy you? The answers possibly is no, because they might use X or Y that requires them to use Windows, so a better question is, what holds you back to switch to Linux? (macOS also talks to a lot of servers and collect telemetry as Windows, maybe in a different scale, so isn’t an alternative if…

required to use windows for work (the software I produce must run on desktop windows machines), and only have my personal PC to do work with. I'd like to have money for a second machine but I don't. The thing with the linux community, is that once linux covers 90% of the perceived use-cases for a desktop/laptop/workstation computer, it really feels like it should be enough to see a big switch. We can relax, right? Bu…

Dual boot or have 2 devices. Also Wine?

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#97

Post by gmadsen » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:35 PM UTC

norman784 wrote: post #27

I read a lot of comments here wanting to block the connections, but wouldn’t be easier/better to switch to an OS that doesn’t spy you? The answers possibly is no, because they might use X or Y that requires them to use Windows, so a better question is, what holds you back to switch to Linux? (macOS also talks to a lot of servers and collect telemetry as Windows, maybe in a different scale, so isn’t an alternative if…

music production. 3d modeling, gaming.

a lot of commercial software just doesn't have support for linux.

for regular use and a lot of my personal programming, I use linux, but it just isn't feasible to be 100% depending what you need

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#98

Post by minusf » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:35 PM UTC

charcircuit wrote: post #80

notanote wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OCSP is done over plain HTTP (for obvious reasons), so the OCSP provider doesn’t have exclusive access to this data. There is not much value there for DigiCert and others when every ISP can potentially sell the same data. OCSP stapling helps maintain privacy, so eg. ESNI isn’t completely pointless when stapling is used.

>OCSP is done over plain HTTP (for obvious reasons) It's not obvious to me. Why can't it be done over HTTPS? From what I can tell nothing stops you from doing that.

i think because what is asked for is a list of revoked certs, and the connection being used could be already on that blacklist. the list must available without the involvement of what is being checked.

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#99

Post by mtlmtlmtlmtl » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:35 PM UTC

norman784 wrote: post #27

I read a lot of comments here wanting to block the connections, but wouldn’t be easier/better to switch to an OS that doesn’t spy you? The answers possibly is no, because they might use X or Y that requires them to use Windows, so a better question is, what holds you back to switch to Linux? (macOS also talks to a lot of servers and collect telemetry as Windows, maybe in a different scale, so isn’t an alternative if…

That's kind of bonkers to me that Netflix don't support HD/4K on Linux. Considering the number of random porn site players that play HD just fine...

What's holding them up besides laziness?

Re: Windows OS, Services and Apps: Network Connection Target Hosts (2021)

#100

Post by sickcodebruh » Fri, May 27, 2022, 12:36 PM UTC

kekebo wrote: post #46

norman784 wrote: post #27

I read a lot of comments here wanting to block the connections, but wouldn’t be easier/better to switch to an OS that doesn’t spy you? The answers possibly is no, because they might use X or Y that requires them to use Windows, so a better question is, what holds you back to switch to Linux? (macOS also talks to a lot of servers and collect telemetry as Windows, maybe in a different scale, so isn’t an alternative if…

It can come down to one program that doesn't have a good alternative on another OS, my version of that are the DAWs / music production tools I know and love. Wine solves a lot of this (but not all) for Windows programs, the macOS equivalent Darling[0] seems to still has some way to go until GUI programs are reliably supported. [0] https://github.com/darlinghq/darling

If you’re open to switching to Reaper, it’s my understanding that their Linux version is coming along well. I’ve read good things about it plus LinVST. Of course, I’m also unwilling to test this myself and I’ll probably run MacOS until the day I stop making music.