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#422320 - 06/17/16 05:29 AM The 'dreaded' Windows 10
Bill Norrie Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 2330
Loc: North Yorkshire UK
As some of you may know, Microsoft's latest offering of Windows 10 is a 'free' update. However, lately it has a habit of downloading and installing WITHOUT your express permission !! This has happened to many of my friends here in UK.
Luckily, there is an easy way to stop this from happening if you don't wish to 'upgrade'... There is a small program which is quick to download and install and easy to operate, called 'Never10' and you can obtain it free from www.grc.com/never10.htm
Just save it to your desktop, click on the Icon and follow the easy steps....

It's only applicable to current installations of Windows 7 or 8.1


Edited by Bill Norrie (06/17/16 05:31 AM)

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#422331 - 06/17/16 10:30 AM Re: The 'dreaded' Windows 10 [Re: Bill Norrie]
abacus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/21/05
Posts: 5345
Loc: English Riviera, UK
Originally Posted By: Bill Norrie
As some of you may know, Microsoft's latest offering of Windows 10 is a 'free' update. However, lately it has a habit of downloading and installing WITHOUT your express permission !! This has happened to many of my friends here in UK.
Luckily, there is an easy way to stop this from happening if you don't wish to 'upgrade'... There is a small program which is quick to download and install and easy to operate, called 'Never10' and you can obtain it free from www.grc.com/never10.htm
Just save it to your desktop, click on the Icon and follow the easy steps....

It's only applicable to current installations of Windows 7 or 8.1


You can stop it downloading, but Microsoft has moved the goalposts to make it more difficult. (There’s been a hell of a stink on social media about it)

Just curious as to why you have not upgraded though, as Win 10 leaves Win 7 way behind, (Including better compatibility with older programs) also you have 30 days to roll back if you really can’t get on with it.

Bill
_________________________
English Riviera:
Live entertainment, Real Ale, Great Scenery, Great Beaches, why would anyone want to live anywhere else (I�m definitely staying put).

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#422374 - 06/19/16 12:42 PM Re: The 'dreaded' Windows 10 [Re: abacus]
Bill Norrie Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 2330
Loc: North Yorkshire UK
Hi Bill,
I am aware that you can roll-back to win7 or win 8.1

I have a second laptop on which I have replaced Windows 7 with Windows 10 just out of curiosity and having 'played' with it, I just do not like it.....

Furthermore, If you examine the Windows 10 Microsoft Privacy Statement and the Services Agreement you will find that these “straightforward” terms are 22 and 23 pages long respectively. Summing up these 45 pages, one can say that Microsoft basically grants itself very broad rights to collect everything you do, say and write with and on your devices in order to sell more targeted advertising or to sell your data to third parties. The company appears to be granting itself the right to share your data either with your consent “or as necessary”.

Microsoft has stripped us of controlling Windows updates. It was ostensibly done to improve the user experience by keeping the
system up to date and perhaps malware free, but the truth is that a built-in anti-malware protection in Windows is simply horrible
(according to various AV comparisons Microsoft Essentials misses over 20% of in the wild malware)

Windows 10 resets your default applications to built-in Microsoft's ones after each major update whether or not you want this.
Basically Windows 10 is spyware! Why? Because it has all the attributes of spyware:
1. Downloads itself to your machine without you specifically asking for it.
2. Aggressively attempts to install itself taking over your computer in the process.
3. Sends unknown and/or encrypted data to known and unknown third parties.
4. Sends personally identifying information to known and unknown third parties.
5. Easy to remove? NO
In short, it looks like spyware, smells like spyware, walks like spyware and talks like Spyware. Windows 10 is spyware!
As a bonus Windows 10 has all the features of a PUP: (Potentially Unwanted Program) it shows ads in the start menu including full screen ads on the lock screen.

Sign into Windows with your Microsoft account and the operating system immediately syncs settings and data to the company’s servers. That includes your browser history, favorites and the websites you currently have open as well as saved app, website and mobile hotspot passwords and Wi-Fi network names and passwords.

Microsoft states : "To enable Cortana to provide personalized experiences and relevant suggestions, Microsoft collects and uses various types of data, such as your device location, data from your calendar, the apps you use, data from your emails and text messages, who you call, your contacts and how often you interact with them on your device".

Cortana also learns about you by collecting data about how you use your device and other Microsoft services, such as your music, alarm settings, whether the lock screen is on, what you view and purchase, your browse and Bing search history, and more.”
Lots of things can live in those two words “and more.” Also note that because Cortana analyzes speech data, Microsoft collects “your voice input, as well as your name and nickname, your recent calendar events and the names of people in your appointments, and information about your contacts including names and nicknames.”

Realistically, Cortana can’t work in the semi-magical way it does without being able to gobble up all that information. But it’s worth being aware of just how wide-ranging its access to your and your friends’ contacts data is.

The updated terms also state that Microsoft will collect information “from you and your devices, including for example ‘app use data for apps that run on Windows’ and ‘data about the networks you connect to.'”
We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services.

GOOD FAITH BELIEF ?????

Now tell me I should be using Windows 10......... NOT A CHANCE!

Apologies for long post !

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#422377 - 06/19/16 03:37 PM Re: The 'dreaded' Windows 10 [Re: Bill Norrie]
abacus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/21/05
Posts: 5345
Loc: English Riviera, UK
Hi Bill

I have been using Windows 10 since the first Insider version came out, and I don’t have any of the problems you mention apart from one, which is the automatic security updates, however as these fix security vulnerabilities in the system that have been identified or reported to Microsoft, (It only updates the Malware detector if you are not using 3rd party software) there is no problem. (It’s the way Apple has done it for years)

Why don’t I have your problems, it’s quite simple, I turn off what I don’t want to be accessed. (Windows 10 is totally customisable to your requirements) In addition if you create a local account, most of the stuff is turned off anyway. (Apple has been doing it this way for years, and you don’t hear any of their users complaining, in fact it’s exactly the opposite)

BTW, if you have a smartphone or tablet, you also have turn a lot of things off if you are worried that much about your information.

If you never owned a computer or ever went online, all your info would still be out there, as everything you do is stored in the company databases that you have dealt with. (Bills, Tax NI etc.)

Unfortunately, in this day and age, there is no such thing as privacy, (Except as an illusion) and neither has there been for at least 100 years. (It’s just easier to get at the information now)

In the end just use what you are happy with and use basic common sense.

Bill
_________________________
English Riviera:
Live entertainment, Real Ale, Great Scenery, Great Beaches, why would anyone want to live anywhere else (I�m definitely staying put).

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#423622 - 07/19/16 02:09 PM Re: The 'dreaded' Windows 10 [Re: Bill Norrie]
designserve Offline
Member

Registered: 08/21/14
Posts: 177
Loc: Wales, UK
Hi All,

Whilst I agree with many of Bill's privacy concerns and sentiments... and I got very worked up when Windows 10 'decided' to install itself on my PC (I postponed the installation but I was working away on the postponement date, so it installed!), I've found Windows 10 to be a much better operating system than Windows 8.1, with better software compatibility for old programs. I had already tested it thoroughly, just that I didn't want to install it on my main computer quite yet.

I also run a Windows XP Laptop for older software (Music and CAD) because it won't run on the newer OS.

The reason for writing today is to let you know that if you don't carry out the Windows 10 upgrade before the end of July it has to be paid for. So, of course you must make your own choice of whether you want it or not but it won't be available for free after the end of the month.

For those who haven't installed it I expect you will receive some annoying Microsoft popups asking you to pay for it.

Notably, it is possible to copy your hard drive, install the new operating system and then re-install the old hard drive. Thereafter, you'll have the choice to reinstall Windows 10 for free because it 'knows' that your machine should receive it free (yes, I know, I know... how does it 'know' your machine??!! Many of your PC's components have unique codes that get 'known' by Microsoft. I would hazard an educated guess that they have collected this data on previous operating systems anyway).

If you don't want it then don't install it but if you do want it make sure you get it for free.

Best wishes,
Mike
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#423623 - 07/19/16 02:10 PM Re: The 'dreaded' Windows 10 [Re: designserve]
designserve Offline
Member

Registered: 08/21/14
Posts: 177
Loc: Wales, UK
PS. Too many Bills around here. Which is the real one? Haha.
_________________________
Help to preserve information about Technics Keyboards.
https://TechnicsKN7000.com
https://TechnicsKeyboard.com
https://wsa1.technicskeyboards.com/
KN7000 KN6500 KN6000 KN5000 KN3000 KN2600 KN2000 KN1000 KN901 KN800 P50 WSA1 AX7 GA3 PR804 Liverpool Tyros 3

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