Windows 10 - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/destroy_windows_10_spying.html

This is because it is easier for MS to track usage and user preferences.... thus Win32 programs are replaced with 'phone home' apps, giving MS greater control.

Microsoft has adopted this not taking no for an answer because it needs to dictate to users what they can and can't do, thus removing diversity and personl preference that may interfere with its vision of how a PC/OS should operate.

 Exactly, using a PC should be productive and enjoyable, but when the OS developer has built in so many caveats, the fun and enjoyment is replaced with concern.... and not all privacy settings can be turned off.  While there are the obvious ones that can be disabled, there are others that can't.... and who knows how, when and where that information is used?   I mean, is Microsoft honestly going to tell us if its feeding data to law enforcement/government agencies.... to other corporations for profit?  I think not.

Windows 10 is not for me (ever).  No, I am investigating Linux versions, because, eventually, all my efforts to disable, not download data mining software in Win 8.1 will be thwarted, thus making it a non-viable OS as well.  Nope, that's a scenario I won't happily partiipate in.  One only has to see what happemed with Apple and the FBI to realise these big, for profit corporations are high risk prospects nowadays... they're not to be given one's blind trust, because it will be abused and betrayed.

We are on the same page, starkers. This topic really gives me an headache. At least data collection isn't lethal, it's more like a slap in the face.

Sad, but true.

Windows is not moving in the right direction. It's moving away from user freedom. It's becoming more like a device OS like Xbox OS. We still have access to the vast library of Win32 applications and that is what makes Windows so powerful. Without Win32 apps I wouldn't care about Windows. But Win32 apps are powerful, beautiful and very useful.

Nothing can fully neutralize/sanitize Windows 10 if Windows Update is enabled. This might be the end of privacy on the Windows platform. I understand if the smartphone generation couldn't care less. But what about system administrators and other people whose job it is to secure Windows? I am really curious how Windows 10 is deployed in businesses. Is it possible to get hold of a sanitized version like the Chinese supposedly demand? Because at the end of the day I don't have to care about privacy, but businesses are in a different position.

Problem is there is nothing out there that can fully replace Windows. You can use Linux 90% of your time. But you need access to a platform with extensive third party support. You need Linux plus something else. Could be Mac, iOS or Android. To be honest I still like Windows 10 better than those platforms. A Mac might have better privacy, but it treats you like a child.

Some people use iPads only. But if you really like desktop computing then it's hard to bypass Windows. Linux can be great. But then you want Photoshop, special cloud services or games that only run on Windows. Your bank, employer or local authorities might require Windows.

Data collection isn't lethal, but Microsoft is really pushing things. And on the Linux side Red Hat (big US defense contractor) is pushing pulseaudio and systemd down the throats of Linux users (wasn't Linux about choice/freedom?). Some users are fleeing to the perceived freedom of FreeBSD. And Apple is being pushed by the government. Time to put on that tinfoil hat before going to bed.

Review of W10 Privacy Tool: http://www.ghacks.net/2016/02/21/control-windows-updates-with-w10privacy-tool/

Download: http://www.winprivacy.de/english-home/

bookmarked!

I have come up with my own, the good, the bad and thr ugly.....

The Good: I don't have it on any of my  machines.

The bad: Windows 10 gives me potty mouth just looking at it.... it's that fechen tiled Start Menu, I tell ya.

The Ugly: Apart from those darned awful icons, and believe me, they'r ugly, Windows 10 causes involuntary spasms, bloating and genital warts....among other things. A friend of mine is blaming Win 10 for his EDD.... Erectile Dysfuntion Disorder.  Another blames Win 10 for a sudden and dramatic hair loss.  Little does he know, a group of buddies shaved and polished his head while he was passed out at a bachelors party. Not to worry, while he's blaming Win 10, I'm not gonns correct him..

Thanks. I might look into that a bit more when I have the time. I wonder: How do professional people (sys admins) tweak Windows 10 for their organizations? Because there is a lot to tweak if you are dealing with confidential information. Can sys admins get Windows 10 updates without Microsoft turning on "features"? I am just thinking aloud. The reason is because I can easily see individuals giving up on privacy. I have a much harder time understanding how any business/organization would be willing to do that.

Today I bring more bad news. I found an article about the keylogger in Win 10 that was confirmed for Preview but then thought to be removed for final build. Seems Microsoft found this “feature” so useful that it is still there.

There are lots of crazy articles on the Internet (I know). What's important is what Microsoft say themselves. The following passage is telling:

Microsoft pretty much admits it has a keylogger in its Windows10speech, inking, typing, and privacy FAQ:

“When you interact with your Windows device by speaking, writing (handwriting), or typing, Microsoft collects speech, inking, and typing information—including information about your Calendar and People (also known as contacts)… “

Source:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2974057/windows/how-to-turn-off-windows-10s-keylogger-yes-it-still-has-one.html

I copied and pasted the article as a reference for this thread:

Lincoln Spector | @LincolnSpector

Contributing Editor, PCWorld Sep 4, 2015 7:40 AM

Last fall, I discussed the keylogger that Microsoft openly put into the Windows 10 Technical Preview. The company admitted that “we may collect voice information” and “typed characters.”At the time I defended Microsoft, pointing out that the Preview was “intended for testing, not day-to-day use,” and that Microsoft recommended against installing the Preview on a computer with sensitive files. I said that “I seriously doubt that the worst spyware features will remain in the finished product.”

I was wrong.

Microsoft pretty much admits it has a keylogger in its Windows10speech, inking, typing, and privacy FAQ: “When you interact with your Windows device by speaking, writing (handwriting), or typing, Microsoft collects speech, inking, and typing information—including information about your Calendar and People (also known as contacts)…”

If that makes you feel creepy, welcome to the human race.

Speaking of online Microsoft documents, you may want to browse the company’s overall Privacy Statement. To Microsoft’s credit, it’s in plain English rather than legalese. On the other hand, it’s about 17,000 words (as someone who’s paid by the word, I’m frankly jealous), so it will take time to find out if there’s anything else that’s truly awful inside.

The good news is that you can turn off the keylogging. Click Settings (it’s on the Start menu’s left pane) to open the Settings program. You’ll find Privacy...ummm....hold on a sec...OH! There it is!—on the very last row.

Once in Privacy, go to the General section and Turn off Send Microsoft info about how I write to help us improve typing and writing in the future. While you’re there, examine the other options and consider if there’s anything else here that you may want to change.

Now go to the Speech, inking and typing section and click Stop getting to know me. (I really wanted to end that sentence with an exclamation point.)

You may also want to explore other options in Privacy. For instance, you can control which apps get access to your camera, microphone, contacts, and calendar. I wish I had that capability in Android.

End of article.

Now why does Microsoft need users calendar and contacts information... other than for targetted advertising purposes.... or perhaps to maintain a digital record of all their comings and goings for law enforcement???

In any event, Microsoft has taken its data collection way to far in Win 10.    Worse still, it is trying to port the same spy abilities back to previous OSes.  I've done my best to prevent those 'updates' to Win 8.1 by hiding them, but they still turn up again under a new title, such is the persistence of Microsoft.  Sadly, the US gpvernment will do nothing about these intrusions because they're exactly what government has wanted for years, and the Apple decision is the forerunner to Microsoft having to hand over user data to government and its agencies.

Yup, I have to wonder how many US users of Win 10 are feeling so great about it right about now.  I sure as hell know that I'd feel somewhat uncomfortable using Win 10 within the US.... not that I have anything to hide, but that I don't want government pawing over my personal details looking for a 'red flag'.

Apparently WINE is evolving more and more and has been known to run PS on Linux, just not yet supported by Adobe.. and of course there are tha PS alternatives.. and I think there is huge progression with more games on Linux, Steam itself recommending Ubuntu. Also a note from GOG, "Please be advised that Windows 10 operating system will receive frequent hardware driver and software updates following its release; this may affect game compatibility". I have decided to Ubuntu when I leave Windows 7. I am also curious if anyone here is involved in tha themes..? http://www.ubuntuthemes.org/

Yes, many Windows programs will run under WINE, which means making the switch to Ubunto and/or Mint isn't so daunting.  I have tried both Ubuntu and Mint and find both quite good to work with.  Sadly, the Stardock programs are incompatible and one can't customise the desktop as freely, but at the end of the day it's still a better option than Windows 10.

Another Linux flavour, which I've not had a lot of experience with, is Robolinux.  It actually run some Windows programs natively with a built in conversion program.  I don't recall just how it works right now - been a long time since I used it - but it is worth a look at as a Win 10 alternative.

The thing about Windows 10 is that it doesn't matter if you get your Windows updates from Windows Update or from somewhere else (offline installers). You will always need to check/redo your privacy settings after an update.

The simplest solution is to disable Windows Update and then enable it when you have the time to update and then tweak privacy settings again.

I haven't had a virus in Windows for years. And last time I had a virus I installed it myself by installing Tetris. The file had all the red flags, but I was dead set on playing Tetris...

For me the solution will always be dual-booting. If Windows is giving me trouble, then I spend most of my time in Linux. If Linux gets on my nerves, then I boot into Windows.

You can access NTFS partitions from Linux and I think it is possible to access ext4 partitions from Windows if you really want to.

If you want the best audiovisual experience, Windows is the way to go. Linux graphics drivers are better than ever, but if you ask me pulseaudio still sucks.

I may have a hard time understanding Windows 10 in a business environment because of the “all-seeing” nature of this operating system. But on a gaming rig, Windows 10 (without Modern stuff) is probably great.

Linux has given me so much joy over the years, but I can't live there full time. Linux on the desktop is in a transition period. (It always is). I liked the GTK2 toolkit but the Gnome devs are messing with GTK3. I lost all interest in theming on Linux when major desktops switched to GTK3. GTK3 is not being developed as a proper toolkit, but as a building block for the Gnome desktop. I am not saying GTK3 is bad, but it is not what I want (a bit like Windows 10). GTK3 breaks compatibility for no reason and only adds to the fragmentation of the Linux desktop. Of course there is Qt, but Qt theming (in KDE) was always for experts only.

I put on my tinfoil hat and say this: The Gnome Foundation is sponsored by Red Hat and Red Hat doesn't want a stable toolkit that can benefit the Linux ecosystem as a whole. So they create ever changing GTK3. When I see a GTK3 theme it might look nice, but it turns me off like Win 10 spying. Then you are thankful that Windows doesn't change the toolkit all the time and that Stardock exists to mitigate some of the UI craziness Microsoft is offering.

Both Ubuntu and Linux Mint patches GTK3 and gives you a stable desktop with 5 years support. But themes can still break. It not like “the good ol' days” when everybody was using GTK2 and themes would just work. To be fair, Red Hat is the company who built the foundation for Linux on the desktop and without Red Hat the state of Linux desktop computing would be in a far worse state. One might think that Microsoft and Red Hat are competitors, but they really aren't. If Linux is going to take market-share from Microsoft the Linux companies need to work together, but they don't.

Linux is still mostly for geeks. Linux is great, but now I really appreciate the polish you find in Windows. Explore Linux theming, but be prepared for fragmentation.