Wonder What Micro$oft Has Been Collecting On You?

[Kristy]

With the next major release of the Windows 10 operating system, scheduled for April-May 2018, Microsoft plans to let users see what telemetry data the company is collecting from each of their devices.

Excuse me, their devices? And another god damn major update?

Linky Runky Dinky here:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-will-soon-let-users-see-what-telemetry-windows-10-collects/

"Microsoft is becoming more transparent about the data it collects, but it still won't offer a way to fully disable telemetry collection."

Of course not.

[FORD]

Windows 10 seems to roll out two major updates a year. Unless you have the LTSB Enterprise edition, which doesn't have any of that Cortana bullshit, or the so-called apps that make your desktop look like a giant Android phone.

No excuse to put up with Microsoft's bullshit. You can do any one or more of the following...

1) Use Apple or Linux instead.
2) Stick with Windows 7.
3) Get Windows 10 LTSB (though it's not legally available on the retail market, and you will need a bootleg activator to keep it)
4) Modify the Windows 10 installation ISO with MSMG toolkit. (Downside of this is that you will probably have to do a new install after the next major update, because all the bullshit will reinstall itself. It's also not possible to wipe the useless Cortana shit by this method, though you can "disable" it.

As for the telemetry spying, there are a number of ways to block that on any version of Windows. The easiest is to download Spybot Anti Beacon which is a freeware program that takes about 30 seconds to configure.

https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

[Seshmeister]

1) Use Apple or Linux instead.

Apple is a whole new level of it's own bullshit, especially these days.

I really couldn't be closer to ditching them...

[Kristy]

No excuse to put up with Microsoft's bullshit. You can do any one or more of the following...

1) Use Apple or Linux instead.

What is this? 2005? Apple iOS has its own security flaws. Why in the fuck have there been at least 5 updates (that I know of) since they rolled out iOS11 back in August? Though I like iOS much better it too is slowly going to shit.

2) Stick with Windows 7.

Micro$oft has begun to phase out Windows 7

3) Get Windows 10 LTSB (though it's not legally available on the retail market, and you will need a bootleg activator to keep it)

No one has the time

4) Modify the Windows 10 installation ISO with MSMG toolkit. (Downside of this is that you will probably have to do a new install after the next major update, because all the bullshit will reinstall itself. It's also not possible to wipe the useless Cortana shit by this method, though you can "disable" it.

And sit back as it all crashes when Micro$oft realizes is an not a validated version.

As for the telemetry spying, there are a number of ways to block that on any version of Windows. The easiest is to download Spybot Anti Beacon which is a freeware program that takes about 30 seconds to configure.

https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

Nope. That is disguised malware.

[Nickdfresh]

I would ditch Windows in a second except too many Office docs and shit. I run Linux on my old shit 'puter...

[FORD]

Libre Office is mostly compatible with MS Office by now. SoftMaker Office probably even more so. The latter isn't a free product, but it's a lot cheaper than Microsoft and has both a Windows and Linux version.

http://www.softmaker.com/en/softmaker-office-windows

[FORD]

SoftMaker has actually made the 2016 Windows version of their office suite available for free. Can't find a link for the Linux version, but it's been my experience in the past that the serial number works with both versions. I've been using Libre Office for a while, but I'm considering switching back to SoftMaker because of the M$ compatibility factor

http://www.softmaker.de/reg/ofw16free_en.htm

[FORD]

Maybe Kristy should be worried about somebody other than Microsoft spying on her.....

http://www.zdnet.com/article/this-smart-vibrator-can-be-easily-hacked-and-remotely-controlled-by-anyone/