Paranoid is such a word very overrated and misused lately. I am not paranoid just watching how things are evolving and asking about hidden telemetry in WU for all Windows versions is not paranoia, it's caution, awareness and consciousness. I'll never stop using Windows, I just want to be informed what's going on behind the scenes.
It is all good to be cautious about software that is being used. However in order to be able to make common sense choices with the software we use we need to be informed. We also need to be certain about our decisions so that means we are going to be watching people in how they do stuff. My interpretation of seeing what is going on behind the scenes is to disassemble the updates or just watch the update information. That also means that your going to watch a forum that has been poisoned by fear when using Windows 10. This means relying on data that is bias is not a good way to make an informed decision. My personal opinion is that thus far MDL has not provided very credible information regarding Windows 10 for a majority of the threads. Most of the threads here are just spreading FUD. It basically comes down to me trusting myself more than the forum in most cases.
Spoiler Fortunately, my friend you are skilled and smart enough to do so. And many others in here as well. You can separate between FUD and facts up to a certain point as M$ tries to obfuscate the information, so don't expect to find "scientific facts" here in MDL as we are not dealing with natural phenomena but man-made technology. FUD and facts are going to be at any forum of the world lol
True there is always bias on any forum. I've been on quite a few however imo the Windows 10 thread is mostly crap. To endlessly debate an issue without any new variables is pointless. Saying ms is obstificating is pointless its just a matter of people not having enough time to dig into windows to a precise level. I have not seen enough threads or info to want to do anything with 10. All posts on 10 are toxic.
Where do we draw the line. Lets say Mr X, ( I don't mean the MDL one, LOL ) has taken a child into his house, and someone told the police they thought they saw him take a child but aren't positive. Say that LEO doesn't feel this falls under Exigent, so should police violates someone rights and protect a child, or maybe the child gets killed by MR X because of rights. There is no two way in certain circumstances. The work that LEO has to do to watch illegal activity online is enormous, if they have the tech which in most cases it's only specialized like the CF, FBI. Then there's the legality of when do they have the right. Will the government make our digital life the same as our private life, or when you enter the net is it the same as walking outside. I think they will never protect rights, all they need to do is have MS give them what data they have, and they would have everyone's life story ( to a point) at their fingertips and seeing one illegal mistake, would give them the right to bust down your door, and if your dog barks at them while walking towards them they would kill it. So, still think that MS should be able to do what ever they want with our PC ?????????????????????????
for sometime researching and studying about windows 10 I come to a simple conclusion: thats it no need to care about privacy. no point on that. so, Im going to try the simple way of things by doing: 1) making windows update not download everything like a crazy bitch (by group policy); 2) removing some windows apps that comes with installation of windows 10 (not by scripts, just on the option provided on windows 10 itself); 3) disabling some processes not necessary; 4) digging into windows 10 privacy options so I can unmark everything I dont like; 5) thats all. i guess that there is no need to go deeper on it. the simple/basic is the best way to go for the majority. too much concern and paranoid is not good...
The line is a thin one. On one hand, someone sees something that looks weird to them, and they post a question about it. Somebody who wakes up with His balls twisted decides to publicly humiliate them because they asked a question. So, the OP is wrong? Does it make the OPs post FUD? I think not. A question is posted because people simply do not know any better. They don't know how to use the tools because they never needed to use them. Until people here needed to look at TCP traffic, a very small percentage of people knew what Wireshark is. Now, people are learning to use it and seeing the traffic for themselves. How many people here know about IDA pro? Or Spy Studio? or OllyDbg? And even knowing about these tools, how many people know how to use them? I think it would be safe to say that there are more people who don't know than there are people who do. "Give a man a fish and He eats for a day. Teach Him to fish and He eats for a lifetime" Some of us take our own intellect for granted. We don't realize how gifted we truly are. "I can do it...why can't you?" It doesn't work like that. You can do it because You have a gift. I have perfect pitch. By the time I was 12, I was able to play -every- instrument in the orchestra. And I would choose a different instrument every day. The teachers called Me a prodigy, and the other students hated me. They had to work harder than I ever did just to master one instrument. Many years later, It dawned on me as to why. My gift invalidated their hard work in an instant. I didn't mean to do it. It wasn't done for spite. But they were slighted, simply because I showed my gift. Some people are operating on a level far above the rest. What they choose to do with their gifts and knowledge determines how the rest of the world sees them.
Guys, privacy is important, but sometimes I think you're making a little bit too much of it regarding Windows 10. As if Microsoft was the only company out there that integrated data collection in its products and business plan. Look at Facebook, look at Google, look at Twitter, look at Instagram, look at Whatsapp - all of them were there before them, some of them are even worse, and the list goes on and on and on. I mean, why am I not seeing anybody complaining about those companies and their services? I know, this is all about Windows here, but still - how much is it worth to remove all the "spying" stuff from Windows when people keep offering their stuff to Facebook at the same time? Post on Twitter or Instagram, chat wia Whatsapp? How much sense does it make to avoid using IE/Edge but happily use Chrome instead? Nevertheless, I don't think it's hopeless to fix Windows 10. Maybe you don't even need to fix it if you install other means of blocks between you (the OS) and them. For example, a lot of the "spying" could simply be avoided with a router that is configured to block everything but the stuff you allow to get through. You could install and use Windows 10 as it is and never have to worry about if your hosts file, scripts, registry settings, etc. are up to date. All you have to do is taking care of your whitelist. Of course, this solution will almost never come for free, and it still takes some effort on your behalf. I think I keep myself repeating here when I say: You can get as much privacy as you want, but it takes some effort, will probably cost you some money, but most importantly: You might have to change your habits, resign from some services, and avoid to use some of the stuff everyone around is using without a second thought. That's the point: If you do not agree with the terms of service, you've got to have the balls to click "no" and don't use the service, no matter how useful it is. And if that's not possible for you, you'll have to do some work if your goal is to ensure your privacy. But don't complain because essentially it's your decision.
So your solution is to give and just let Windows do its thing, how is that better than trying to do something? Tasks do not reset by themself, usually Windows Updates do it, in other words you have to prevent auto-updates. Not to mention, that you have to keep up with MS, I turn off my PC with a bat with my tweaks. My 10 is lean and mean.
Here is why it IS hopeless, even if you succeed... it's no better than an updated 7 or 8.1 and actually not even as good - once it's fixed.
Retards? You certainly are not in the category that you speak of in your second paragraph. For you 2+2 =?
Actually, that would be the third not second, 1,2,3. This isn't an academic writing so your three sentence fake rule doesn't hold up.
i use AVG Internet Security. I have the firewall set to "Interactive Mode" which means every time something tries to establish an out-going internet connection it alerts me and I can allow it or permanently block it. I assume most firewalls have a similar feature, but I'm not sure about Windows Firewall. I haven't used Windows Firewall in a long time, but the last time I did, it was useless for blocking out-going connections because you had to specify exactly what executable to block -- which makes it impossible to block things you don't know about. Maybe they have changed it since then, I don't know.
Blocking absolutely ALL outgoing trafic, and only let pass what you want (as FireFox to navigate and DuckDuckGo or Ixquick to browse, and your AV), very simple.
The rather great Windows Firewall Control makes this a lot easier when combined with one of the Windows Firewall rule blocklists. You can allow what you want or need, a small fee will get you notifications, outbound traffic not matching a rule is blocked by default on medium filtering. Not a single byte goes in or out without your permission. And I too am still waiting for one of these conspiracy fantasists to post how exactly Windows Update is going to somehow reenable itself, or how hidden processes that never show up or leave any trace either in firewall logs or on the actual system and are never observed running exist. I guess Microsoft has pioneered invisible processes that never use cpu time, data transfer that is completely invisible (wow! they can use bandwidth without it appearing to send or receive data! ISP's should be scared...), and so on. And once again none of them will do so. Ever. Because they can't.