Windows 10: A Step Back to 1984?

I just read a really disturbing article about Windows 10 privacy (Google it; there are quite a few). In short, the end user has no privacy whatsoever. Microsoft will have access to everything you do, type, and say as well as every web site you ever visit. What's more, they state clearly in their 'privacy' policy that they can disclose or even sell anything they gather from you to anyone they want, any time they want.

I was all ready to jump onto the bandwagon until I read that. In fact, until yesterday, I was signed up and waiting impatiently for the upgrade prompt. Now I'm thinking Windows 7 is going to do me until 2020 when the warranty runs out. After that? I have no idea.

Maybe Linux? Hard to say, really. I've checked back with Linux every few years since 1995 and it still looks like a big mess to me.

Apple and the Mac? This year's models are all sealed up so no hardware upgrades... unless you fork over the big bucks and get the top-of-the-line Mac Pro bucket. Otherwise, what you buy is what you're going to be using until you go buy a whole new system.

And I really can't think of another OS that will run high quality software for music production, graphics, video editing, animation and writing. (sigh)

I can only hope that the outcry is so loud that Microsoft rethinks their privacy policy... or someone comes along with a saner OS that actually allows us the privacy we all have the right to.

craigb
It's just the next phase of their well-known plans.  20+ years ago someone interviewed a bunch of MicroSquish employees and one of the questions was "What is Microsoft's vision for the future?"  All of them answered "World domination" and then laughed it off to make it sound like a joke.  

LOL! I missed that one. :)

Moshkito
Hi,
 
This is the part of the "cloud" business that I do not like. I will not even consider purchasing the Office because of it as it copies everything to their cloud, even if you do not save it there.
 
While, I do not have any concerns about "privacy", that is, no skeletons in the closet, no weapons, a lot of music porn -- all bought, a DAW, some attempts at creating something, a couple of radio shows I put together, you know ... the usual rubbish that would bore Microsoft and the FBI within 3 seconds, unless they would be interested in getting arounsed by 300 poems, 500 foreign film reviews and some short stories and a couple of novels .... wahhhhhhoooooo!!!!
 
All in all, lying and hiding in this day and age is nutz. But the whole cloud thing, just tells me, how much "corporate" control there is in this country and in the world, that it is even allowed to do so. I imagine that it will make life super hard for a couple of groups around the world, since there won't be any difference between a computer and a cell phone!
 
No wonder AT&T wants in quickly!

Well said, Moshkito. It's like the man said: just because I have nothing to hide doesn't mean I wanna give up my privacy.

Moshkito
You just went completely backwards on what you wanted to say.
 

You'll have to explain that one. What did I reverse? It might have been a typo. ;)

The FBI has been reading Pedro's posts for months now.  They think they must be some kind of secret code for something... 

bapu

craigb
The FBI has been reading Pedro's posts for months now.  They think they must be some kind of secret code for something... 

Paul is dead?

YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!! Finally! A rumor worth its weight in poop!

craigb
Who's a walrus?

Who's a walrus?
Whooo's a walrus?
Hooooooooo's a warus?
Hooooooooo's ahhhhhh widdle warus?
Ohhhhhhhhhh Hooooooooo's ahhhhhh cuye widdle warusssssss?
 
 
 
 
 

I miss solitaire

StaringIntoNothing
You have the option to turn all of that stuff off.  During the upgrade, select the tiny custom link on the left instead of the large Next button.  As you go through the custom pages turn all of the Microsoft phone home switches off.  If you miss it during the upgrade, it is somewhere in the Windows settings.

Yes... that is helpful! I bet 99.9% of people don't even read it or anything... just click the biggest button... it's how we are conditioned, roight?
 

The stuff you must feed Cortana for the convenience of a voice activated "have my best friends meet me at the nearest pizza place," is pretty much what anyone who would use a robot to do that deserves. The automatic backup of a bitlocker recovery key to OneDrive, where Microsoft and any intelligence or police agency or god knows who else can get it, sounds like it effectively defeats the security of using bitlocker to encrypt your computer. If anyone other than yourself can unlock an encrypted file or drive, it is not a secure container. Edward Snowden famously defeated what must be considered "strict internal policies," which is all that MS says is protecting your files stored there.  If all you need is to keep your kids away from your porn stash, you do not need strong encryption. If you do need strong encryption...

@jobow  You are correct.  If I had not looked at everything, I would have clicked that big button and in ignorance gave Microsoft the permission to audit everything that I did on my computer and then sell it to other companies.  They are a USA company and our constitution gives us the right to privacy, so they can not do that unless we give them permission to do so.  Hence all of the switches to cut everything off.
 
On the icon disappearing, just download it and do it manually.  To heck with waiting for them to push it to you.  That is what I did, as well as all of my friends at work, after I found the link.  This forum will not let me post links, perhaps because I am new, but I can give you enough to get there.
 
microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
 
To force the icon to appear, look here (hey, I made a poem!)
 
answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_upgrade/i-want-to-reserve-my-free-copy-of-windows-10-but-i/848b5cce-958b-49ae-a132-a999a883265b

StaringIntoNothing
@jobow  You are correct.  If I had not looked at everything, I would have clicked that big button and in ignorance gave Microsoft the permission to audit everything that I did on my computer and then sell it to other companies.  They are a USA company and our constitution gives us the right to privacy, so they can not do that unless we give them permission to do so.  Hence all of the switches to cut everything off.
 

 
Just like how vampires can't enter your home until you invite them in. 
 

ampfixer
I miss solitaire

FREECELL was best! I think there were only 4 of the 32K versions I could not finish. Over several years, of course!

jbow
I just looked and the little W-10 icon is no longer sitting on my taskbar. I bet it is now in Windows Updates.
 
On my Studiocat I never could get it to do a preorder or pre-whatever for W-10. The icon never showed up and when I went and tried to do it manually I got squat. They said don't worry, it will still be available later for free but.. I'm waiting. I'm just not sure. New things make me nervous when the old things are still working so well. I worry that I'll need new drivers and they wont be ready. I worry I'll need stuff I've never heard of and don't know where to get. I worry... about OS upgrades in general. I have not forgotten Windows ME.
 

I'm right here with you J. I don't know whether to pull the trigger or wait a little bit. I have such a well oiled machine with my studio stuff, I'm sitting here shaking at the possibility that I'll be down or will need to buy something. I thought of doing it on my net box, but I do a lot of beta testing for various companies on that and don't want to have any issues. Uggh....I so hate change when all is well in my world. I know in the long run I'll probably be better off though. I think I'll test it on the net box and see how everything works. Would love to hear from Jim Roseberry on his take as well as how his machines are handling Win 10. Jim....you around? Any advice? :)
 
-Danny