* Windows 10 * - Should we be concerned?

[Scorpius]

Not sure about the UK but it's already being released here in the US. And not just on new PC's since they're offering a free upgrade from either 7 or 8 for one year. But what about drivers? Both proprietary and ASCOM - plus all the software - what are the chances our current devices will work with Windows 10? I've already signed up for the free upgrade but haven't done it yet - now after looking back on all the issues I've had with 8.1, I'm starting to wonder if I'd just be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire?

And just to lighten the mood - here's a good one I saw online:

The other day I discovered something that really shook me up. If you play a Windows Installation CD backwards, it produces a subliminal satanic message but even worse - If you play it forwards, it installs Windows on your PC !!!    

[keithatrochdale]

Installed Win 10 on a Win 8.1 laptop, I just hated 8.1 and couldn't get on with 8.1 no matter how I tried, so I figured it wouldn't be a loss.

That was before lunch yesterday, I have just finished turning off all the little spies I could find in the software (I hope)  - it is frightening how much info would have been sent back to mickysoft.

My advice would be to not use their browser (try Firefox), e-mail clients (try Monzilla thunderbird) and avoid Bing and the other software they are involved with.

It really is very scary how much they are gathering, I can see a good argument for going over to Linux.

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[MarsG76]

I'm still using Win7 64bit on my desktop and vista premium on my Astro laptop... The OS's work and I have them setup like I like them so I'm sticking with what I know works.

Upgrading to the first release of any operating system software I think is a mistake since all of the time there are undiscovered bugs... I'd wait for a couple of updates and a few proper reviews.

[Pompey Monkey]

Extended support for Windows 7 continues until 2020: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/lifecycle

What's the rush to upgrade?

[ronin]

Installed Win 10 on a Win 8.1 laptop, I just hated 8.1 and couldn't get on with 8.1 no matter how I tried, so I figured it wouldn't be a loss.

That was before lunch yesterday, I have just finished turning off all the little spies I could find in the software (I hope)  - it is frightening how much info would have been sent back to mickysoft.

My advice would be to not use their browser (try Firefox), e-mail clients (try Monzilla thunderbird) and avoid Bing and the other software they are involved with.

It really is very scary how much they are gathering, I can see a good argument for going over to Linux.

.

I was reading about this and what had to be turned off, stopped etc. - quite a large amount it would seem. I also am willing to bet that there are still items in there that still collect data.

If I recall the conditions of use are that they can go get data from the PC. The wording was as if it were to actively go find information, and expect the first update however minor to have some of the bits you have stopped updated and they run again. Tablets like Google perform updates to an assortment of items about twice a week, I would expect MS to start doing similar.

Does make you wonder how companies will take to this aspect.

[Pompey Monkey]

Does make you wonder how companies will take to this aspect.

Like a waking nightmare, if your business depends on outputs from processes involving MS software like Excel.

[glowingturnip]

there's a thread on what astro software works in it here - http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/249285-windows-10-what-works-and-what-doesnt/

I've early-adopted, I quite like it, but it really is scary how much data it tries to harvest from you

[lensman57]

Good morning to all,

The only sure way to keep  your computer  away from spying by third party  software is to disconnect it from the net. No internet. As it is, already every URL typed into a search engine is recorded and reported by benevolent free search engine providers such as Google and the like for the sake of information gathering. I have no idea what these so called updates are or were that are mostly downloaded without us knowing. I for one would not be willing to upgrade from win7 to any other OS as I am sure a lot of my drivers will not work properly.

Regards,

A.G

[Ouroboros]

I'm on a Mac, but I run legacy and a lot of my astronomy software on Windows 7 running in Parallels. Works a treat. I'm reluctant to upgrade.

It would be good if someone confirmed this, but I understand that as long as you register interest within a year you can upgrade at anytime after that. I've decided to register and then wait and see.

[KyleStoke]

Ive upgraded to 10 this morning so next clear night i will see what works, i was on WIN8 so i cant see it been any worse

[Dr_Ju_ju]

no, even if you register an interest, there is a hard one year limit....

As I've already said, I've updated all of pc's to 10, but I've also disabled all of the stuff that calls home, additionally I use modified 'hosts' files to re-point advertisers\crapware etc. back onto itself, which seems to have killed off all the junk

[The Admiral]

You just have to accept that Microsoft wants to own your soul . Or at least, that's what it feels like to the Luddite me!

I run windows 7 on my desktop, which I've found to be as good an OS as I've had out of MS, but my new laptop is on 8.1, and I'm planning to dual boot it to Windows 7. I just don't think it acceptable that I should have to log into my MS account just to use the darned thing (or at least, I don't know a way of turning that off). I did try out Linux recently, which I believe could be a contender, except that a lot of what I run is Windows only.

Ian

[Zakalwe]

You just have to accept that Microsoft wants to own your soul . Or at least, that's what it feels like to the Luddite me!

and your spouse, your kids and your dog (if he has one!) . The gerbil can keep his soul, as gerbil souls ain't worth the paper that they are written on.   

I run windows 7 on my desktop, which I've found to be as good an OS as I've had out of MS, but my new laptop is on 8.1, and I'm planning to dual boot it to Windows 7. I just don't think it acceptable that I should have to log into my MS account just to use the darned thing (or at least, I don't know a way of turning that off).

You can run Win 8 and 10 on a local account, which means that you don't need to log into the Microsoft account. Doing this will remove a lot of the tracking stuff in one fell swoop. You will lose Continuum, which is one of the nicer features of the Win 10 ecosystem- all your stuff across all devices. 

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5387-local-account-microsoft-account-how-tell-windows-10-a.html

[keithatrochdale]

no, even if you register an interest, there is a hard one year limit....

As I've already said, I've updated all of pc's to 10, but I've also disabled all of the stuff that calls home, additionally I use modified 'hosts' files to re-point advertisers\crapware etc. back onto itself, which seems to have killed off all the junk

Hi how do you do this please?

.

[Ouroboros]

no, even if you register an interest, there is a hard one year limit....

Yes, I think that's right. I was confused by an article I read on upgrading to 10 on what MS allows you to do after one year depending on whether you have you're own copy of Windows (like me) or whether it came with the machine.

[The Admiral]

You can run Win 8 and 10 on a local account, which means that you don't need to log into the Microsoft account. Doing this will remove a lot of the tracking stuff in one fell swoop. You will lose Continuum, which is one of the nicer features of the Win 10 ecosystem- all your stuff across all devices. 

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5387-local-account-microsoft-account-how-tell-windows-10-a.html

Ah, I had heard about the local account but didn't know what it meant. Thanks for the link. I'm now on a local account, and we'll see what the consequences might be.

As for continuum, that suits me just fine. I don't particularly want my computer sharing information with other computers, the tv and the fridge! Call me a control freak if you will, but I want to decide what goes where, and when.

Ian

[keithatrochdale]

So what exactly happens after a year?

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[Psychobilly]

So what exactly happens after a year?

.

You wont be eligible for a free upgrade ...

[Ouroboros]

But you'll get free support and updates for the life of the machine as long as you've updated to W10 within a year.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

when the OS tries to activate, it will report that it is unable to....

But there are some current roumours that M$ will in effect waive the one year rule if enough peeps have upgraded to become targets of their 'new company' policy of being an ad-slinger aka Google

as for fixing up your hosts file add the following to your file @ c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

#Windows 10 Privacy Blocker#

0.0.0.0 vortex.data.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 vortex-win.data.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

0.0.0.0 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

0.0.0.0 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

0.0.0.0 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

0.0.0.0 redir.metaservices.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 choice.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 choice.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

0.0.0.0 df.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 services.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 sqm.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 watson.ppe.telemetry.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 telemetry.appex.bing.net

0.0.0.0 telemetry.urs.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 telemetry.appex.bing.net

0.0.0.0 settings-sandbox.data.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 survey.watson.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 watson.live.com

0.0.0.0 watson.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 statsfe2.ws.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 corpext.msitadfs.glbdns2.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 compatexchange.cloudapp.net

0.0.0.0 cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net

0.0.0.0 a-0001.a-msedge.net

0.0.0.0 statsfe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

0.0.0.0 diagnostics.support.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 corp.sts.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 pre.footprintpredict.com

0.0.0.0 i1.services.social.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

0.0.0.0 feedback.windows.com

0.0.0.0 feedback.microsoft-hohm.com

0.0.0.0 feedback.search.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 bingads.microsoft.com

0.0.0.0 www.bingads.microsoft.com

#End Windows 10 Privacy Blocker#

# [block Microsoft Apps]

127.0.0.1 apps.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 www.apps.microsoft.com

and even after all this, I'd still rather run Win 10 as opposed to 7\8\8.1

[JamesF]

There are a couple of syntax errors in that list.

oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net has a repeated dot in the IP address

telemetry.appex.bing.net:443 should probably just be telemetry.appex.bing.net

James

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Thanks James,

One I'd noticed, the other not, but the list is now updated..

If you wish to go further and block more adverts the search for "hosts file ad blocking"

[glowingturnip]

and even after all this, I'd still rather run Win 10 as opposed to 7\8\8.1

yes, that's the thing - Windows 8.1 was sooo bad I'm happy to have upgraded.

There's a bug with outlook sending emails by the way, if you find that your emails just sit in the outbox and don't go anywhere, open up a command prompt with admin rights and type in 'sfc /scannow' (without the quotes) - that seems to fix it

[glowingturnip]

rather apposite, found on reddit:

[silios]

Just a note :

The HOSTS file doesn't quite work as it used to in older versions (or should work as it does in linux for example),

since dnsapi.dll (responsible for DNS queries, the same queries that the aforementioned list is supposed to bypass - block ) , has certain MS domains white-listed.