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Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Edition Will Have Some Group Policy Settings Removed
For their forthcoming Anniversary update, Microsoft have decided to remove some Group Policy settings from all editions of the operating system except for Windows 10 Enterprise. These Policies affect your ability to control "Cloud Content", "Personalization", and "Windows Store".
The corresponding Registry keys for these policies will also be removed. Manually adding those keys back into non-Enterprise editions of Win10 will have no effect.
Looking at the list of Policies to be removed, many home/power users of this operating system will almost certainly be up in arms and annoyed at this move, but it seems they are just innocent bystanders in a bigger game/pressure-tactic Microsoft is playing out with the corporate and business world.
Unfortunately for home/power users, purchasing a license to use the Windows 10 Enterprise edition is all but impossible. Divorcing from the MS Windows ecosystem may end up being the only palatable option for many such users.
Here is the list of Policies to be removed:
- Cloud Content > "Turn off Microsoft consumer experiences" -- personalized recommendations from Microsoft ...notifications about your Microsoft account.
- Cloud Content > "Do not show Windows tips" -- may see contextual popups ...Microsoft uses diagnostic, telemetry and usage data to determine which tips to show.
- Personalization > "Force a specific default lock screen and logon image"
- Personalization > "Prevent changing lock screen and logon image"
- Personalization > "Do not display the lock screen" -- before signing in, users will see their selected tile and must dismiss the lock screen using touch, keyboard or mouse drag.
- Store > "Disable all apps from Windows Store" -- turns off launch of all apps from Windows Store that came pre-installed or were downloaded; also will turn off Windows Store.
[Continues...]
Microsoft faces two new lawsuits over aggressive Windows 10 upgrade tactics
Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
Microsoft is facing two more lawsuits over the company's questionable Windows 10 upgrade tactics. Both suits are seeking class-action status.
The first suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Florida. It alleges that Microsoft's Windows 10 upgrade prompts "violated laws governing unsolicited electronic advertisements," as reported by The Seattle Times . The suit also says Microsoft's tactics are against the Federal Trade Commission's rules on deceptive and unfair practices. The second suit was filed in June in Haifa, Israel alleging that Microsoft installed Windows 10 on users' computers without consent. Microsoft already paid out a $10,000 award in a previous U.S. suit over similar circumstances.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 01 2016, @01:22AM
You know, I think I'm getting sick and tired of people using "Oh I've only stuck with Windows for the gaming" excuse. Here's a tip, if everyone that used that excuse would just say "fuck it, I'm switching to liinux", they'd miss what? Maybe a couple of blockbuster hits and potentially a 1000 stinkers, then the devs would port all of that + their new games to Linux since that's where the money will be.
Hell, all the stuff currently out that's extra popular would also find it's way transferred over to Linux eventually since it'd be an easy way to resell things already sold once on Windows.
But so long as the windows gamers continue to complain but continue to use windows, they're all fucked.
(Score: 3, Informative) by julian on Monday August 01 2016, @04:23AM
I'm finally going to give up my last Windows PC because of this. There are enough games on Linux now to suffice and if something isn't available I'll just go without. I'm at the point now where MS's bullshit has exceeded my ability to put up with for the benefits I received.
Also Linux as an OS has gotten a lot better. I installed Ubuntu Gnome 16.04 LTS and for the first time ever I've not had a single problem. Nothing is broken, incomplete, mismatched, or kludgy. Everything works, automatically. It's astounding. There is still systemd, but my objections to that have always been theoretical/philosophical. I haven't encountered any problems with it in use.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Monday August 01 2016, @05:24PM
Yeah, "It runs the software I want to use" is such a terrible criteria for OS selection!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 01 2016, @09:27PM
It is. Your first priority should be picking an OS that respects your freedoms and doesn't actively abuse you.
(Score: 2) by Jesus_666 on Monday August 01 2016, @05:38PM