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Finally, some good news for people who are determined to avoid the Windows 10 "upgrade". Microsoft has this week issued an update that removes the Get Windows 10 App and other software related to the the Windows 10 free update offer, which expired July 29, 2016. From a report on Redmond Channel Partner:
An update issued by Microsoft this week will delete the infamous "Get Windows App" from users' systems.
The Get Windows App (also known as the "GWX app") was a nag-ware-like popup that showed up on Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8.1 desktops, prompting users to get a free upgrade to Windows 10. It hung around with that same message over a one-year period for those who didn't accept the offer. It took a lot of effort to make it go away.
The update that dispenses with the GWX app is labeled as "Knowledge Base article KB3184143." It became available through Windows Server Update Services as of Sept. 20, according to Microsoft's description article.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by edIII on Friday September 23 2016, @09:59PM
You're way off base, and the game has changed significantly since then. Microsoft got rid of individual updates some time ago. They're all or nothing now.
In order to get the update to remove the nag screen for updating to Windows 10, you also got the update to install telemetry into Windows 7, which is why they wanted you to update to Windows 10 anyways.
Downloading the update to remove the nag screen allows Microsoft to win. The operating system is now just the bait to get access to all of your keystrokes, visited websites, etc. Basically a wealth of personal information they can now share.
They've one-upped Facebook in terms of privacy invasion at this point. It's privacy eradication with 100% monetization of that information coming down the pipeline, and of course, national security theater gets the info in a backroom "deal" with Microsoft. I wouldn't be surprised if people started getting targeting marketing from Microsoft affiliates that puzzles them in that the information was seemingly private.
The only safe method of installing and running Windows 7 is to use older installation media without the telemetry, install all individual updates that are still available, and then to lock the system out of any future updates.
In other words, Microsoft operating systems are dead on arrival from now on, and the writing is on the wall. Move to Linux or BSD NOW. Or Apple, but if you're that okay with a walled garden, why move from Microsoft in the first place? ;)
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