SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
If you have been refusing Microsoft's offer to upgrade your Windows 7 or 8* operating system to Windows 10 due to the oft-reported data and telemetry slurping it seems inclined to do, then it is time to be on your toes as to which updates you allow to be installed on your earlier version of the operating system.
El Reg reports that Microsoft are busy pushing similar functionality to those older operating systems by way of Windows Update. The updates in question can apparently be rolled back if required.
They are however very determined in their function if allowed to be installed, going so far as to ignore such venerable solutions as additions to the HOSTS file, which has historically been a way to knobble phone-home behaviour:
Now Microsoft is revamping the user-tracking tools in Windows 7 and 8 to harvest more data, via some new patches.
All the updates can be removed post-installation – but all ensure the OS reports data to Microsoft even when asked not to, bypassing the hosts file and (hence) third-party privacy tools. This data can include how long you use apps, and which features you use the most, snapshots of memory to investigate crashes, and so on.
The updates are KB3068708 ("Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry" and mandatory) KB3075249 ("Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7") and KB3080149 (also an "Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry", both optional).
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday September 02 2015, @07:41PM
...and those few that I can think of are for some reason massive Microsoft fans/apologists...
Massive Microsoft fans and apologists....? Are you sure you're not just referring to people who are better informed on the topic than you? I ask because on multiple occasions I have been called both and in each and every one of those cases it was on Slashdot where reality didn't line up with the inflammatory headline [soylentnews.org]. The damning proof of my fanboyism for Microsoft was that I had, gasp, read the article and was able to rebut a popular-yet-still-bullshit remark.
Are you part of that group? I don't know. But I will tell you where I come from on this topic, who knows, maybe I'm the first of my kind to cross your path. I prefer Windows to Linux. Is that because Windows is better and I'm a slobbering fanboy? No. It's because it's the best tool for my job. How can that be, you might ask? Because I don't move files around in Explorer for a living. I do work that requires efficient functionality of several apps that are, at best, poorly supported in Linux. I produce files that, for the most part, don't give much of a shit about what OS they were generated in. I am quite fluent in scripting, for example. For that reason I'd 10x rather be in Linux. But that only gets me so far as scripting is only a small part of my task. OSX would be my second choice, though not as well supported as Windows I could at least be somewhat productive. In fact I do dualboot a Macbook Pro as my personal machine. If I have to leave Windows I'm headed to OSX next. Linux is a distant distant third choice. We're talking about me doing work that puts a roof over my head, not about me sitting in my mom's basement splatting my opinion on the internets as if that gives me some sort of purpose.
As I said, I don't know who you've encountered, but given my previous experience with remarks similar to yours I would strongly encourage you to re-evaluate your "massive microsoft fanboy" assessment of a lot of people. If I'm right then not only will your question about "how Microsoft is getting away with this" would be answered for you, but you'd also have a clearer picture of what's really happening with Windows users who don't consider Linux a viable alternative. And seeing as how that's not entirely Linux's fault, i.e. there are external forces at work, you may want to become more educated on that topic.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2, Interesting) by boltronics on Thursday September 03 2015, @03:13AM
"Massive" is what I said, and exactly what I meant - except for Person C, the gamer. I know three people who I can say for certain run Windows:
Person A:
Microsoft can do no wrong! If they're doing something bad, it's because all the other companies are doing it but nobody cares to notice! Apple's probably doing it, but everyone loves Apple so nobody picks on them. Poor Microsoft!
Person B:
Windows 10 is so awesome, so I'm going to post to Facebook telling everyone how much I love it.
Person C:
Windows on a gaming laptop exclusively for games. Mac user for everything else.
Also, the work I do that puts a roof over my head is all GNU/Linux-based - but only because I rejected work that didn't meet my personal ethical viewpoint.
It's GNU/Linux dammit!