JorgeA

Woody has posted the screenshot of his reader's Windows Update settings missing the "Never check" option: --JorgeA

I wait a few days to do anything, until Susan Bradley and/or Woody Leonhard weigh in on the updates. --JorgeA

In the new forum software, how do you check when your MSFN subscription is due for renewal? I'm on a yearly schedule and I know my renewal is up in June, but I can no longer find what the date is. --JorgeA

The scenario I had in mind was one where I am the prospective customer and they're trying to sell me something. The less they know about me, the more flexibility I have. And I agree that we're on a slippery slope and gaining velocity... and not just with respect to Microsoft. Check this out: Mark Zuckerberg says we’ll be plugged into ‘The Matrix’ within 50 YEARS --JorgeA

Here's another item to warm @Formfiller's heart: Reader reports missing “Never check for updates” in Win7 Have they really sunk that low? After all the tricks and shenanigans I've seem them pull over the last year, I wouldn't put it past them. Still, I would like to see an actual screenshot of this. --JorgeA

That's correct. A lot of people have given MSFT the keys to their kingdom, so to speak. Meanwhile, and speaking of Microsoft knowing ever more about its customers, check this out: LinkedIn integrates with Cortana in Windows 10 Another reason NOT to join LinkedIn, and to disable Cortana if that's still possible. If I go into a business meeting, I most likely do NOT want the people on the other side of the table to know very much about me at all. I have more flexibility that way. --JorgeA

Here's the most worrisome aspect of MSFT's acquisition of LinkedIn. LinkedIn has been working on what they call an "Economic Graph," which is described here as And now Microsoft can add to this whatever information they can gather from the hundreds of millions who -- not knowing any better -- created a Microsoft Account the first time they booted into Windows 10 and never signed out. --JorgeA

That's a weird coincidence. I wouldn't put it beyond the realm of possibility. One thing is for sure, though: the very fact that Microsoft is known to be tracking people's computers, can only make these scams sound more credible: "Yes, when you clicked OK on the Windows 10 license agreement, you agreed to let Microsoft monitor how your PC was doing. We're just doing our jobs here to help keep your computer safe." --JorgeA

You're welcome, Noel. I'm glad I was able to make a positive contribution to your work. --JorgeA

And speaking of telemetry... It's not just Windows 10 that has telemetry issues -- Microsoft has done the same with Visual Studio 2015 C++ compiler --JorgeA

Check out this comment from Woody's blog. Byron might be on to something: --JorgeA

That's very impressive! What criteria do you use in deciding whether to upgrade to a new build or to do a clean install? --JorgeA

+1 IMHO Linux usability would improve if someone expert enough were to create an application launcher that was organized like the Vista/7 Start Menu. I've never warmed to the category structure that's featured in the various Linux "start menus" out there. --JorgeA

Anybody have insight into what may be going on here with the Edge browser: Edge was already struggling to maintain a foothold in the browser market. This news can only help to push it closer to the, umm, edge of failure. --JorgeA

Cool -- my Sanyo MBC-550 is 320 years old in human years, and still going strong!! BTW it's remarkable that your Apple hardware has done so well with Microsoft software. Steve Jobs must be rolling over in his grave... --JorgeA

Meanwhile, over in Menlo Park... Facebook threatens to delete users' photos if they don’t install the Moments app Looks like FB has joined the cyberfascist movement... --JorgeA

That's exactly what happened in my family! As known well by anyone who reads my stuff around this forum , I'm no IT professional, but thanks to my interest in technology I've become the go-to guy whenever there's a question involving computers, peripherals and accessories, or even smartphones. (Yeah, yeah, I can hear some of you groaning "OMG, those poor folks!") There's a Spanish saying that goes, "en el país de los ciegos, el tuerto es rey." Translated to English, it means "in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." At home, I'm that one-eyed man. --JorgeA

That's a nifty feature!! Thanks for the tip. --JorgeA

Over time, this could become really tedious. How long before those of us who want a certain look, start feeling like Sisyphus? But FWIW, thank you for all the good work you've done on that front. --JorgeA

Did you find a way to provide new Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 8? I didn't see an actual forum post about it. Those files that include "RT" in the name, I assume are for Windows RT and not for Win8? (In fact, they all seem to have the RT in the name. ) --JorgeA UPDATE: I found the thread.

Wow, that really says something. Too bad the decision-makers at Microsoft are dumb (in the original, "don't hear" meaning of the word). The speaker sounded a bit rattled a couple of sentences after seeing the show of hands. BTW how did you arrange it so that the video would start at the desired time? Pretty cool. --JorgeA

Ah, I see, thanks. Since you had excluded the start menus from XP, Vista, and 7, I was wondering which style you did like. I forgot that 98 was an option. --JorgeA

Which flavor of Classic Shell's Start Menu are you using? --JorgeA

Thanks for reminding me @xpclient, I do remember seeing good things there and should go back in. That's terrible about no longer being able even to bring back the classic Date. Guess I shouldn't be surprised by any outrage they commit anymore. What do you think are the chances they'll break Classic Shell completely? I remember about their stupid little trick that required renaming the installation file, but I'm talking here about removing enough code to make it impossible to run Classic Shell. --JorgeA

OMG, really?!? That is just incredible. Well, OK, no longer incredible, given what I've seen over there. --JorgeA