Windows 10 - Deeper Impressions

[JorgeA]

Microsoft stresses Windows 10 Feedback app as UserVoice sites meet their demise

 

The following commenter expresses my thoughts exactly:

 

I am not surprised by this news. Microsoft have never really listened to most of the suggestions on the Windows 10 Uservoice page anyway so it was more an embarrassment than anything else. The fact that Microsoft did not even remotely implement or acknowledge the SINGLE MOST POPULAR feature request (Aero Glass which has more than 50K votes) is just sad and proves that Microsoft only 'listen' to feedback that matches plan they already have anyway.

 

--JorgeA

 

 

[JorgeA]

Windows 7 had a bit of an uptick (0.47%) in the last twelve days. Despite all of Microsoft's efforts to prop up Windows 10, the older Windows XP, 8, and 8.1 also went up a little each while the new OS was totally flat.

 

And despite all of those efforts, XP is running neck-and-neck with 10. The race is so close that the StatCounter graph isn't detailed enough to show them on separate lines.

 

The only real loser in this time period seems to be OS X.

 

 

--JorgeA

 

[dencorso]

As I've remarked before, it's not a question of "when" or "whether": Win 10 has already flopped!

Not even given gratis (= free as in free beer), it was attractive enough even to cause those on 8.x to migrate to it.

[NoelC]

I'm impressed that people are no longer appear to be abandoning Windows 7 or 8.1 at all.

 

I'm always impressed at the weekend bumps...  Can one judge the goodness of an OS by the direction and size of the weekend bumps?  Assuming so, what does it say about a society that they generally prefer to run crappier/more frivolous operating systems on the weekends than what they use for their jobs?  

 

I think the bumps/dips alone would make a fascinating subject for discussion.

 

-Noel

Edited November 1, 2015 by NoelC

[ralcool]

Windows 7 had a bit of an uptick (0.47%) in the last twelve days. Despite all of Microsoft's efforts to prop up Windows 10, the older Windows XP, 8, and 8.1 also went up a little each while the new OS was totally flat.

 

And despite all of those efforts, XP is running neck-and-neck with 10. The race is so close that the StatCounter graph isn't detailed enough to show them on separate lines.

 

The only real loser in this time period seems to be OS X.

 

StatCounter-os-ww-daily-20151019-20151030 (1).png

 

--JorgeA

 

What is .47%?,  another how many million systems online and running in twelve days? Just for Windows 7. Cool.

 

Like NoelC suggested people, IT pros, Engineers, Schools,  are happy to run a Windows version to suit their needs.

 

Software is never obsolete.

[JorgeA]

Windows 10 usage was less than 8 percent in October according to Net Applications, and under 6 percent (when including mobile OSes) according to W3Counter.

 

 

--JorgeA

 

[dencorso]

Two interesting observations: the number of faithful Vista and Linux diehards continues to keep between 1.5 and 2% (of course, the Vista users have no reason nor incentive to change OS, but I'd imagine the Linux users would be rising, thanks to 10, but that doesen't seem to be happening... at least, not yet). And the users of all Mac OS X varieties add up to about 8%, and that also does not seem to be growing... I'd say most of the people who hated 10    went back to either 8.1, 7 or XP, but mostly back to that one they were using before "upgrade"... 

[vinifera]

they will rise with winblows 11

[JorgeA]

they will rise with winblows 11

 

Hey, but we've been told all along that 10 will be "the last version of Windows."

 

Yeah, maybe because so many users will decline to make the switch to 10 that Nadella (or his successor) will shutter the company's Windows division. From there on out, all Microsoft software and services will be designed for Android.

 

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

Win10's privacy intrusions have now spawned even paid privacy-protection software. (Free offer for the next couple of days.)

 

--JorgeA

 

[NoelC]

In monitoring network traffic, I've discovered the need for yet another reconfiguration to improve privacy.  This one does not appear configured by e.g., O&O ShutUp10.  It's possible it's covered by another setting as well, but I had the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool regularly trying to contact Microsoft spynet servers with encrypted connections all over the world before setting it:

 

From this page:
support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/891716

 

Q3. How can I disable the infection-reporting component of the tool so that the report is not sent back to Microsoft?

A3. An administrator can choose to disable the infection-reporting component of the tool by adding the following registry key value to computers. If this registry key value is set, the tool will not report infection information back to Microsoft.

Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\MRT

Entry name: DontReportInfectionInformation
Type: REG_DWORD
Value data: 1

 

 

Confirmed to be pertinent to Win 10 here:

technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt577208(v=vs.85).aspx

 

Also listed here, by none other than A. User (no, not me) who was subsequently banned by Microsoft:
answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-security/ms-malicious-software-removal-tool/723cdcec-35de-4e7f-84e6-29d63103809f

 

And one other source:
www.ghacks.net/2007/12/16/prevent-malicious-software-removal-tool-from-phoning-home/

 

-Noel

Edited November 3, 2015 by NoelC

[JorgeA]

Two interesting observations: the number of faithful Vista and Linux diehards continues to keep between 1.5 and 2% (of course, the Vista users have no reason nor incentive to change OS, but I'd imagine the Linux users would be rising, thanks to 10, but that doesen't seem to be happening... at least, not yet). And the users of all Mac OS X varieties add up to about 8%, and that also does not seem to be growing... I'd say most of the people who hated 10    went back to either 8.1, 7 or XP, but mostly back to that one they were using before "upgrade"... 

 

I agree.

 

My guess is that the first choice of users of previous versions of Windows is to go back to what they had before, rather than switching to a totally different OS. It'll be interesting to see what these users do if and when they decide that it's time to retire their old OS: maybe that's when they'll move over to Linux or Mac OS X (XI? XII?). The shift would then take place slowly over time.

 

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

In monitoring network traffic, I've discovered the need for yet another reconfiguration to improve privacy.  This one does not appear configured by e.g., O&O ShutUp10.  It's possible it's covered by another setting as well, but I had the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool regularly trying to contact Microsoft spynet servers with encrypted connections all over the world before setting it:

 

Huh, I'd never considered the MRT to be a privacy threat. Maybe I should? I remember reading the agreement for it way back when and not getting any red flags.

 

Anyway, thanks for the scoop.

 

--JorgeA

[Kelsenellenelvian]

In monitoring network traffic, I've discovered the need for yet another reconfiguration to improve privacy. This one does not appear configured by e.g., O&O ShutUp10. It's possible it's covered by another setting as well, but I had the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool regularly trying to contact Microsoft spynet servers with encrypted connections all over the world before setting it:

Huh, I'd never considered the MRT to be a privacy threat. Maybe I should? I remember reading the agreement for it way back when and not getting any red flags.

Anyway, thanks for the scoop.

--JorgeA

That was way back when, remember now just continuing to use things imply agreeing to any eula changes they make on the fly.

[NoelC]

 

Huh, I'd never considered the MRT to be a privacy threat. Maybe I should?

 

 

Several things:

 

1.  I'd already opted out of all "send data to Microsoft for further analysis or to improve their malware database" settings.  ALL of them.  NO Smartscreen, NO MAPS, NO telemetry, NO Windows Update except when I initiate it.  Yet the communications attempts continue.  Poorly coded software that makes connections regardless of settings but doesn't send anything, or something else?

 

2.  Past descriptions of the Malicious Software Removal Tool (mrt.exe) have said that "it will run one time to ensure you're malware-free".  So why is it running in the middle of the night trying to contact Microsoft servers in such places as Sao Paulo, Brazil?  I'm not running it, apparently it's being triggered as part of normal Windows Defender activity.  Anti-spyware software not advertised to be run that way making encrypted connections to servers named spynet?  Hiding things in plain sight, anyone?

 

3.  NOTHING malicious is being detected on my system, yet these ENCRYPTED connections are still being attempted every few hours.  What is it trying to send or retrieve that they need to be encrypted?

 

4.  Microsoft has clearly changed its stance in the past few years, and moreso lately.  There's no denying they're now predatory and actively seeking to take over and gather information from our computers.  Many people have stopped taking some or all Windows Updates.  It's time to suspect everything they do.

 

5.  Even ignoring the data content of the messages, just by the act of contacting a Microsoft server somewhere, Microsoft knows your computer is online and running at a given time.  That alone is a certain loss of privacy.  How does it benefit YOU?  Would you choose to get up at 2am and send Microsoft a note saying, "I'm here"?

 

Of course, use your judgment and make your own decisions.

 

-Noel

Edited November 3, 2015 by NoelC