Posted on 08/13/2015 11:29:47 AM PDT by george76
If you are currently a Microsoft user running either Windows 7 or 8, you are eligible for a free upgrade to the "new and improved" Windows 10. But before you upgrade, be aware that it's free as in price, not as in liberty. Many of the new features and settings of Windows 10 have been deemed spyware by computer security experts. It's one thing to have programs and applications spying on you. It's another thing altogether to have your operating system designed to do it.
When Microsoft announced the "free" upgrade, many were left wondering why the Redmond giant would give away licenses to use the new operating system. Now it appears that the reason is simple: greater data-mining opportunities. Windows operating systems have long included security weaknesses that leave users vulnerable to spying and data-mining from others. What is different with the newest iteration of Windows is that Microsoft is directly involved in that spying and data-mining and has built the entire operating system in such a way as to allow it.
To install the Windows 10 upgrade, users must agree to the Microsoft Services Agreement and its accompanying documents. Few will ever read the terms of these documents since they span some 40,000 words and would run 110 pages if printed. As is to be expected, most of the terms are written in legalese and are not overly easy to understand. There are some parts of the terms that users need to be aware of, though, because agreeing to them grants Microsoft the right to .. share anything stored on or accessed using .. any computer using Microsoft products or services.
...
That data includes the user's name, e-mail address, postal address, phone number, passwords, password hints, age, and gender, as well as other personal information
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...
I gotta ask. Why should “any” customer, of “any” product, have to keep a list of all things, and it seems to be an extensive list - THAT YOU HAVE TO OPT OUT OF, just to maintain your privacy?
Or just don’t install.
I’m still using Norton .. and it’s still the best.
They just upgraded .. it’s really great. I have never had malware or viruses - EVER.
I do use Malwarebytes as an ad hoc program and have for years. I’ve used AVG and Avast as resident programs in the past. I’m currently using Windows Defender but it sounds like I need to switch.
Thanks so much for getting back to me. I really appreciate it. :)
(In principle, I completely agree with you.)
Thanks
Glad I didn’t upgrade...
“Couldn’t you just do some work on HOSTS so all the spyware reports are just wrong numbers?”
discussed in the ars technical comments. some speculate W10 OS has the ip numbers actually builtin and could even bypass W10 OS firewall settings as well, and only way to stop it might be to block those addresses in your router.
Microsoft can eat poopy.
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