Microsoft Admits Windows 10 Automatic Spying Cannot Be Stopped

Forbes ^ | NOV 2, 2015 @ 12:00 PM | By Gordon Kelly

[Swordmaker]

Last week changes to the Windows 10 upgrade path mean it is going to become increasingly difficult for any non-techy users to avoid being pushed to Microsoft new operating system. But given Windows 10 is better than Windows 7 and Windows 8, why would that be a problem? Because of policies like this…

Speaking to PC World, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore explained that Windows 10 is constantly tracking how it operates and how you are using it and sending that information back to Microsoft by default. More importantly he also confirmed that, despite offering some options to turn elements of tracking off, core data collection simply cannot be stopped:

“In the cases where we’ve not provided options, we feel that those things have to do with the health of the system,” he said. “In the case of knowing that our system that we’ve created is crashing, or is having serious performance problems, we view that as so helpful to the ecosystem and so not an issue of personal privacy, that today we collect that data so that we make that experience better for everyone.”

This backs up detailed data that some had chosen to dismiss as conspiracy theories.

[zeugma]

Cool. I'll look through that. I had to do some work related to some addresses that MS owns a few days ago. It would appear that they own a crapload of IP address space. The following are some of the network ranges they own.

Address Range	CIDR	# of addresses	# of Class Cs
104.40.0.0 - 104.47.255.255	104.40.0.0/13	524288	2048
134.170.0.0 - 134.170.255.255	134.170.0.0/16	65536	256
157.54.0.0 - 157.55.255.255	157.54.0.0/15	131072	512
157.56.0.0 - 157.59.255.255	157.56.0.0/14	262144	1024
157.60.0.0 - 157.60.255.255	157.60.0.0/16	65536	256
207.46.0.0 - 207.46.255.255	207.46.0.0/16	65536	256
213.199.144.0 - 213.199.159.255	213.199.144.0/20	4096	16
213.199.160.0 - 213.199.191.255	213.199.160.0/20	4096	16
216.32.0.0 - 216.35.255.255	216.32.0.0/14	262144	1024
23.96.0.0 - 23.103.255.255	23.96.0.0/13	524288	2048
64.4.0.0 - 64.4.63.255	64.4.0.0/18	16384	64
65.52.0.0 - 65.55.255.255	65.52.0.0/14	262144	1024

[wally_bert]

I render directly from 4K to 4K in MP4 movie format- XAVC 4K 3840x2160 Long GOP 29.97. The stock agencies I submit to like it.

A few years ago I tried offering conversion of old format video to DVD or something else digital. I got one whole customer.

I have a 3GB video card on a Dell PC with i7 and 12 GB of RAM. It was bought to handle higher end video. Dell had a sale a while back and I pulled the trigger. It’s been a solid box.

A typical render of a 4K clip that is a minute in length usually takes 5 or 6 minutes.

HD in what frame rates I’ve used, a minute or two tops for 1 minute or less in length.

I rarely use HD. Sometimes I forget to switch modes on the Lumix for video. It will record in other modes but in HD 60 frames. It cleans up nicely.

[tbw2]

Haven’t moved off Windows yet. My biggest desire would be porting Quicken to Linux, or working with software very similar to it.
I need both accounting for home and business functionality, and don’t want to use a web tool to do it.

[dhs12345]

Agreed. Not a lot of work in it. And customers don't want to pay for it — or at least the time required to digitize it, format it, render it, and then burn it. Requires special equipment, too. Old players, slide projectors, 8mm movie projectors, etc.

I had to rent a reel to reel tape player to recover an audio tape from a wedding. That is where Vegas came in handy too — I could boost the volume in the sections where they were saying their vows and reduce it in the louder sections. Turned out very nicely.

It is nice too for removing pops and skips on old LPs or 60Hz hum.

There is probably a business rendering video for web sites. Especially, for Internet web sites where their primary product is web based video.

There was always the copyright issue too — I created many pretty good slide shows and videos but couldn't sell them.

Sony offers royalty free music, though.

[CA Conservative]

Both KMyMoney and GnuCash can be used on Windows, so you can try them out. Or you could try to run Quicken in Linux in the WINE emulator.

[wally_bert]

Most people expect high quality production from SLP VHS and other weak formats for pennies.

I use a Rode microphone myself. Audio generally gets cut for stock submissions unless it is really relevant.. Typically, I render the audio for stock audio in Audacity.

I have a Betacam SP in the closet that I bought on Ebay cheap. Mostly because I used to work with them in TV production land.

[dhs12345]

The Linux version of excel works pretty well. Some differences, though that require getting used to.

And it will read MS excel files and save them.

[dljordan]

No, I’m on 7 but they downloaded the update that posts the little Win 10 icon on the toolbar and keeps popping up from time to time to annoy you. I found out which one it was and removed it. I then turned the updates off.

[US_MilitaryRules]

Can’t or hasn’t someone made an app like package to stop or delete the function? They have everything else!

[JoeProBono]

[doorgunner69]

Ah, so. Guess I have had updates shut down for so long I never got that one. Heard about it.

[GingisK]

I use XP and haven’t did an update in at least three years.

I use XP myself. I have Malware Bytes Premium installed. WIN7 was getting stealth updates that made critical and expensive applications quit working correctly. I fell back to XP and now everything is fine.

I have a Linux firewall between me and my AT&T UVerse box.

I can't believe that Microsoft would change the behavior of critical common dialog boxes without regard for user's software. That violates everything they preach on their developer sites.

[Dr. Sivana]

What did you do exactly, if I may ask?



If you can't make it this far (or equivalent on a Linksys or other brand) have someone help you.

[dhs12345]

Exactly. Until the tape is breaks or deteriorates and is no longer readable. Then they panic and are probably willing to pay hundreds. By then, it is too late.

Important point: DVD media is far from perfect has a very limited shelf life. Even the disks that promise 20 years. They guarantee the disks but not what is on them.

Makes you realize how much we depend on the technology. Ironically, it is the old family black and white picture stored away under the bed that will last centuries if it is taken care of. Best of all it is very low technology — it doesn't require a complicated piece of hardware to view it. Just the good ol’ human eye.

[TomGuy]

You might check out Money Manager EX. I have been using it about 10 years, after Quicken became too bloated.

MMEX allows multiple accounts, etc. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the bigger programs, but is good for basic money management and multiple bank/savings accounts, etc.

And it is donationware.

http://www.moneymanagerex.org/news

It has a Linux version, and IIRC, it will import regular Quicken files.

Check it out.

[wally_bert]

In a long gone professional job that really doesn’t exist any more, I used to work with 2 inch Quad tapes. I was one of three or four that could set one up and get it to play.

Eventually it wound up being me. Outside places would find old tapes and bring them to see and copy.

I had very few people ever get upset if a tape failed or disintegrated on playback. They signed a form anyway.

Here is what I do with 4K stuff off the Lumix. I have yet to sell a 4K resolution clip though. Some months I make a little, often times it takes months to make a payout. I do it for some reason still

http://www.shutterstock.com/video/search/?page=1&perpage=100&res=4k&sort=popular&translation_method=service&use_local_boost=0&contributor_id=64505&lang=en

[Secret Agent Man]

Gee now you cant run an os without being connected to the internet. Forget that noise.

[wally_bert]

No idea. I haven’t used Quicken in years.

[wally_bert]

I used Linux some a few years ago but got off the wagon.

I’ve looked at signing up for classes at Linux Academy.

[tbw2]

Thank you.