Saturday, February 6, 2016

Opting Out Of The Windows 10 Lemming Rush

My computer is 4 years old. It runs just fine with Windows 7, thankyouverymuch. I am not at all convinced that (a) Windows 10 will run on this computer, (b) that any or all of my various outdated programs that still work perfectly well (tyvm) can be made to run under Windows 10, assuming the "upgrade" didn't brick the computer, and (c) that the security concerns* being expressed all over the internet are just scaremongering. Nope.

I am told that all editions of Windows 7 will continue to receive security updates until January of 2020.

However... one has to be vewwy, vewwy careful if one does not want to have the Windows 10 "upgrade" inflicted upon their unsuspecting computer.... See, they're being very sneaky, and they have marked it as a "recommended" update. Thus, if your computer is set to download and install recommended updates automatically, you will be "upgraded" to Windows 10 whether you like it or not.

Here is a very good article that explains exactly how not to have this "upgrade" foisted upon you. (You're welcome.) As best I can determine, this procedure will work, for the foreseeable future. If (and when) they invent a further sneak-around to make changes to MY computer without MY permission, all bets are off.... As others have pointed out, Microsoft owns the operating system, and I have purchased a license to use it. But they do NOT own my hardware.

* In case you didn't click over to the Forbes Magazine article, here's a quote:

By default Windows 10 Home is allowed to control your bandwidth usage, install any software it wants whenever it wants (without providing detailed information on what these updates do), display ads in the Start Menu (currently it has been limited to app advertisements), send your hardware details and any changes you make to Microsoft and even log your browser history and keystrokes which the Windows End User Licence Agreement (EULA) states you allow Microsoft to use for analysis.

Hmm. Microsoft as Big Brother? We report, you decide.

And for those whose current Windows 7 (or 8) computer is breathing its last... you can still pick up a brand-new Windows 7 computer at Amazon. There are lots of choices. Brand new, not somebody else's refurbished castoff.

Another thing to be aware of. Many of today's laptops don't come with a CD/DVD drive, apparently because so many people are now "streaming" their content. So if you're shopping, be sure to look out for that.


1 comments:

Jeff D said...

Not very happy with Windows 10, for many of the reasons you set forth. The worst part is that when it "upgrades" it doesn't tell you that it requires a reboot, and sometimes it doesn't even tell you that it has done it! I can usually tell because many of my programs cease to work correctly - and that extends to my Roku device! It can take a full half hour to get things working again.

 
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