Finally updated to Windows 10 and....

[Silver]

I am not seeing about what the hooplah is.

[JesusHChrist]

The biggest hooplah seems to be the amount of intrusive data collection going on behind the scenes:

https://www.rt.com/usa/311304-new-window...cy-issues/

As examples, Porta cited Microsoft having access to contacts, calendar details, and “other associated input data” such as “typing and inking” by default. The operating system also wants access to user locations and location history, both of which could be provided not just to Microsoft, but to its “trusted partners.”

“Who are the trusted partners? By whom are they trusted? I am certainly not the one doing any trusting right now,” Porta wrote, describing the default privacy options as “vague and bordering on scary.”

Alec Meer of the ‘Rock, Paper, Shotgun’ blog pointed out this passage in Microsoft’s 12,000-word, 45-page terms of use agreement:

“We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to.”

While most people are used to ads as the price of accessing free content, writes Meer, Microsoft is not making it clear enough that they are “gathering and storing vast amounts of data on your computing habits,” not just browser data.

Opting out of all these default settings requires navigating 13 different screens and a separate website, the bloggers have found.

This is why Microsoft is "giving away" Windows 10. They want in on Google's advertising $$ turf. Of course, Google already does much of the same on every Android phone in existence and with every Google search.

[Napoléon]

Commie bastards.

[vorlon13]

Gee, I thought we were all just going to be beta testers.


Again.

[Marsellus Wallace]

Gee, I thought we were all just going to be beta testers.


Again.

The conspiracy is bigger than we anticipated, comrades.

[robvalue]

This is a rumour I heard from someone reasonably reliable: they are trying to get people to pay monthly subscriptions just for having windows, and are offering it for free to reel people in. He also mentioned the data collection stuff as noted above.

[Longhorn]

Scary shit

[Alex K]

What am I going to do the five times a year I use windows??! I'm doooomed!

But seriously, I just had to buy office because the publisher wants certain things in that format, so it is kinda important. Also, many streaming video services don't work on linux. I was tempted to update for those purposes...

[Excited Penguin]

Opting out of all these default settings requires navigating 13 different screens and a separate website, the bloggers have found.

That is fairly easily done. I did it in 10 minutes or less. If that's all there is then it's not much to worry about. I suspect that's not all, though. Thanks for the heads up.

Even my brother knew about this. I just asked him whether he upgraded. He said I couldn't get my old licensed version back though. Is that true? Do I have to buy it again or pirate it? Is it worth it to do even that? What OS should I change to, if not?

[Aoi Magi]

This is why I love linux.