Windows 10 Reserves The Right To Block Pirated Games And 'Unauthorized' Hardware

from the Microsoft-being-Microsoft dept

While Windows 8 annoyed many users for its attempt to duct-tape two disparate computing styles (traditional Windows and a touch interface) together while demanding you stand impressed by the genius of such a move, Windows 10 initially appeared to be seeing some positive responses (at least among those who use Windows). That was, at least until people started to realize how nosy the operating system is, how frequently it feels the need to phone home to Redmond, and some of the more obnoxious language buried in the terms of service.

Not too surprisingly (this is Microsoft we're talking about) the OS opts users in to all manner of information sharing from the start, and there's some indication the OS doesn't really heed its own opt-out settings for many of these "services":
"Unfortunately for privacy advocates, these controls don't appear to be sufficient to completely prevent the operating system from going online and communicating with Microsoft's servers. For example, even with Cortana and searching the Web from the Start menu disabled, opening Start and typing will send a request to www.bing.com to request a file called threshold.appcache which appears to contain some Cortana information, even though Cortana is disabled. The request for this file appears to contain a random machine ID that persists across reboots.
While much of this phoning home appears to be innocuous, it's obviously annoying to users who expect an OS that operates quietly and securely on the network. Other ingrained features of the OS may or may not be more troublesome, depending on how seriously you'd like to take the Microsoft's fine print. One provision in particular appears to have caught the eye of numerous news outlets: namely that Microsoft has the ability and reserves the right to disable first-party (aka Microsoft) titles should they be found to be pirated. The TOS also notes that Microsoft reserves the right to block "unauthorized hardware":
"We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices. You may also be required to update the software to continue using the Services."
Comforting! It's possible Microsoft will never utilize this particular portion of its TOS, but its inclusion is understandably troubling all the same, and with the capability embedded, it's hard to think our friends at the MPAA and BSA won't urge Microsoft to include their products. Update: one commenter points out the TOS in question that has everyone in a tizzy refers to Windows services, not necessarily Windows 10. Windows 10 is covered by Microsoft Software License Terms. In short, while Microsoft could declare Windows 10 as a service, it still seems highly unlikely that the company is going to invite the wrath of millions by using Windows 10 as a piracy and device nanny, especially if they want the OS to succeed.

If you're looking for some additional bright side, Windows 10 at least blocks some of the more obnoxious, invasive flavors of DRM that have made the rounds over the last few years, including SecureROM and SafeDisc. Unfortunately, that means titles that used this DRM simply won't work on the new OS without a patch.

Either way, worries about Windows 10's spying and reporting habits appear to have freaked out a few BitTorrent trackers. One tracker by the name of iTS has decided to block all Windows 10 users entirely, redirecting them to this YouTube video explaining the perceived dangers of the new OS. In a post over at Reddit, tracker admins explain why they're not particularly welcoming of Windows 10 users:
"Many of you might have heard or read about the terrible privacy policy of windows 10 recently. Unfortunately Microsoft decided to revoke any kind of data protection and submit whatever they can gather to not only themselves but also others. One of those is one of the largest anti-piracy company called MarkMonitor. Amongst other things windows 10 sends the contents of your local disks directly to one of their servers. Obviously this goes way too far and is a serious threat to sites like ours which is why we had to take measures."
This is likely somewhat of an overreaction, since Microsoft has been working with MarkMonitor for many years now, in some instances to protect customers from phishing attacks. Still, it's understandable that Microsoft's decision to embed Windows 10 with all manner of chatty behaviors would raise a few eyebrows. If Redmond wants to avoid the fractured adoption issues that plagued earlier versions of Windows, hopefully executives there can be publicly pressured to ensure that opting out of the more chatty and invasive aspects of the new OS actually works.
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Filed Under: control, infringement, ownership, pirated content, unauthorized hardware, windows 10
Companies: microsoft


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  • icon
    Agonistes (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:00pm

    This is going to be the best operating system of all time.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Seegras (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:59am

      Re:

      Fixed it:
      This is going to be the best Microsoft operating system of all time.

      But arguably, the best Microsoft OS might have been Xenix, although it was a miserable Unix, it was still Unix, hence better ;).

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        mcinsand, 27 Aug 2015 @ 5:17am

        Microsoft Xenix was very good to me!

        In the mid-80's, I got a big box of floppies from a batch that a company was throwing away. In that box was a complete set of Microsoft Xenix 5¼'s. At the time, I couldn't afford a PC with the umph to run it, so the diskettes went to the back of the drawer. Decades passed, and, I still held onto them. Then, some years ago, I put them out on eBay. They at least put a couple of hundred dollars into my pocket :)

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        John Fenderson (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:58am

        Re: Re:

        "This is going to be the best Microsoft operating system of all time."

        I don't think that fixes it. Windows 10 isn't as good as Windows 7.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:26am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Fixed:

          "This is going to be the best spyware of all time."

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      hmayle (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 12:28pm

      Re:

      I assume this is sarcasm....(!)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:02pm

    What a joke.

    Nothing has made me consider linux more than what microsoft is pulling with windows 10. Its bad enough if they think they can take whatever they want from peoples systems, but to then give it away to 3rd parties is just too much.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:15pm

      Re: What a joke.

      Unless you are addicted you the likes of photoshop, or some of the online video services, or make heavy use of advanced feature of excel, go for it. Often you can get a windows version of Free software, and try it out before committing to Linux, or you can try a live DVD, with Knoppix being designed for this use, and coming with a large amount of software on the DVD. You might even find that free software allows you to explore uses of software that are prohibitively expensive under proprietary OS's.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:37pm

        Re: Re: What a joke.

        I'm more a fan of the Live USB Drive. Plug in a thumb drive to whatever system you're on and take it for a spin. Cache to RAM so that it runs fast.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:02pm

          Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

          I gave up windows before live USB installations came along, so a recommendation as to the tools to use might help the OP.
          The other way to try out Linux is via Virtualbox, which is a good option for longer term testing.
          It is also worth noting that Linux will run on a 1GHz single core Celeron with 512MB of ram, or any other early XP machine; especially if a lighter weight desktop like LXDE, XFCE or Mate is used.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:35pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

            That's correct. I'm running Mint Linux, MATE edition on a 9-year-old laptop with a 1.5GHz Celeron CPU and 1G of RAM, and it works beautifully. Granted, I'm doing something heavy-duty like video editing, but just at the moment I'm running two web browsers, a mail client, a chat client, and seven terminal windows.

            Linux makes VASTLY more efficient use of hardware than Windows.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:34am

          Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

          I'd suggest you take a look at the MINT fork of Linux.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Charles (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:26pm

      Re: What a joke.

      I started using Linux in July of 2004. I started out on the worst Linux distribution ever released- Lindows or whatever they had to change the name to. I went to Suse and have tried many, many distros since. I now use Ubuntu, somewhat begrudgingly, because it too has issues. However with Linux almost all perceived annoyances can be remedied with research and self-education.

      Held in high esteem by many and loathed by some, Richard Stallman's philosophy on personal computing should be read by all. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Free_Software_Definition

      A program is free software if the program's users have the four essential freedoms:

      The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).
      The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
      The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
      The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

      On my last three computers I left a Windows partition for emergency use by my daughter and grandkids. It has rarely been used and each time I have had to boot into Windows I am reminded why I no longer use it. Even before reading this article I was hesitant about upgrading the Windows partition from 8.1 to 10.

      Right now on my desk I have a USB stick and DVD with Ubuntu on it that I am going to give to a friend of mine to try Linux. Might I suggest you all do the same.

      For those of you interested in some of the legal history of Microsoft I would recommend researching the archives at www.groklaw.net especially the Comes vs MS documents:
      http://www.groklaw.net/staticpages/index.php?page=2007021720190018

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:07pm

        Re: Re: What a joke.

        Crazy old Richard Stallman isn't looking so crazy these days.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          mjevans, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:51pm

          Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

          He never was 'crazy', but as ever it is difficult for him to share his vision and message in a way that makes sense to those outside of the field.

          I very much appreciate how forward looking and 'wear a tinfoil hat for the right reasons' he has been and for founding the Free Software Foundation.

          At the same time I think it is unfortunate that a more charismatic spokesperson has yet to eclipse the very notoriety you reference with true celebrity.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:55pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

            It doesn't help that he starts numbering with zero. Computer people get it but he instantly alienates the average Joe/Jane.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Seegras (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:12am

        Re: Re: What a joke.

        I started using Linux in 1995.

        And one of the reasons was Windows 95. I had a beta in summer 1995, and came to the conclusion that this was the same DOS-based shit as Windows 3.11, in a nicer packaging.

        Just at this moment, a friend lent me his Linux install CD, and I was hooked. I still had DOS and Windows 3.11 for maybe a year or two on the other partition, but then came Quake in 1996, and that was the point where I threw out DOS and Windows. Obviously, they weren't needed anymore, the important games were working on Linux ;).

        My machines run Linux ever since, sometimes I had some Windows in a VMware, but never on the metal. But lately, wine has obliterated the need for most Windows VMs, because it's so much faster and runs about 90% of all Windows applications and 80% of all games, out of the box. Of course, now I don't even run wine so much, since a lot of games now get ported.

        In any case, apart from OCR, Desktop Publishing and Image Manipulation, there is no need to use anything but Linux. And for the above three things, MacOS X has always been better than Windows anyway.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:55am

        Re: Re: What a joke.

        I now use Ubuntu, somewhat begrudgingly, because it too has issues.

        Have you tried Mint too? I haven't used it much but it seems nice. I used to use Ubuntu (when I used Linux) but I don't like Unity so I found Mint and I like it better.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      tracyanne (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:45pm

      Re: What a joke.

      I can recommend Linux Mint. I'm currently using Linux Mint Cinnamon.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Manabi (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:07pm

      Re: What a joke.

      You're not the only one. I started out hopeful, and liked what I saw in the technical preview. The new start menu was well done, and the live tiles could be completely removed. I was a bit concerned about the update policy, but figured it was because it was beta software and Microsoft wanted the beta testers current.

      And... it's been downhill ever since. To be able to schedule when my updates happen, I'd have to upgrade to professional, making Win10 a non-free upgrade. Then all this crap with privacy, or lack thereof.

      I have had problems and disliked some previous Windows OS versions (notably ME and Vista), but I never seriously considered switching to Linux before. Now, I am. If Windows 10 is still looking awful in a year's time, I'm just going to plan to switch over to Linux by Windows 7's end-of-life. I may seriously do it anyway, because I no longer trust Microsoft at all.

      Congrats Microsoft.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:58am

        Re: Re: What a joke.

        If Windows 10 is still looking awful in a year's time, I'm just going to plan to switch over to Linux by Windows 7's end-of-life.

        I think I'm in that boat with you. As a bonus, if I ran Linux maybe I wouldn't need such a powerful machine for development.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          John Fenderson (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:10am

          Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

          "if I ran Linux maybe I wouldn't need such a powerful machine for development"

          There's no "maybe" about it. You might be surprised how much machine power Windows wastes.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:15am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

            You might be surprised how much machine power Windows wastes.

            I would not be surprised, I've seen what comparatively wimpy hardware will run the latest and most advanced Linux distributions without complaint or issue. And really really pathetically slow and outdated hardware will run something like Xubuntu. I've just never done development on Linux on a lower power machine. Maybe I should ask my boss if I can put Linux on this pathetically slow laptop...

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:15am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What a joke.

              For my home setup, I even develop and build Windows components on my Linux dev system.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      madasahatter (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:56pm

      Re: What a joke.

      I recently installed the latest version of Linux Mint (17.2) on the Swambo's laptop. The only questions the installation wizard asked were: password to connect to the wi-fi, time zone, keyboard, how should the disk be set up, and setting up one user (w/password). No personal information was required. Nor was there any activation required. Install, reboot, login, and use the computer. Took about half hour.

      I should mention that while the installation was going on I could surf the Internet from the live DVD.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Exit Windows, enter Linux, 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:52am

      Re: What a joke.

      I got the same feeling.
      My next system will be linux.
      Seems like this is the kick in the balls I needed to switch systems.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rich Kulawiec, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:05pm

    Windows 10 is spyware

    There's no other way to put it. If this were code released by a random person out there, and they were caught, they'd face prosecution for it.

    I am not an attorney, this is not legal advice, but: I think anybody running Windows 10 in a health care setting is instantly in violation of HIPAA.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:42pm

      Re: Windows 10 is spyware

      Good point--and if they are running it in a retail environment, they are in violation of PCI-DSS.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:52pm

        Re: Re: Windows 10 is spyware

        Would running Windows 10 in an educational environment such as a teachers computer automatically be violating FERPA laws?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:35am

          Re: Re: Re: Windows 10 is spyware

          No, but you may be violating copyright laws.

          /half-s

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 3:37am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Windows 10 is spyware

            Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

            It seems a keystroke logger that phones the data home to a 3rd party would be an obvious violation.

            I might violate copyright law how? What is /half-s?

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 5:20am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Windows 10 is spyware

              The corporate versions of Win10 can actually disable the dialling home from what I've read.

              So as long as you have the corporate licence you _might_ be OK.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 6:12am

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Windows 10 is spyware

                So can the firewall that most corporations use.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      John, 1 Sep 2015 @ 8:48am

      Re: Windows 10 is spyware

      The administrator would be responsible for not turning off those features.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:15pm

    Who can authorize?

    Does the text define "unauthorized" or say who can authorize hardware? If they disable hardware I've authorized, e.g. by plugging it in, are they breaching the EULA?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:35pm

      Re: Who can authorize?

      I can't remember the details, but a few years ago but Microsoft distributed a driver that bricked 'fake' USB to serial chips in some Arduino clones. Just how the person buying the clones, which are legal for Arduino, was meant to determine whether or not the manufacturer used 'fake' chips I do not know. The outcry soon got that driver replaced, but it required reprogramming the Arduino board to restore it to operation.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:21pm

        Re: Re: Who can authorize?

        FTDI is squarely to blame for this one.

        FTDI is a semiconductor manufacturer that has a line of very nice, popular USB to microcontroller interface chips; they are flexible, easy to program on both sides and fairly cheap.

        This makes them perfect targets for Chinese counterfeiters: these chips are moderately complex internally, do not require very advanced silicon process and will easily sell in small batches at prices that are just below the official.

        FTDI tried to "combat these counterfeit chips" by using a trick to brick them. Unfortunately, due to nasty issues with global electronics supply market, these chips were found not just in Shenzen market gizmos, they made their way to quite serious hardware sold by very serious companies.

        The big problem is that the only way to be 100% sure that you buy "original" chips is to go directly to the manufacturer.. and the manufacturer was not very interested in selling quantities smaller than a hundred thousand chips with thirteen weeks delivery time.

        P.S. it's theoretically possible to un-brick devices with these chips, it just requires high levels of electronics and OS experience along with familiarity with a given product.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Socrates, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:01pm

        Autoupdate harmful drivers.

        Microsoft distributed the malignant driver, and FTDI wrote it and made it malignant on purpose. No jurisdiction has prosecuted any of the offenders yet. Not even community service!

        The malignant driver were updated silently, and it bricked the equipment silently.

        Most equipment that used reverse engineered FTDI USB to serial and FTDI USB to parallel chips is harmed by the driver. Reverse engineered as in: made to talk to the most used USB bridge driver in windows and work as transparently and well as possible. Actual copies is immune, as they share the bug that prevent the 'genuine' chips from executing the malignant code. Thus, the driver has malignant code that is ONLY run by reverse engineered chips.

        Just how the person buying the clones, which are legal for Arduino, was meant to determine whether or not the manufacturer used 'fake' chips I do not know
        They can't. Many 'fake' chips were marked as FTDI, a trademark violation. They were marked so well in fact that industry professionals usually guessed wrong when trying to guess the origin of the chips (as the copies were made by a more modern and advanced process).

        The outcry soon got that driver replaced, but it required reprogramming the Arduino board to restore it to operation
        The USB address were set to zero, an address that Windows don't want to use. The vast majority of the users affected would believe that the equipment have failed, and not understand that Microsoft/FTDI bricked it.

        As there is a significantly elevated risk by using software and hardware from Microsoft and FTDI, an effort should be made to avoid them. Many have done so allready, and is safer because of it.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:33am

          Re: Autoupdate harmful drivers.

          Microsoft distributed the malignant driver, and FTDI wrote it and made it malignant on purpose. No jurisdiction has prosecuted any of the offenders yet. Not even community service!
          If they won't prosecute Sony for an actual rootkit, what would you expect?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:08pm

      Re: Who can authorize?

      "Does the text define "unauthorized" or say who can authorize hardware? "

      Afaik Microsoft defines that. Because of the Secure Boot and TPM stuff they can revoke the cert for certain hardware and more or less brick the box.

      f.e. they only want AMD cards then the can remove the Nvidia certs and you can't use the cards anymore.

      But that is nothing new. Win 8 has that too.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        madasahatter (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:00pm

        Re: Re: Who can authorize?

        If I install a card in my box it is by definition "authorized". The only reason MS will not brick the box is I do not run Windows only Linux on it.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      PRMan, 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:32am

      Re: Who can authorize?

      All drivers must be signed now. All this really means is that you can no longer install half-baked drivers from China that blue-screen your OS, for which people blame Microsoft.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 5:28am

        Re: Re: Who can authorize?

        "half-baked drivers from China that blue-screen your OS"

        I install plenty of unsigned drivers in Win 7 and have never experianced a blue screen/crash/instability. So that kind of excuse just doesn't cut it.

        They are simply control freaks.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 6:16am

        Re: Re: Who can authorize?

        People blame Microsoft?
        Really.

        It looks like you are trying to brick your 'puter with crap software, would you like help with that?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:40am

          Re: Re: Re: Who can authorize?

          Fixed:

          "This is going to be the best spyware of all time."

          I almost forgot the joys of that Clippy crapware.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:20pm

    Unauthorised Hardware?

    What right does an OS have to decide what you plug in to your computer?
    What peripherals would they mean? Can you get USB assault rifles yet?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:03pm

      Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

      What right does an OS have to decide what you plug in to your computer?

      Similarly, what right does the OS have to decide what software you run on your computer?

      Both of these questions should be purely rhetorical with the answer of, simply, 'none'. That this discussion is even needed is cause for serious alarm.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:21pm

        Re: Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

        It seems to be mainly about XBONE taking Windows 10 in the future. They are trying to make their OS function as both a children's toy and an OS. Hopefully this mistake will be one of their last.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 8:02am

          Re: Re: Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

          It seems to be mainly about XBONE taking Windows 10 in the future. They are trying to make their OS function as both a children's toy and an OS.

          I hope you're not suggesting that gaming consoles are just for children.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:05pm

      Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

      What right does an OS have to decide what you plug in to your computer?

      Maybe you should direct your question at Apple too. With Windows you can at least build your own stuff and aren't forced to buy Microsoft computers.

      Seriously, Apple does this stuff for decades and noone cares. Now that MS does something that goes into this direction but is far far from how Apple does business people are outraged.

      All MS is doing is trying to get some Apple costumers in my opinion. Easy to use system which manages itself and the user can just use it without worries about drivers and such.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        tracyanne (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:12pm

        Re: Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

        I stopped being outraged by anything Microsoft and Apple do a long time ago, as I've not used ether’s products since 2000.

        I'm a little surprised, from time to time, that so many people are so outraged, yet continue use a product, while continuing to be outraged.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 6:18am

        Re: Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

        Yeah, that's all M$ is trying to do here.
        Nothing to see here, move along.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 3:07pm

        Re: Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

        Seriously, Apple does this stuff for decades and noone cares. Now that MS does something that goes into this direction but is far far from how Apple does business people are outraged.


        Yes, but developers/power users don't take apple seriously. They build toys, so no one cares as much.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:19am

        Re: Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

        "Apple does this stuff for decades and noone cares"

        Lots and lots of people (including myself) care a great deal. We just deal with it by avoiding Apple products like the plague.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      techflaws (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:05pm

      Re: Unauthorised Hardware?

      Same right that printers have about the ink put in.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    That One Other Not So Random Guy, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:24pm

    Ha ha ha free in this case is not so free. I will be one of 3 PPL still using Vista.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      connermac725 (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:03pm

      Re: vista

      seriously vista ha ha ha ha

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        That One Other Not So Random Guy, 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:42pm

        Re: Re: vista

        Yes seriously. I have Vista Ultimate and have had no issues whatsoever with it. I originally built a gaming rig and bought it retail. I have a separate laptop with win7 on it for powershell and another with 8 and will upgrade that to 10... for powershell only.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Sorceress (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:36pm

      Re: Using Vista

      I have Windows 7 Home edition. The other three computers in our house have Windows 8. Windows 8 doesn't play nice with the printer/scanner so I am sticking with 7. Free isn't free when it comes with all those strings. I liked XP, but with no support...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:35pm

      Re:

      Hah, I'm still running Windows XP, Vista was a very poor joke on their customers. Kind of like Windows ME.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        PaulT (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 3:35am

        Re: Re:

        Vista was the beta version of Windows 7, rushed to market after MS realised they actually had competition and needed to have an updated product (same reason they suddenly decided to release IE7 as a standalone release rather than just as part of an OS upgrade, among other things).

        If anyone's still using Vista, I'd suggest they upgrade to 7 just to have the complete OS instead of the public beta they're using. Beyond that? I'd be wary.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Doug D, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:27pm

    Unauthorized hardware?

    I'm guessing here, but bear with me a moment.

    Best case scenario: they only block hardware that's *literally illegal*, like... what, some equipment that serves no purpose but interfering with mobile networks maybe? I'm not actually sure.

    Worst case scenario: they start a program of certified peripherals, and block anything (in some categories) that doesn't go through that certification program. Consider the Xbox consoles: almost anything that plugs into the USB ports except for a mic, keyboard, or storage device needs to be specially certified. That's why the peripheral for "Disney Infinity" comes in one flavor shared by the Wii, PS3, Wii U, and PS4, another flavor used just by the XB360, and another flavor used just by the XB1. They're all USB, they all *look* identical, but the Microsoft versions are certified for those specific consoles (not even for the whole console family).

    Unfortunately likely scenario: they block peripherals that violate *industry group requirements*, like any HDMI capture hardware that can be configured to bypass HDCP.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:32am

      Re: Unauthorized hardware?

      Best case scenario: they only block hardware that's *literally illegal*, like... what, some equipment that serves no purpose but interfering with mobile networks maybe?
      Even such hardware is generally legal to own and use in specific circumstances, e.g. a phone manufacturer testing for interference in a Faraday cage.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Mark Gisleson (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:33pm

    Nothing new

    Just bought a car with MS Sync and when I plugged my iPod in, Sync refused to play any of the music, insisting none of it was authorized.

    Worst fucking form capitalism imaginable. Own nothing but pay rent forever.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      That One Other Not So Random Guy, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:45pm

      Re: Nothing new

      Do you have to disconnect the battery every 10k miles or so to make it run right too?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:26pm

      Re: Nothing new

      Well you can thank Apple for it.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      That One Guy (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:37pm

      Re: Nothing new

      I voted funny before I realized you might actually be serious. Please tell me you're not serious.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Mark Gisleson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 4:27pm

        Re: Re: Nothing new

        Very serious. MS Sync refuses to read the data on any flash drive or iPod I plug into it. They've DRMed my music system, but I can still play whatever I like in CD slot with .mp3s.

        It's a used car, I didn't buy it for the stereo, but I really didn't expect a gatekeeper in my car.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:06pm

      Re: Nothing new

      Why did you pay for MS Sync? Why is there a need for anything more complicated than a bypass to the car's speakers?

      Yes, back in my day, real cars ate cassettes and didn't connect to your boombox (which you could comfortably rest on the bench seat and even buckle in with the aftermarket seat belts!). And we liked it! I remember the time I fed my car Celine Dion. I got better gas mileage from that car, until I lost the second Dion tape I'd been threatening it with.

      I still suspect the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Buicks for that one.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 8:26am

        Re: Re: Nothing new

        Why did you pay for MS Sync?

        It's not as though you have a choice of "infotainment" (blech) systems for a particular car. Perhaps that wasn't an important consideration for him.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          John Fenderson (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:14am

          Re: Re: Re: Nothing new

          If it wasn't important, why was he bothering to use it? I ignore those stupid "infotainment" systems in my cars. They're worthless.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:49am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Nothing new

            Don't ignore them, they are worse than worthless, they are a security hole that exposes the the other systems in the car. It is worth carrying out any updates to them that come out, even if you never use them.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:16am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Nothing new

            If it wasn't important, why was he bothering to use it?

            Just because a feature was not important enough to sway his decision on what kind of car to buy doesn't mean he should never use it. I didn't get my car because it has heated side mirrors, but I still turn them on when the mirrors are icy.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:21am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Nothing new

              Yes, but if I turned them on and they didn't work, I'd just turn them off and forget about it. It wouldn't bother me that they didn't work because I don't care.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Mark Gisleson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 4:29pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Nothing new

            I BOUGHT A USED CAR, OK?

            Not everyone can afford to order them from the factory with custom options.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:50pm

      Re: Nothing new

      I think I found your error:

      'Just bought a car with MS Sync'

      You're welcome.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Shawn, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:39pm

    Unauthorized hardware?

    Where and/or when do they decide if the aurdino you are building or other device that you may decide to hook up to your computer is unauthorized?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Get off my cyber-lawn! (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:43pm

    Windows doesn't air your dirty laundry in public...

    it just scoops everything out of your laundry room and keeps it in THEIR laundry room for others to look through!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:49pm

    This has been going on for a VERY long time.

    I first noticed unsolicited reactivation of administratively disabled DRM software by the auto update system, on XP if I remember correctly. So what has changed is that they are ADMITTING that surveillance is compulsory. It has been going on at some level for years now.

    For those who just noticed, welcome to the party. May I recommend petitioning game companies to release software on bootable DVDs in the future. At this point, the kernel is tiny compared to the average video game.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:29pm

      Re: This has been going on for a VERY long time.

      It is true. Windows 7 phones home continually. There are some measures you can take to mitigate it (search for: "windows 7 telemetry updates", for a start) but short of taking extreme measures you can never really be confident.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rekrul, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:15pm

      Re: This has been going on for a VERY long time.

      I first noticed unsolicited reactivation of administratively disabled DRM software by the auto update system, on XP if I remember correctly. So what has changed is that they are ADMITTING that surveillance is compulsory. It has been going on at some level for years now.

      Can you please elaborate on this? What exactly got reactivated?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:51pm

    i can understand MS wanting to ensure that it's software on a machine is genuine, but to make decisions on other software and hardware. is out of order! on top of that, MS has no right to inspect every aspect of a computer to check whatever it wants. that is surely a gross invasion of privacy? MS wants everyone to move up to Windows 10 but does as much as it can to stop it from happening. to me, this smacks of something far greater, far worse for people than it appears and it's an attempt to have eveyone making money to know everything about us and be able not just to report us to the authorities, will be recording all manner of information that will aid the authorities to get us locked up. this has been one of the aims of the entertainment industries, in my opinion, because they have done absolutely nothing, nor has any government done anything to encourage them to try to do things to encourage customers to get movies, music, software, games even reading material from nowhere except legitimate sources. i fail to see how it can be a sensible option to keep wanting to do everything but get people to use legal websites for whatever they want the continuous persecution and increasing of legal punishments does nothing except force people to continue avoiding those legal sources. i also find it extremely strange that none of the industries have been forced to take measures other than greater and greater legal ones. the normal course of action, surely, is to try to do the things to encourage customers to go there first and if they fail, then take a harder line? i think this has all been a carefully orchestrated plan from the purposeful 'financial crisis' to what we are seeing now, where the whole aim has been to ensure that businesses run the planet and no one has any choice but get things from the legal channels. and dont forget that in a very short space of time into the future, no one will be able to use any other method to get anything other than using cards of some sort, just so governments know exactly who has what from whom, when and for how much. every government and business is pushing these actions so as to make sure they dont lose a single penny!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    limbodog (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:52pm

    Unauthorized hardware

    Do you suppose they mean your jailbroken Windows phone?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Shawn, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:57pm

      Re: Unauthorized hardware

      That was one idea that occured to me, another one would be the possiblity to disab

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Shawn, 26 Aug 2015 @ 2:58pm

        Re: Re: Unauthorized hardware

        possibility to disable access to any other phone not put out by microsoft.

        P.s. Grrr my keyboard and browser hate me. refreshed in the middle of typing the comment.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      techflaws (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:06pm

      Re: Unauthorized hardware

      Does anyone actually use this Zune of the cell phones?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:06pm

    "While much of this phoning home appears to be innocuous,"

    Can't agree with that. We do not know what it is taking or how or when. That is the problem. There is no real informed consent.

    "...hopefully executives there can be publicly pressured to ensure that opting out of the more chatty and invasive aspects of the new OS actually works."

    That is one possibility. But in the absence of genuine data protection laws I can't see this happening. The problem, like so many others, remains that the company is allowed to bribe government officials, across many jurisdictions, in exchange for them turning a blind eye to abusive behavior.

    A credible nation state needs to a take a stand and say enough is enough. Meanwhile we should all be evangelizing Linux.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:09pm

    Windows 10 is not an operating system. It is malware masquerading as an OS.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    FM Hilton, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:39pm

    The old days

    When I stated a while ago that I was still running XP at another forum, they laughed at me and told me that I should move my OS up to Win7.

    I was behind the times technologically. I was running a OS that could get hacked by everyone and anyone.

    Now that Windows 10 is out, I'm real tempted to laugh at those who upgraded to it, because they're being hacked by the company that makes Windows 10.

    But I will refrain-because I finally upgraded to 7, that's far enough for me.

    Now who's calling who paranoid?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:17pm

      Re: The old days

      I'm still on a laptop which uses XP.

      That said, I did buy a new one recently which I'm waiting to arrive. This has Windows 8.1.

      And when I probably need to buy a new laptop in ten or so years, I don't know what I'll do.

      Fuck Microsoft and their spying.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:33pm

        Re: Re: The old days

        The whole authorized hardware only thing is active on Win 8.1,
        just saying :D

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 3:56pm

    Link bait headline is link bait. Techdirt is usually better than this. Don't confuse Windows the Windows 10 EULA with the Microsoft Services EULA. These are not the same thing, despite what every other uninformed website is posting on the web. See softpedia link below:

    http://news.softpedia.com/news/can-windows-10-really-disable-your-pirated-games-not-really-489 401.shtml

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 8:37pm

      Re:

      Here is the headline:
      "Windows 10 Reserves The Right To Block Pirated Games And 'Unauthorized' Hardware"

      Where does this headline confuse Win10 with WinServices?
      Perhaps the confusion in your head.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 9:04pm

        Re: Re:

        r u serious?
        The confusion is right there in the headline, the start is about windows 10 the middle and end are about the xbox. Y'see it's confounding 2 things.
        Teh confusion n yr head.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          CK20XX (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 9:09pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          To be fair, Microsoft seeks to merge all its services together anyway. The difference you speak of may actually be imaginary, for all intents and purposes.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 9:31pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            It's not imaginary, and it's written about in the story that guy linked above.
            There is at present a licence for windows and a separate one for xbox/live.
            Windows dials home and the xbox won't play pirate games or take unauthorised hardware.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 6:25am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              Oh, I see now. xbox is the same thing as a general purpose computer. Apparently general purpose computers are not able to run games, my bad.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 9:33pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            You have to read the external links here as Techdirt has a habit of telling not quite the whole story, and the readers have a terrible habit of lapping it all up.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      techflaws (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:07pm

      Re:

      Techdirt is usually better than this.

      So are the trolls here. So why did you prove this wrong?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 8:02am

        Re: Re:

        Not a troll, just tired of this misleading story:

        https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/5337/windows-10-tip-understand-and-configure-priva cy-settings

        http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/17/9164153/windows-10-privacy-concerns

        Should we keep an eye on what MS is doing? Definitely. Is MS scanning your hard drive for pirated software? No. Are there privacy concerns with Windows 10? Yes. Are there settings to mitigate those concerns? Also yes. Should you upgrade to Windows 10? I don't care whether you do or not. If you can get done what you need to get done with Windows 7, 8, Linux, OSX or some other OS, go for it. I don't have a dog in that fight. I would advise strongly against sticking with a pre-Windows 7 OS and even Win7 will need to be updated once support expires in a few years, but that's a decision that you can put off. I will say as someone who uses Win7 and Win10 every single day that Windows 10 is a better OS overall.

        What this story amounts to is: Click-bait websites have created a mountain out of a molehill. Some people (like the ones running the BitTorrent tracker mentioned in the article) are making decisions based on these articles exaggerating the non-issues.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          nasch (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 8:19am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Are there settings to mitigate those concerns? Also yes.

          Do those settings actually work? Sort of.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          John Fenderson (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:18am

          Re: Re: Re:

          "Are there settings to mitigate those concerns? Also yes."

          But they're very incomplete. Even if you set them all to "don't spy on me", Windows still spies on you -- it just does less of it.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:16am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Does it actually "spy" on you, though? At worst, it seems to communicate with servers and has a unique hardware identifier. It has not been determined to send any private information to outside servers, other than the fact that your machine exists. I'm all for privacy, and I agree that Microsoft needs MUCH BETTER communication and transparency, but discussions about Microsoft secretly scanning your PC for counterfeit software and hardware is just fear-mongering click bait. It is just like when Windows 8 came out and people started claiming that you were only going to be able to install Microsoft approved software (which even Valve's Gabe Newell apparently bought in to).

            And if these terms are an issue, pretending like it is a Windows 10 issue (even though they aren't Windows 10 terms) means people will end up still using the services that the terms ACTUALLY apply to and just avoiding the software that they DON'T apply to. People that have issues with this should be shouting that Skype, OneDrive, Outlook.com, etc are a problem and that you shouldn't use them. Making it a Win10 issue just to get those clicks confuses the real issues.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:39am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              It has not been determined to send any private information to outside servers, other than the fact that your machine exists.
              You're overlooking the IP address; when associated with a unique ID, it allows your physical location to be roughly tracked.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 4:20pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                It is the equivalent of a hacked company saying there is no evidence that anything was taken. The safe assumption is that EVERYTHING was taken. This guy is a shill.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • identicon
                  Anonymous Coward, 29 Aug 2015 @ 12:29pm

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                  No, that's not the same at all. A hacked company would have had a security flaw that was exploited by someone almost assuredly with ill intent. It really isn't the same thing.

                  And if you want to call me a shill for calling out an inaccuracy in the story, which has since been CORRECTED, that's totally cool. Generally, people that accuse others of being shills are just people who have nothing worthwhile to say anyway (See any of the trolls that accuse Mike of being a Google shill.)

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 4:22pm

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              "People that have issues with this should be shouting that Skype, OneDrive, Outlook.com, etc are a problem and that you shouldn't use them. Making it a Win10 issue just to get those clicks confuses the real issues."

              I don't use any of the other Microsoft services you mentioned. That is why I don't complain about them much.

              If you are not a shill then you are doing a remarkably good job of repeating their talking points.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:23am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              "At worst, it seems to communicate with servers and has a unique hardware identifier."

              Which is spying.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Anonymous Coward, 29 Aug 2015 @ 12:31pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                I think we have fairly different definitions of spying. To each his own.

                It's easy enough for those that are freaked out by this to switch to a different OS and not use Microsoft's services. Most other people either won't be aware of it or won't care.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • icon
                  Uriel-238 (profile), 29 Aug 2015 @ 7:09pm

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                  They'll care when Microsoft decides to bust them for minor sharing activity. Or kill switch their system because some MS tech got suspicious.

                  Microsoft is made up of a lot of people, some of whom have a tendency to get stupid and abuse their monitoring position.

                  Kinda like Google and the NSA. In Google it seem fairly rare (or they cover it up really well). In the NSA it's prevalent but not considered abuse from within for (say) a tech to stalk his exes and collect private cheesecake photos.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • icon
                    John David Galt (profile), 30 Aug 2015 @ 11:05am

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                    All monitoring is "abuse" when you don't own the system you're monitoring. No one except the system owner (or a person paying him to use it) has any business monitoring the use of any computer. Period.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

                • icon
                  John David Galt (profile), 30 Aug 2015 @ 10:54am

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                  It's high time for the open source community to publish a "FreeWindows" that promises never to butt into its users' private behavior. This is bound to be more productive than the lawsuit method of stopping M$.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • identicon
                    Anonymous Coward, 30 Aug 2015 @ 11:56am

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                    They have, its called Linux, and comes with free applications for most purposes. It also include a free windows emulator, Wine, which is capable of running many proprietary Windows applications. A complete Windows emulation on the hardware is likely to have similar problems to Wine, as Microsoft do not provide the information needed to make a complete emulator, and may use 'private' APIs in their own code. Also running proprietary applications can open you up to spying, especially when the require a web connection for DRM purposes..

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          techflaws (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 10:15pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          Not a troll, just tired of this misleading story:

          Except of course, it's not as misleading as you say it is.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:28pm

    The evil empire has difficulty bridging an air gap, I suppose eventually windoze will require an always on connection because that worked out so well for their xbox.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:33pm

    "Windows 10 Reserves The Right" -- NO, IT TAKES YOUR RIGHTS! You can't even get the headline right!

    ??? Tardy, much? Where has Techdirt been on this the last month?

    Are you all Luddites who want nothing new and gloriously better?

    Don't you worry about being a small minority of techo-phobes who stubbornly won't keep up, creating security problems for hundreds of millions of "normal" people? -- Who see you as NUTS?

    What are you going to do when new games and Office formats won't work on your antique Windows 7?

    Going to forego mandatory updates and leave yourself vulnerable to the many old flaws Microsoft left?

    How exactly have you determined that the spying in 7 and 8 is acceptable? Just haven't yet heard the news that those are being "updated" to same levels?

    Can you not see the trends of corporate spying lead directly to zero privacy for you and total control for them?

    HOW have you managed to avoid seeing that trend over the last decade?

    Don't you think would have been wiser if started complaining and saying NO to corporate spying a decade ago?

    Think you're "voluntarily" trading a little privacy for wonderful new "services"? Or just totally clueless about current level of surveillance from those "services"?

    Do you expect this trend to even slow down, let alone stop at respecting any little shreds of our privacy?

    Do you all only get your "news" from Techdirt? (Gosh, that'd explain a lot...) Or just so devoted that you saved your comments for the entire month?

    After all these years, NOW that it's too late, you're waking up? Sheesh. You're nothin' but lurbles.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:34pm

      Re:

      Oh, but when it's spying for the RIAA, you're suddenly all peaches and cream, aren't you?

      Asshole.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Socrates, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:58pm

      Luddites who want nothing new

      Are you all Luddites who want nothing new and gloriously better?
      This made me smile. Thanks.

      mandatory updates
      ...with deliberate malware and new and shiny file formats.

      'We' resist Windows 10 better than most. In fact 'we' resist widows better than most!


      Techdirt is really good BTW. Sometimes they fall for what I am convinced is an elaborate hoax; such as "anti-propaganda" propaganda with bots linking to bots instead of influencing people, sites and news media; but they excel among news media. They eclipse all main stream media.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Gwiz (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:44pm

      Re:

      Either the last screw has finally come loose or that's the best parody of Blue I've ever seen.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 8:22pm

        Re: Re:

        Truth be told I've always wondered if Blue wasn't just a parody that fell victim to Poe's law

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:06pm

      Re:

      Keep crying clown.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 4:58pm

    I'm trying

    About once per year, Windows pisses me off enough that I will download 3 or 4 Linux distros and install them one at a time on the extra partition (this is more frequently than changing computers, so I usually have the partition ready to go).

    And every time, after a week or so, there is something I need to do that I just can't get working in Linux. And so, with the shame of a junkie going back to the dealer, I reboot in Windows and end up staying there.

    So here's the irony. Using Linux really does require extra effort for most users. And Microsoft is making damn sure it's worth the effort.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:18pm

      Re: I'm trying

      Yep, the newest backported Ubuntu Vivid kernel killed my 14.04 install due to using the FGLRX driver and some bug in the update code. Awesome! Not what a new Linux user wants to deal with after simply installing an update. Fortunately I'm not new, nor old enough to forget the great times I had letting windows update my video driver.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:27pm

        Re: Re: I'm trying

        AMD under Linux sucks.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:27pm

          Re: Re: Re: I'm trying

          AMD sucks under Linux.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Uriel-238 (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 4:36pm

            Bad news for this moose.

            My gaming rig is all sorts of AMD.

            Using Win7 for now with no intent to upgrade, though I fear for Microsoft surreptitiously installing spyware akin to the Win10 monitoring agents.

            I may just make my future systems linux and leave this one Win7 as long as possible.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Charles (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:51pm

      Re: I'm trying

      I find it is much easier using and keeping a Linux box up to date than a Windows box any day. Linux is not for everyone, but neither is Windows.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Seegras (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:40am

        Re: Re: I'm trying

        Linux is not for everyone, but neither is Windows.
        I'd also say Linux is not for everyone, but then, Windows is for nobody ;)=

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rekrul, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:20pm

    In a sane world, all of the crap MS has pulled with Windows 10 (forced updates, huge privacy violations, etc) would be enough to ensure that nobody would touch it with a ten foot pole.

    Of course in the real world, the amount of people bothered by these things probably amounts to about .01% of all the computer users in the world. :(

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 29 Aug 2015 @ 12:01pm

      Re:

      What if we threw in a complementary 10 foot pole? And we'll also promise to upgrade the pole for our next version for free!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:21pm

    Microsoft Vanquished

    Working in the IT field I have had numerous run-ins with Microsoft's anti-consumer behaviors. A few years ago I switched to Linux and my wife to Mac and I barley support anything Microsoft anymore. Life has been vastly improved. Linux is a better OS for business anyway. If only there were a single major manufacturer who where serious and selling Linux desktop systems preinstalled for business. Dell and others seem to use it as a negotiating tactic with Microsoft but always team up with them in the end. I have replaced many a Windows install with Linux. Microsoft using UEFI with Secure Boot to make Linux installs more difficult and continually moving the locations in Windows 8 and 10 for adjusting it seems to clearly state that Microsoft fears if you can boot Linux you will choose it. I think it is the ultimate admission that Linux is the better OS. I mean when you can't welcome a comparison of your product to a competing one, then the better choice is very obvious.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Beech, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:24pm

    Good to know

    I upgraded to Windows 10. Didn't know the evil empire was up to this level of shenanigans. I just googled how to block windows 10 from phoning home, which took me to an article that taught me how to block domains with the hosts file as well as supplying a handy list of all of the IPs windows tries to send things too. So now that's taken care of. Yay.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 8:42pm

      Re: Good to know

      "block domains with the hosts file "

      Good idea, except that Windows is well known for ignoring the hosts file. So, it has not been taken care of and another solution is required. Several options exist, one could wipe the HD and install some other OS or never connect it to the internet. A well thought out firewall would also do wonders.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      John Fenderson (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:22am

      Re: Good to know

      "So now that's taken care of. Yay."

      As the earlier commenter mentioned, no, it's not taken care of. Using the hosts file is not a good solution.

      If you insist on running Win 10, then the only actual solution is to run a separate firewall.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Gwiz (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:54am

        Re: Re: Good to know

        What firewall do you recommend for Windows and what do recommend for Linux?

        Being a bit lazy, I would prefer something with a user GUI so I can actually see what connections are doing what.

        On the Linux side, I was using Firestarter and just recently realized that it doesn't seem to do anything for IPv6 connections.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 11:17am

          Re: Re: Re: Good to know

          Typically, one firewall is used for an entire network rather than residing on each machine.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Gwiz (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 12:46pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

            Typically, one firewall is used for an entire network rather than residing on each machine.

            Yes, my broadband router at home does have firewall features on it, but that won't stop outbound connections from my computer at all. Nor will help if I connect my laptop at other places, like work. I'm talking about a personal firewall to keep an eye on what software is making connections from my computer that I would rather not allow.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:28pm

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

              This is true and it is why many people use a separate dual homed machine in a DMZ to perform the firewall function. Many linux distros provide ip tables functionality for this purpose.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • icon
                Gwiz (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:16pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

                Many linux distros provide ip tables functionality for this purpose.

                I think they all do and I know I can go that route if I really want to, but like I said above, I'm a bit lazy and not really wanting to be editing text files or what not all the time. What I was hoping for is a GUI program that monitored the connections where you could simply select a connection and set it "block" or "allow" or "allow once" kind of thing. I've checked out a couple of the Linux offerings on this, but most seemed to be pretty complicated and overkill for what I'm looking to do. I might have to dust off Anjunta and try to write my own, I guess.

                And since I rarely use Windows outside of work, I was wondering if something similar was out there for Windows too.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • identicon
                  Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 8:27pm

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

                  On Windows, I use Comodo Firewall. If you set the firewall to "Custom Ruleset", for every new connection you get a popup where you can allow it, deny it, or select a predefined ruleset for the program that initiated it (e.g. allow all, deny all, web browser etc). There is a checkbox to make your selection permanent. If you accidentally check it, you can view & modify the rules in the options window.

                  The only times that I've had some problems is when playing a new full-screen game - you can't see the popup because of the game, and the game stops loading until you dismiss the popup or it times out. I reduced the timeout to 10 seconds, so I don't have to wait too long (sometimes there are multiple popups). It only happens with some games, and since you can also set up rules in the firewall options, it's not a big problem.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                • icon
                  John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:28am

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

                  In the Linux space, there are TONS of guis that make firewall configuration into a point-and-click deal.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • icon
                    Gwiz (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 9:17am

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

                    In the Linux space, there are TONS of guis that make firewall configuration into a point-and-click deal.

                    Yeah, I've looked at few of them. Most seemed to be overkill for what I want to do and most had a pretty large learning curves to overcome in order to use them correctly.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:25am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

              "Yes, my broadband router at home does have firewall features on it, but that won't stop outbound connections from my computer at all."

              Then your router's firewall is worthless (as many of them are). Get a standalone one, or pick up an old computer from a secondhand shop and turn it into your firewall.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • icon
                John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:30am

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

                At my home, my firewall blocks all outgoing traffic by default. Nothing talks to the internet without me specifically and intentionally saying it can.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          John Fenderson (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:27am

          Re: Re: Re: Good to know

          "What firewall do you recommend for Windows and what do recommend for Linux?"

          I don't use Windows for my firewall. It runs Linux, using the firewall capabilities that are built in. I use Shorewall to ease configuration.

          My firewall sits between the internet and the rest of my network, so it protects everything attached to my LAN, regardless of what OS they're running.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Gwiz (profile), 28 Aug 2015 @ 9:14am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Good to know

            My firewall sits between the internet and the rest of my network, so it protects everything attached to my LAN, regardless of what OS they're running.

            Ah, ok. I'm not sure that would work real well for me. I also have 3 other adults who live in my house who connect through the router with various devices and I'm not really looking to be a nanny for them and their devices.

            I was thinking more in terms of a personal firewall at the device level. I'll have to check out Comodo, that the AC above recommended.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 5:34pm

    GNU/Linux is better.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:08pm

    The King is dead, long live the King. Thankfully I tried Linux for a few years back when Vista hit the streets, and will brush up on using it again when my favorite disto updates. That said I will also continue using Windows 7 and 8 for the time being. Where I went to school 7 + 8 = 15. So you all can put it on the X if you so desire, and see where it gets you. Windows 10 plays down and dirty. Do you GNU? Don't get me wrong, I tried Windows ten for about six weeks, and got a case of painful rectal itch from the use of that OS. Thanks TechDirt for letting me vent, now let us see if the Europeans tear Microsoft a new one.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 6:14pm

    Just like any other "tattle tale" device, as I like to call it, it can be defeated by by blocking the IP addrsseses it uses, at the firewall level, so that windows cannot "phone home", as it were.

    I know this, becuase back in the 1990s, I used a pirated version of CyberSitter, when I had housekeepers that would bring kids with them. Even with the warnining that countefeit registation numbers would be traced and prosecuted, I never was, becuase I blocked the IP address at Solid Oak, that the program used to "tattle" on you, and I was never caught when I did that back in the 1990s.

    A "tattle tale" device, whether by Solid Oak, or Microsoft, can easily be defeated with a firewall. It is just a matter of finding out what IP addresses it uses, and then blocking them.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:48am

      Re:

      What about security and other updates? How do you know it isn't sending saved data as soon as you let anything through? Also, you would have to constantly monitor traffic to try to keep on top of the complex/evolving threat. Microsoft are deliberately obfuscating and misleading about their intent here. Without governments requiring them to change - the only serious solution is to stop using the malware/OS wherever possible.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 3:09am

      Re:

      Microsoft's next move will be to proxy all traffic through them then, duh.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 4:20am

        Re: Re:

        Shhhh....don't give the NSA ideas.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 5:57am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Who do you think the gathered data is really intended for? After a "Cyber" sharing bill finally passes won't the data then be for sale to the biggest budgeted three letter agency? Ironically paid for with monies extracted from the same citizens whose data will be being purchased.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:04am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Like when Microsoft took over Skype, they centralized the super nodes, making it much easier to tap Skype calls. I have always wonder how much they were paid to do that.

            /conspiracy theory

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:12pm

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/02/1408113/-Windows-10-comes-with-built-in-spyware-If-your-wor k-requires-confidentiality-DO-NOT-INSTALL

    This is worth a read. I am well versed in computer networking, and Windows 10 sends packetized data back to their servers with a number of actions by the user (including search queries and scanning for media files on your hard drive) and automatically, by no action of the user. To put it simply, this data is encrypted, so we do not know what it contains, but it might be sending the contents of your computer, or data, or metadata.

    No other version of Windows is so invasive in sending data to a Microsoft server, the contents of which is presumed ownership or stewardship of Microsoft, a company, and not just yourself (from where the data originated, and presumably is 'owned' in any conventional sense*).

    * Note that 'legally' this may be 'owned' in an unconventional sense, or even not mean owned at all.. as ever, it all depends on interpretation.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 7:20pm

    So between Windows 10 and using Google my privacy is pretty much a great big zero. Great...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 8:46pm

      Re:

      Oh I'm sure those are the only two things that warrant your concern about privacy :/

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Uriel-238 (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 8:14pm

    It's a crying shame that Microsoft is pushing so much of their monitoring as compulsory.

    Much like Google when Google was on its best behavior, some of the features of Microsoft's invasiveness could actually be useful, like being able to tell your friend's account it's okay for her to use your wifi.

    But Microsoft has made it clear that they demand all your data, and they will use it against you if they think you are doing them wrong. And they will hand over your data to any affiliate they like and the government if it pleases them (or makes them money).

    People only take that sort of bullshit when they have to, when they're at gunpoint. And as soon as someone creates a hack to circumvent such monitoring / persecution (Like this. Warning: Don't know it's veracity!).

    Soon to come (I hope): hackware that gets your Win10 install to send gobs of false data to big micro.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Uriel-238 (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 8:19pm

    I failed to complete my sentence.

    And as soon as someone creates a hack to circumvent such monitoring / persecution (like the one above) it will spread through the user base like wildfire.

    As Windows Genuine Advantage in XP, Vista and Win7 taught us, putting draconian DRM in your operating system (e.g. phoning home) is a way to assure that the crack will be written not by mischievous student hackers, but by high end software engineers.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 9:30pm

    I am guessing that the unauthorized hardware thing is meant for the Xbox. But when they make their terms this vague and make it apply to everything, who knows?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    techflaws (profile), 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:10pm

    A bit old but sill interesting in this context: Chattering laptops. (PDF)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Aug 2015 @ 10:36pm

    I already got burned with the windows 8.1 "optional" patch being turned into a mandatory download after a year of declining.

    No way in hell I am getting the windows 10 update. I would just love to trust my computer to a corporation that has proven it does not give a dam for its customers.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    haiku, 26 Aug 2015 @ 11:59pm

    For those sticking with Windows 7 / 8

    The following may bear investigation:

    http://www.hakspek.com/security/updates-make-windows-7-and-8-spy-on-you-like-windows-1 0/

    In short: screwed if you do upgrade, screwed if you don't ...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Espryon (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 12:04am

    Hope hell is real for MS

    I can't think of anything more ironic of a company that claims it has 'original' intellectual property and ideas when the software was stolen from Xerox and re'd. A company that uses stolen software is bullying people who pirate things, pretty hypocritical. I now realize swapping all my computers over to varying versions of linux was the best decision I could've made. To the windows 10 users that got a 'free upgrade', enjoy having a camera shoved up your 'whereever' in the words of Donald Trump. I hope self incrimination is enough to convince you people using software like MS' is a bad move not only because free software is less complicated, more efficient, and designed better but, because free software doesn't spy on you and pretend that some settings disable privacy invading features when they in fact do not. I seriously hope hell is real for companies as awful as ms and their crap software and it is swallowed into a fiery abyss.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:01am

      Re: Hope hell is real for MS

      I'm not defending MS, but they didn't "steal" anything from Xerox.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      GEMont, 27 Aug 2015 @ 3:32pm

      Re: Hope hell is real for MS

      "...I hope self incrimination is enough to convince you people..."

      Well, I took the free upgrade to 10, knowing it would be mainly spyware, because Win8 sux rox and was driving me crazy and because one has to be guilty of something illegal to worry much about such things as self incrimination.

      Besides, the reports of CIAF BIN SADOJ's data interception and dissemination capabilities already point out that if the Feds want to bust your ass for something, all they have to do is plant the evidence on your computer and then send in the Heavy Metal Cops to bust down your door and take your computer in for forensic interrogation.

      Voila, you're breaking rocks for twenty years.

      I will however admit that Win10, while definitely better than Win8 - (Win5 was better than Win8 - I think Win10 is the latest incarnation of NT actually) - is so filled with call home shit that I do recommend that all who might use P2P, or have nasty pics of Clinton or any other Bush, or any other kinds "self-incriminating" stuff, or more importantly, if you're running a legitimate business, keep all such material/records stored on an offline computer, or, of course, not at all.

      I'm still trying to get all the spyware "apps" shut down, and upgrades take place without your consent or assistance and cannot, as far as I can tell, be shut off, or manipulated in any fashion at all by the borrower/user.

      They do allow you to determine/schedule when you want to shut down the computer for reboot after the upgrade installs though - so nice of them eh. :)

      In the simplest terms - using W10, is exactly like borrowing a computer from Microsoft. Its their computer and you're just being allowed to use it, until they decide to stop letting you use it.

      They can terminate any process they don't want you to run, and if you use it for such things as graphics, or effects heavy games, you'll notice that everything comes to a stop for whole seconds, every so often, so the computer you're being allowed to use, can finish an important dump of your property to whosoever is paying Microsloth for the data dump.

      They've made "agreements with gaming groups too. Just before the upgrade, my AMD settings for TES4 Oblivion stopped working and refused to work when reset thru CCC.

      I had to turn on anti-aliasing in the game engine itself.

      Then, a couple days after the Win 10 upgrade, a huge AMD upgrade happened and suddenly I have a Raptr App called Gaming Evolved on my machine and the first thing it does is pop up a screen telling me it has fine tuned the graphics for Oblivion - and it has, perfectly.

      However, if I want to keep those finely tuned adjustments, I have to let the Raptr App stay connected. Cool deal eh. :)

      Took me half an hour to shut down everything you're allowed to shut down in that little piece of spyware.

      It follows all my gaming activity and God's know what else, and reports directly to God's know who, as long as I'm connected to the Internet - all supposedly so it can tell me how many hours I've played the game and let me chat with other gamers - an activity I find repulsive at best.

      I've no doubt Win10 also perfected the CPU's selective software malfunction process that makes non-MS software and apps that come from non-MS-Crony companies run wonky and CTD after half an hours use.

      Sadly, this is the future of the Personal Computer and will in ten years be universal - no more Linux or any other non-Player OS allowed, unless people finally get up off their fat sofas and demand real change, starting at the top - which is about as likely to occur as finding gold bullion in your shitter every Friday.

      ---

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:49am

    The way to tell Microsoft to piss off

    I think everyone complaining about Windows 10 should just install Windows 9...

    OK, all at once now, go to Microsoft's website and do a search for Windows 9. Anyone think they will get the message?

    Nah!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 29 Aug 2015 @ 12:16pm

      Re: The way to tell Microsoft to piss off

      Campaign for a massive install & activate Vista on the date they launch win10. That's the metric they all watch after a launch. If an old product were to spike instead of the new one ...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 8:35am

    I am sorry, but this is just absolute bullshit. Stop with the FUD, this is in the case of Xbox connecting to their online services. I am tired of seeing this over and over again. And the comments here are just as bad.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 11:23am

      Re:

      we can't understand you. Whenever you use 'this' or 'that' try to include to what 'this' or 'that' is referring.

      Thanks for being sorry though.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 4:30pm

      Re:

      What are you taking about? I don't have an XBOX. My problem is that Microsoft is installing malware on my computer without my consent and stealing my private information.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    kehvan (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 9:24am

    It's the "Broken Windows" theory of computing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 10:44am

    Nothing M$ Does Affects Me Too Directly

    I am among the many listed above who switched to Linux. Like most of them Mint is my distro of choice.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 11:31am

    LOL at the sheer number of comments.

    Piracy is, and always will be, what this lame site is about.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Uriel-238 (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 12:23pm

      Wait...wait...

      I'm beginning to recognize your fingerprint.

      Trollish!

      Yar har!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 12:41pm

      Re:

      Yes this article is full of posts from all those darn people commenting about pirating Linux.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Gwiz (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 12:54pm

        Re: Re:

        ...all those darn people commenting about pirating Linux.

        Almost spit Pepsi on my keyboard laughing at that one. Props.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 5:48pm

      Re:

      antidirt just hates it when due process is enforced. Why the fuck do you even bother having an account?

      Have fun getting your spammy ass blocked again, dumbshit.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    LVDave (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 1:18pm

    "We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices. You may also be required to update the software to continue using the Services."

    I don't usually use profanity, but in this case, its DEFINITELY warranted...

    FUCK YOU MICROSOFT... sooooo glad I made the switch to Linux back around 2011, never going back...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 27 Aug 2015 @ 2:15pm

    People reserve the right to stop using Windows.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Socrates, 27 Aug 2015 @ 5:13pm

      ISDS

      Though the people, as in the democracy, can no longer advise against harm or shitty products!

      The ISDS is above the Supreme Court, it is above the legislative body, and it above the government, and above the democracy itself.

      It is the only way ISDS can overrule and convict governments!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    John David Galt (profile), 27 Aug 2015 @ 7:10pm

    Is this why Windows now hangs when I try to run Heroes II?

    If you're looking for some additional bright side, Windows 10 at least blocks some of the more obnoxious, invasive flavors of DRM that have made the rounds over the last few years, including SecureROM and SafeDisc. Unfortunately, that means titles that used this DRM simply won't work on the new OS without a patch.

    Where can I get these patches? They have no right to disable any functionality without our informed consent.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Josh Taylor, 28 Aug 2015 @ 8:10am

    Wake up and stop buying or upgrading. When will 75 million Sheeple realize they won't access third party search engines or visit any altenative media. Microsoft is anti-competitive violating the anti-trust law and the FTC should get on them.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    GEMont, 28 Aug 2015 @ 2:15pm

    Ribbitt..... ribbbbittt.......... ribbbbbittt.... rib..gah!

    "Microsoft is anti-competitive violating the anti-trust law and the FTC should get on them."

    You're probably referring to the Pre-9/11 Anti-Trust laws, which of course, like most other business oriented laws and the US constitution, no longer apply to those who are in power, or those who are in charge of directing the actions of those who are in power.

    If the FTC got involved in this, it would be primarily to get a raise in personal graft check deposits, to help pay for the ever escalating costs of yacht parts, bimbos and cocaine.

    What was it the Borg used to say to every being they were in the process of assimilating....

    ----

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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