5 ms·

I haven't used Windows for a long time but a look at the script makes me think people wouldn't be resorting to such measures if Microsoft wasn't including stupi

by as1mov 5y ago

I haven't used Windows for a long time but a look at the script makes me think people wouldn't be resorting to such measures if Microsoft wasn't including stupid crap in their operating system. > Disabling Telemetry breaks Windows updates > Automatic web searches in start menu > Application suggestions are silently installed (wat?) > Allow MS to collect activity history > Location tracking > Map updates (who the fuck uses maps on a PC?) > Tailored experiences (apparently spamming ads on a desktop OS is an experience) > Advertising ID > Cortana This is just from skimming the list for 5 minutes. Not even sure what else is in there.

dawnerd 5y ago
macOS has a lot of this too. It’s weird Apple seems to get a pass but Microsoft gets attacked. (Ads in start is a huge problem though).
- pessimizer 5y ago
  > Apple seems to get a pass Seems to who?
- rsynnott 5y ago
  ... I don't think MacOS has _any_ of this? Besides Siri and telemetry, but it asks you on installation if you want to enable those.
  - dawnerd 5y ago
    Siri/spotlight does web searches, maps are included, location tracking baked in under the disguise of find-my (Microsoft also has a find-my alternative), there is an advertiser id built into mac toohttps://developer.apple.com/documentation/adsupport/asidentifiermanager/1614151-advertisingidentifier https://developer.apple.com/documentation/adsupport/asidenti... Really the only thing different is Apple has made it seem beneficial to users where Microsoft just comes off spammy.
    - rsynnott 5y ago
      That stuff is all optional and off-by-default, though; you have to either say yes on installation or opt in afterwards.
      - dawnerd 5y ago
        It's not all optional and off by default... They only ask about sending debug data to app developers, siri, and I believe find-my. Apple is a little worse since they try to force you into entering your credit cards for Apple pay.
        vetinari 5y ago
        > They only ask about sending debug data to app developers They ask two questions: * send telemetry to Apple; * allow sharing telemetry with app developers. If you don't agree with the first one, the second one is grayed out. wrt advertiserid, that's iOS/iPadOS only, on macOS it retuns zero-filled UUID.
        dawnerd 5y ago
        Good catch on the macos advertiser id. It's just a matter of time for it to actually work as expected though.
        rsynnott 5y ago
        > It's just a matter of time for it to actually work as expected though. Eh, I mean they just recently made it effectively useless on iOS (requires a prompt before it works; unsurprisingly very few users give permission). Not sure why they'd go the other direction on MacOS... I suspect it's just there for Catalyst compatibility.
sedatk 5y ago
Microsoft already asks you to enable/disable these features on first setup.
- zamadatix 5y ago
  Not quite for a lot of it - e.g. it asks if you want to use Cortana as your personal assistant but selecting no isn't the same as disabling it (integrated into start menu functionality) or when it asks if you want to opt into telemetry and you uncheck it you're not saying "no telemetry" by unchecking it you're saying "basic telemetry only".
- vetinari 5y ago
  No, it only pretends to, it doesn't disable them.
MisterTea 5y ago
> Map updates (who the fuck uses maps on a PC?) Who doesn't?
- imwillofficial 5y ago
  Everyone
- bloqs 5y ago
  Using google maps on a pc is one thing Using bing maps via the bloatware app... not used by ordinary people.
  - MisterTea 5y ago
    Ah, bing maps.

by as1mov 5y ago

dawnerd 5y ago

macOS has a lot of this too. It’s weird Apple seems to get a pass but Microsoft gets attacked. (Ads in start is a huge problem though).

pessimizer 5y ago
> Apple seems to get a pass Seems to who?
rsynnott 5y ago
... I don't think MacOS has _any_ of this? Besides Siri and telemetry, but it asks you on installation if you want to enable those.
- dawnerd 5y ago
  Siri/spotlight does web searches, maps are included, location tracking baked in under the disguise of find-my (Microsoft also has a find-my alternative), there is an advertiser id built into mac toohttps://developer.apple.com/documentation/adsupport/asidentifiermanager/1614151-advertisingidentifier https://developer.apple.com/documentation/adsupport/asidenti... Really the only thing different is Apple has made it seem beneficial to users where Microsoft just comes off spammy.
  - rsynnott 5y ago
    That stuff is all optional and off-by-default, though; you have to either say yes on installation or opt in afterwards.
    - dawnerd 5y ago
      It's not all optional and off by default... They only ask about sending debug data to app developers, siri, and I believe find-my. Apple is a little worse since they try to force you into entering your credit cards for Apple pay.
      - vetinari 5y ago
        > They only ask about sending debug data to app developers They ask two questions: * send telemetry to Apple; * allow sharing telemetry with app developers. If you don't agree with the first one, the second one is grayed out. wrt advertiserid, that's iOS/iPadOS only, on macOS it retuns zero-filled UUID.
        dawnerd 5y ago
        Good catch on the macos advertiser id. It's just a matter of time for it to actually work as expected though.
        rsynnott 5y ago
        > It's just a matter of time for it to actually work as expected though. Eh, I mean they just recently made it effectively useless on iOS (requires a prompt before it works; unsurprisingly very few users give permission). Not sure why they'd go the other direction on MacOS... I suspect it's just there for Catalyst compatibility.

sedatk 5y ago

Microsoft already asks you to enable/disable these features on first setup.

zamadatix 5y ago
Not quite for a lot of it - e.g. it asks if you want to use Cortana as your personal assistant but selecting no isn't the same as disabling it (integrated into start menu functionality) or when it asks if you want to opt into telemetry and you uncheck it you're not saying "no telemetry" by unchecking it you're saying "basic telemetry only".
vetinari 5y ago
No, it only pretends to, it doesn't disable them.

MisterTea 5y ago

> Map updates (who the fuck uses maps on a PC?) Who doesn't?

imwillofficial 5y ago
Everyone
bloqs 5y ago
Using google maps on a pc is one thing Using bing maps via the bloatware app... not used by ordinary people.
- MisterTea 5y ago
  Ah, bing maps.