Consider carefully before you take the leap
Published on December 28, 2021 By Daiwa In Personal Computing

This was the subject of a reply of mine to Tatiora's October post on Windows 11 Updates that I think merits a separate thread.

I've been advised by my tech support company to not install Windows 11 under any circumstances.  A major reason for that is that I (and my office network) deal with protected health information and Windows 11 is not only not HIPAA compliant but opens your computer to all kinds of background third party access.  MS has decided to go the way of Facebook and make you the product which they will sell as the primary method of sustaining their business.  The 'upgrade' may be free but orders of magnitude more intrusive, mostly silently of course (the fine print applies when you click Agree).

Windows 11, per my tech, also is a major step toward forcing all your application purchases and subscriptions into the Microsoft Store, a la Apple.  They are steadily making it harder & harder to install anything from outside their controlled ecosystem.  They actually trialed this approach with a version of Windows 10 called Windows 10S.  I learned of this when we purchased a Surface which turned out to have that OS for a dedicated purpose servicing a biometric device early this year.  Initially I thought the "S" meant a version specific to the Surface but it turns out the "S" means Store, as in Microsoft Store.  Our tech had to force an install of a regular version of Windows 10 before the software for the biometric device could be installed (it obviously wasn't available on the Microsoft Store).  There were also incompatible drivers for things like our network printers & Bluetooth devices.  The latter issues are probably cleaned up a bit in Windows 11, but beware.

A good example of where this will likely lead is the recent behavior of Adobe regarding Adobe Acrobat Reader DC which is the subject of another post here.  They already have the ability to reach into your computer uninvited and steal paid-for software from you.

Enjoy the brave new world of computing and Happy New Year!


Comments (Page 2)
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on Jan 01, 2022

Let's hope the ability to close those loopholes remains available.  At some point, when MS decides sufficient migration to Windows11 has occurred for the OS to be 'indispensable', I'm not so optimistic.  Easy peasy for them to remove the user interfaces for those loopholes and voila.

on Jan 01, 2022

I was curious about this when I upgraded to 11. However, I also realize Google and Microsoft already have ways to get into your machine without doing something this lame. Every time you have an update, Microsoft can stick it to you, or when you use something Google, they can get you. Do anyone have any idea what is really in Windows? Of course not because we don't have access to the source code. I just run mine on a local account which means I don't need Microsoft's permission to use anything. For now this is the best I can do.

on Jan 01, 2022

naroon1

so we take steps to prevent it, is it right Hell NO, but if we want to use Windows for free we deal with it and close down those backdoors.

That sounds ideally just fine, but I don't believe that with a behemoth OS like Windows, it's possible to plug the holes, lock the backdoors and secure all the ports. It was up to MS to do that, but because of their own commercial interest, they do the opposite of the ethically correct thing. I believe it is reprehensible to sell one's users that way. It's nothing short of a betrayal.

on Jan 01, 2022

LightStar

There should have never been a Windows 8, 8.1, 10 or now even 11! Windows 7 was perfect IMO!

I Absolutely Agree ...   

on Jan 01, 2022

Does anyone know if MS is still blocking re-installs of Windows 7 ?  I tried several months back and it wouldn't let me install.

-- Ace --

on Jan 01, 2022

The only claimed issue with continuing to use Win 7 is you will die a horrible death from disease and Virii.

I use 0 Patch ....costs a tad [not free like win10] but does everything in realtime...you don't wait for 'Some Tuesday' so is a better way to go anyway...

Welcome to the era of vulnerability micropatching - 0patch 

on Jan 02, 2022

Is there an American version of 0patch  ?   I have no idea what that Euro currency is all about when it shows pricing.

-- Ace --

on Jan 02, 2022

AceMatrix

Is there an American version of 0patch  ?   I have no idea what that Euro currency is all about when it shows pricing.

-- Ace --

It'll be about $25 USD I think.  I just bought via PayPal and let the conversion sort itself out...

Try the trial first, anyway...and you'll see what it's doing....tho that's  a bit restricted...the full paid-for ver does it all...

on Jan 02, 2022

Thank you Jafo , I'm going to give it a go. The paypal idea is great, I hadn't thought of that.   

-- Ace --

on Jan 02, 2022

There will always be backdoors created by MS, and there will always be free tools out there to close these doors(if a person does not understand how to do this for themselves), a whole new sub section has been created by MS by removing the older start menu , even Stardock is in on the act with Start 10 and 11. Microsoft will always make an Operating System how they think it should be, even if there customers "US" disagrees , and in that, software companies who do listen will keep pushing out Start Replacement Programs.

You have to wonder how the Insiders Program actually convinces MS to do some of the things they do and think it is in the better way forward.

This is just one example of how MS will do things, and if a change or feature update makes sweeping changes we as consumers do not like, others will spring up with third party software to change it back to how we did like it originally

MS Spying is no different, but as i have said before, this is not a new thing but so many members are seeing it as a Windows 11 thing when it is not, it was there in Win 10 and Win 7/8 to some degree.

 

They will always do this (and other things), and resourceful people will also re act. Every one of us has the option to use another kind of Operating System, but if we choose to use the latest Windows, accept MS will try to shaft you, so those of us who can push back should shaft them right back by blocking what they hope to achieve, educating others in how this is done, and accept there new Operating System with a sly grin on our face knowing full well they can not have it there own way.

on Jan 02, 2022

I would like to add that Microsoft and windows 11 aren't even the worst player in the game. If you look at news on where peoples data is being extracted you would see Facebook is way worse. Even Russia has been in on the action of using that platform to control what people see by accessing users data. And this really is the exact same tactic as corporations and politicians, they are all buying your data

I do miss the timeframe of Windows 7 more then the actual OS. It was a simpler time and the transactions felt more respectful as you were able to just pay an upfront cost rather then pay with the hidden costs of data extraction that you see now a days. But, they have been a long time coming and are pretty impossible to escape completely. It simply is just a bad time for privacy.

on Jan 02, 2022

PhoenixRising1

If you look at news on where peoples data is being extracted you would see Facebook is way worse.

There's a fundamental difference.

Facebook is an unnecessary affectation.  Windows OS is an essential.  Both Apple and Linux are irrelevancies to the vast majority of computer users.

You can live BETTER without Facebook.  You cannot function in the modern world without the Windows OS...

on Jan 02, 2022



Quoting PhoenixRising1,

If you look at news on where peoples data is being extracted you would see Facebook is way worse.



There's a fundamental difference.

Facebook is an unnecessary affectation.  Windows OS is an essential.  Both Apple and Linux are irrelevancies to the vast majority of computer users.

You can live BETTER without Facebook.  You cannot function in the modern world without the Windows OS...

You CAN function in the modern world without windows PC. Todays world can also use a Mac AND there is a huge chunk of people  that can and do function on a smart phone alone perfectly well.

What we have in todays world is either windows os, ios, Apple or a Chrome book. All these players are part of the scope of how people can function in the modern world. People can skip windows 11 for one of the other options but aren't the alternatives listed even worse?

I would even argue that the pc has been taking a huge hit in sales because people actually want flashy phones rather then high end pcs on average.

So Windows 11 is kind of a wanna be phone. And I am not a fan of that. BUT, it also still allows me to have control of my PC so I can shut all of that off and change my windows 11 back into a typical windows OS.

I will give you facebook though. I do not use it myself, but there is always a lot of peer pressure to join it.

on Jan 03, 2022

As always it's about the numbers.....essentially any other OS is irrelevant.  No one cares about alternatives.

In a work environment mobile phones are meaningless.  I can't see myself developing a multi-layer psd in 4096 res on a phone.

Yes...win 8, 8.1, 10 and 11 ....all from the time when MS thought the Windows Phone might actually be a 'thing' and subsequently disadvantaged every actual person working and using the OS are what MS has left you to deal with... but sensible people stay with the unadulterated 7 .....

on Jan 03, 2022

The 'spying' that MS was doing with prior versions, even Win 7, was almost entirely of the 'telemetry' variety, easily shut down - information that was useful to Windows developers but couldn't really be monetized in the Facebook sense.  Win 11 takes things to a different level & purpose.

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