These Are the Websites Your Clean-Install Windows PC Connects to by Itself

Windows 95/98(SE)/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7(before updates) were all connected to the internet. They did not tell anyone I was browsing whatever ancient site was the equivalent of xvideos.com, or installed random shit because it wanted to. Granted, viruses would make that happen, but that's a result of being messed up by an external agent, not by design.
 
BloodyIron said:
"Gaming isn't one of them". You're basing this statement on ONE game that was NOT written for Linux, but is running on it.
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I'm basing the statement on the fact that desktop Linux gaming support is far behind Windows because it's got a tiny fraction of the users that Windows does. If Linux gaming were all that you'd be able to got out a buy a Linux gaming PC. With the exception of few SteamOS devices that might be out there, no one bothers putting Linux on PCs targeted for gaming, not even a company like Dell that does offer Linux on other kinds of devices. I get that Linux fans are going to be enthusiastic about it. I keep up with GamingOnLinux.com and that's a pretty enthused crowd. Then I look at Steam and see all the stuff that's not Linux compatible. And that's what most gamers are looking at as well.
 
Izord said:
Link to report of anyone anywhere EVER suffering detrimental effects at the hands of Microsoft's nefarious 'OMG it's spying on me' telemetry?
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Good lord, I hope you're just being contrarian because the point is to not remain willfully ignorant until it has to get to that point - theyre collecting personally identifiable data and I'm not going to wait around for their whistleblower crisis before I get concerned.

The day before Facebook got busted for selling personally identifiable user data to anyone and everyone, there was no smoking gun either and there were idiots defending them "no proof they sell it". And then suddenly there was.

Microsoft can collect all the data they want from ignorant users happy to bend over and give it up for nothing in return, but the rest of us just want an off switch.

Fun fact: the biggest zealots and defenders of Microsoft's data collection policies will be the first ones to disable it the moment an off switch is available. Guaranteed.
 
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That's now.

Enough Candy Crush-ey apps hammering down your puny gaming machine to a halt + Linux stepping (even) higher in gaming goodness = exodus.

I hope so. Closed source software has this uncontrollable tendency to turn users into hostages.
 
I actually like how Windows 10 does notifications, it queues them up for me to read when I come back to the computer. As for what Windows 10 is, it is a connected operating system which is what people want these days. People want notifications, they want the news at their fingertips. The days of going out to get it are done, people want it to be delivered to them. This is the evolution of the media rich Internet.
 
DPI said:
Fun fact: the biggest zealots and defenders of Microsoft's data collection policies will be the first ones to disable it the moment an off switch is available. Guaranteed.
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Not sure when your conjecture became fact. I actually use a lot of services from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. If I were as nuts about this stuff as some of the anti-Microsoft people around here I wouldn't be using services from all of these places that I've been using long before Windows 10. People can go as nuts as they want to about Windows 10, the serious data collection is coming from those 2 billion plus smartphones out there that people can't put down.
 
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heatlesssun said:
Not sure when your conjecture became fact. I actually use a lot of services from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. If I were as nuts about this stuff as some of the anti-Microsoft people around here I wouldn't be using services from all of these places that I've been using long before Windows 10. People can go as nuts as they want to about Windows 10, the serious data collection is coming from those 2 billion plus smartphones out there that people can't put down.
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Exactly. But you have to remember that to these people Google is just fine. They love Google. Microsoft? Gots to grab the pitchforks and torches. The hypocrisy is amazing.
 
trparky said:
Exactly. But you have to remember that to these people Google is just fine. They love Google. Microsoft? Gots to grab the pitchforks and torches. The hypocrisy is amazing.
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What hypocrisy? You invented that scenario and then reacted to it as if it was real and not just something you made up in your own post.

People who don't want Microsoft to be harvesting their data in Windows 10 also surely don't like it that Google is harvesting their data. I don't.

But there's a major difference between Google and Windows 10:

Google is a free online service that people don't own and which they haven't bought licenses (a right) for, which is hosted by Google running on Google's machines and using Google's electricity and everything else. When people use Google, they do so by accessing it as a guest. When Google harvests data from people's interaction, Google is taking it from a space they own and control. There are still expectations on the handling of that data and privacy rights still apply.

Windows 10 is a paid-for product that people own and which they have bought licenses (a right) for, which is hosted on their own machines, using their own electricity and everything else. It is their personal and private property and environment. When they use their Windows 10 OS, they're in their own space where they have a right to call the shots. When Microsoft harvests data from people's Windows 10 OSes, Microsoft is doing so as an invader and a thief. Microsoft even taking any data from people's Windows 10 OSes is an invasion and violation of privacy, just like a stranger walking into your house uninvited and taking your belongings would be.
 
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DocNo said:
I just want to know - how many people that are bothered by MS telemetry use either Chrome, gMail, facebook, or other social media sites?
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I don't like telemetry on those either and I don't use most of those.

I also wonder how many people who have a problem with telemetry on Windows 10 didn't use or disabled telemetry on Windows 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, you know, just to be fair.
 
Delicieuxz said:
People who don't want Microsoft to be harvesting their data in Windows 10 also surely don't like it that Google is harvesting their data.
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Yet people can't get enough of the Android platform, they buy up Android phones at record numbers. Sure, smart phone sales are a bit down now but that's only because of a lack of innovation on behalf of the smart phone OEMs but once the innovation comes back and the OEMs actually make something decent then people will buy them up like pancakes at IHOP. You can see this in how the PC industry has seen growth the first time in almost six years. Why? Became AMD came on the scene and actually made Intel have to compete.
Meeho said:
That must be why its adoption rate is relatively poor and no topic that mentions it can go without people shitting on it.
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Part of that has to do with the lack of PC upgrades. When most new processors have been nothing more than just "another four core processor" you can start to see why people have been holding off on buying a new PC or upgrading. And as far as a connected device, again... why are smart phones all the rage?
 
DocNo said:
I just want to know - how many people that are bothered by MS telemetry use either Chrome, gMail, facebook, or other social media sites?
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I’ll play. I use gmail for work/MBA but not personal. In fact I can’t remember the last time I sent a personal email.
I physically cut the fingerprint reader in my iPhone. I’m still debating whether I like SMS or iMessage more. Siri, like Cortana would be, is disabled. I use a VPN on all my machines as well as trying to block as much telemetry as I can from my smartphone. I refuse to have a webcam hooked up to my desktop although my MacBook has one for business meetings that require me to be on camera, which is covered when Im not using it.

Facebook I have but never post personal information. It also doesn’t have my picture, my phone number or even my proper state. I’m just there to argue about sports with some old friends. It lists my address as Baltimore and I’m a California resident. Never been a Baltimore resident although I was stationed in Maryland for 7 months once.
I don’t use Snapchat/IG/any of the rest of them.
I’ve blocked MS telemetry on my w8.1 and I’ll be sticking with 8.1 till it’s EOL or I upgrade my computer and have to. I also very rarely sell old computer parts for security and never HDDs/SSDs which are physically destroyed to the point of no return.

So no, some of us follow through.

PS I used to use secure web browsers and I’m looking for a new one. Firefox is aight.
 
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Meeho said:
Are those desktop OSes?
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No, and that's why these are more dangerous. One of them gets an update, installs it silently and sends your data wherever.
For some reason, that possibility is more secure to you than the developer of Win10 publishing a list of its software and which addresses they might communicate with.

What kind of trouble people got into, because MS logged that they used their software over the past 3 years? In comparison, what kind of trouble people got into because of the data they shared with Facebook and the likes?
Exactly.

Also, you wrote that you only use software which would communicate over the internet with your permission. Do you keep monitoring these? What they send and where? After every patch they get?
If you do, it must take at least a day every week which does not sound convenient to me. Otherwise, you are just happy that they have a toggle which may or may not do what it says.
 
mufcfan said:
What kind of trouble people got into, because MS logged that they used their software over the past 3 years? In comparison, what kind of trouble people got into because of the data they shared with Facebook and the likes?
Exactly.
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One thing that would be of enormous help in all of this. If someone who thinks there's some real danger or evil going on with Microsoft and Windows 10 produce some evidence. Some trail of information that's being sold on the dark web or to a 3rd party or something that could be traced back to Windows 10 spying. Because right now it's a whole lot of screaming and shouting and accusations and no proof of anything that comes close to conventional malware or corporate hacking.

Produce some evidence that Windows 10 on its own without malware is causing harm to people, like emptied bank accounts or stolen identities and it will be the greatest of victories for anti-Microsoft folks. Have at it.
 
DPI said:
Good lord, I hope you're just being contrarian because the point is to not remain willfully ignorant until it has to get to that point - theyre collecting personally identifiable data and I'm not going to wait around for their whistleblower crisis before I get concerned.

The day before Facebook got busted for selling personally identifiable user data to anyone and everyone, there was no smoking gun either and there were idiots defending them "no proof they sell it". And then suddenly there was.

Microsoft can collect all the data they want from ignorant users happy to bend over and give it up for nothing in return, but the rest of us just want an off switch.

Fun fact: the biggest zealots and defenders of Microsoft's data collection policies will be the first ones to disable it the moment an off switch is available. Guaranteed.
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The longer this thread continues without anyone providing evidence that anyone has ever been hurt by telemetry, the more and more comfortable I am that Windows 10 is Awesome Sauce.

I mean surely there is at least one actual link to 'I used Windows 10 and five Nigerian princes accessed my PornHamster account' or 'Windows 10 stole my identity and now I live in a shopping cart under the bridge by the river'.

or even 'I used Windows 10 and now Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are stalking me through my webcam and blackmailing me with videos of me dancing in my underwear!'

It's like the tinfoils aren't even trying!

Have the three-letter agencies caught any Osamas with all the data Microsoft is giving them? :LOL:
 
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BloodyIron said:
Your skepticism is neither surprising, nor unique.

The reasons to use Linux aren't just about privacy. Consider the following:

1. Linux Package Managers enable you to update _everything_ in your computer, which is a lot more than just Windows Update. This includes OBS, your browsers, Skype, STEAM, and so much more.
2. Linux Package Managers update software on your computer _orders of magnitude faster than Windows Update_.
3. Linux Package Managers let you choose _when_ to update. Windows 10 barely lets you do that, and on Windows 10 you can't cancel it once you start it. Linux, you can.
4. Linux gives you more control to customize your computer, how it looks, how it works, in ways that Windows can't even come close to.
5. Linux costs $0.
6. Linux is more secure than Windows, by default, without even Anti-Virus software.
7. Linux starts up, shuts down, and does other tasks faster than Windows, on identical hardware.

And that's just scratching the surface.

But you do what you're gonna do man. If you want to keep not believing how good it is, okay.

But if you're the slightest bit curious why I _CHOOSE_ Linux Gaming over Windows, come check out my YouTube videos when they're ready. Maybe you'll find something you like ;)
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I have to agree 100%. I started on Linux last year, so I've been using Linux Mint version 18x over a year now getting used to the OS. I have made several documents on "how to's" so I remember how to do things in Linux. Once I got the basics down with the OS, I was surprised how fast it really is. I have an old Levovo laptop that I installed it on. Once booted to the desktop, the first item of interest that I noticed was no hard drive activity. Then there is the Package Managers that handle the software, which you can update anytime you want. Updates come out on a regular basis, not like windows. If this 63 year old fart can learn how to mange and use Linux, I'm sure you can also.
One item I can't give up - Office. I have Office 2003 running in Linux using Wine. Works great. The only category I haven't played with more in Linux are games, specifically Steam games. Not a big deal since the purpose of this Linux install was to get familiar with the OS.

As for windows, I downloaded a copy of windows 10 LTSB to check out. This would have been the ideal version of 10 to use: no Cortana, Edge, Games, Metro Apps, and MS Store. Not sure about the telemetry if this version still sends it.
 
mufcfan said:
No, and that's why these are more dangerous. One of them gets an update, installs it silently and sends your data wherever.
For some reason, that possibility is more secure to you than the developer of Win10 publishing a list of its software and which addresses they might communicate with.
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They could do it once and that would be my last use of them.

What kind of trouble people got into, because MS logged that they used their software over the past 3 years?
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Me not liking it is reason enough.
In comparison, what kind of trouble people got into because of the data they shared with Facebook and the likes?
Exactly.
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I don't use social media nor post my personal information online.
Also, you wrote that you only use software which would communicate over the internet with your permission. Do you keep monitoring these? What they send and where? After every patch they get?
If you do, it must take at least a day every week which does not sound convenient to me. Otherwise, you are just happy that they have a toggle which may or may not do what it says.
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There are thousands or millions of users and at least one of them will catch the suspicious activity sooner or later, as is always the case. Zero tolerance rule applies and one shitty move is the last shitty move. All of those programs also have another thing in common: they respect my settings and restrictions and do what I want them to do and only that. And they don't have system wide access like my OS does.
 
Izord said:
The longer this thread continues without anyone providing evidence that anyone has ever been hurt by telemetry, the more and more comfortable I am that Windows 10 is Awesome Sauce.
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Few are interested in your straw man trolling.
 
Until there is concrete proof that the data that Window 10 is sending to places on the Internet is causing me harm, I won't believe it. I have too many other worries in my life to be worried about that kind of shit. Not only that but I don't subscribe to the conspiracies that state that we are all under some kind of big surveillance apparatus. Trust me, there are much bigger targets that the governments of the world are targeting with their surveillance systems like the kinds of people who really want to kill us all because of some whack job religion.
 
Meeho said:
Why would anyone bother providing evidence to a straw man argument?
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The ask is simply proof that Microsoft is actually doing half of the accusations. Like selling personal data coming from Windows 10. If Microsoft is selling then who the hell is buying and why?
 
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heatlesssun said:
The ask is simply proof that Microsoft is actually doing half of the accusations. Like selling personal data coming from Windows 10. If Microsoft is selling then who the hell is buying and why?
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He is asking for proof that there is active harm going on. A) there doesn't have to be an actual harm to be unacceptable OS behaviour, B) eventual harm may come later.

(Vast majority of) people aren't upset they are being harmed, they are upset because they are no longer in control of their OS nor its data sharing, no matter how insignificant anyone finds that data.
 
Meeho said:
eventual harm may come later.
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And just how do you know that? Do you have some sort of time machine that we don't know of that has allowed you to get a glimpse of the future? A crystal ball perhaps? Because I sure as hell don't. Just because there is data being sold doesn't mean that it's automatically bad, there's data being collected and sold all over the place by all kinds of companies. Banks, credit card companies, stores you shop at, your ISP, etc. Big deal!!! It hasn't caused any harm to any of us.
 
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Meeho said:
He is asking for proof that there is active harm going on. A) there doesn't have to be an actual harm to be unacceptable OS behaviour, B) eventual harm may come later.

(Vast majority of) people aren't upset they are being harmed, they are upset because they are no longer in control of their OS nor its data sharing, no matter how insignificant anyone finds that data.
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You're saying that Microsoft is selling personal information coming out of Windows 10. So either anonymous guys on the internet are making shit up or Microsoft is lying. I don't trust corporations more than anyone else I do trust them when it comes to their money. Proof that Microsoft is selling information coming out of Windows 10 that's personal (i.e. personally identifying) would be one the biggest corporate tech scandals of all time and would destroy Microsoft's cloud business and probably the company would probably be hit with so many fines and lawsuits that it could go under.
 
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Meeho said:
(Vast majority of) people aren't upset they are being harmed, they are upset because they are no longer in control of their OS nor its data sharing, no matter how insignificant anyone finds that data.
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You don't have control over a lot of things in life. Does that make you wake up in a cold sweat? If it does you really do need to take a chill pill because damn, you're going to put yourself in an early grave.
 
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heatlesssun said:
biggest corporate tech scandals of all time and would destroy Microsoft's cloud business and probably the company would probably be hit with so many fines and lawsuits that it could go under.
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Insert any company's name that has anything to do with cloud. Be it Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. It would be the end of the entire computing industry virtually overnight.
 
trparky said:
And just how do you know that? Do you have some sort of time machine that we don't know of that has allowed you to get a glimpse of the future? A crystal ball perhaps? Because I sure as hell don't. Just because there is data being sold doesn't mean that it's automatically bad, there's data being collected and sold all over the place by all kinds of companies. Banks, credit card companies, stores you shop at, your ISP, etc. Big deal!!! It hasn't caused any harm to any of us.
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"may"

Do you even english?

heatlesssun said:
You're saying that Microsoft is selling personal information coming out of Windows 10.
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I am? Quote me, please.

trparky said:
You don't have control over a lot of things in life. Does that make you wake up in a cold sweat? If it does you really do need to take a chill pill because damn, you're going to put yourself in an early grave.
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I have control over everything I can and want to have control over. My OS is one of those things.
 
jnemesh said:
If I disable Microsoft Store, I won't be able to update Windows? I JUST built a new PC (well, almost, it hasn't booted up yet, I still have yet to finish the hard tubing)...and this is going to be my first Windows 10 PC...I want to disable ALL of this crap, and have no intention of ever buying "UWP" software through their Windows Store. I just want to make sure I can update my system as needed though. Recommendations?
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Recommendations ? Bend over and think happy thoughts. You gave up any hope for control when you went Windows 10.
 
1. Have you tried Libre Office? Since you say MS Office 2003, I think you may be pleasantly surprised by Libre Office.
2. Why not try STEAM this weekend? ;)
3. Thanks for the support! :D Glad it's working out so well for you. I too am surprised by the lack of HDD activity, hehe, it's so refreshing.

Executioner said:
I have to agree 100%. I started on Linux last year, so I've been using Linux Mint version 18x over a year now getting used to the OS. I have made several documents on "how to's" so I remember how to do things in Linux. Once I got the basics down with the OS, I was surprised how fast it really is. I have an old Levovo laptop that I installed it on. Once booted to the desktop, the first item of interest that I noticed was no hard drive activity. Then there is the Package Managers that handle the software, which you can update anytime you want. Updates come out on a regular basis, not like windows. If this 63 year old fart can learn how to mange and use Linux, I'm sure you can also.
One item I can't give up - Office. I have Office 2003 running in Linux using Wine. Works great. The only category I haven't played with more in Linux are games, specifically Steam games. Not a big deal since the purpose of this Linux install was to get familiar with the OS.

As for windows, I downloaded a copy of windows 10 LTSB to check out. This would have been the ideal version of 10 to use: no Cortana, Edge, Games, Metro Apps, and MS Store. Not sure about the telemetry if this version still sends it.
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heatlesssun said:
Fair enough, Delicieuxz specifically did mention that. There are a LOT of accusations being made here though with no proof so it's hard to keep track.
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There are, but I, and the majority I feel, find even the agreed upon facts too troublesome to use Win10.
 
I did a Google search, and GoSquared says Windows 10 is 54% of total windows traffic. https://www.gosquared.com/global/windows/10/#launch

Don't have an exact number, but the install base is close to one billion.

Global market shares of desktop OS's: https://www.statista.com/statistics/218089/global-market-share-of-windows-7/

January 2018

Windows: 82.55%
Mac OSX: 12.37%
Linux: 1.45%
Chrome OS: 1%
Others/Unknown: 2.62%

Then I searched for 'has windows telemetry ever caused damages' and 'has windows telemetry ever hurt anyone' and couldn't find any reports.

I assume searches by others have been as fruitless or they would have been reported in this thread.

Windows 10 has been out for years. Hundreds of millions of people use it. We can't find any reports of damages.

I would welcome any reports of harm or damages resulting from Windows 10 telemetry to review.
 
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Meeho said:
There are, but I, and the majority I feel, find even the agreed upon facts too troublesome to use Win10.
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Not sure which majority you are referring to. Windows 10 is the dominate PC gaming OS currently. I get that people have problems with it but all of my personal hardware and software are working fine with it, that's not possible with anything else currently, certainly not a Linux distro. And we are moving to 10 at work, should have it latter this summer on my work laptop.
 
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BloodyIron said:
1. Have you tried Libre Office? Since you say MS Office 2003, I think you may be pleasantly surprised by Libre Office.
2. Why not try STEAM this weekend? ;)
3. Thanks for the support! :D Glad it's working out so well for you. I too am surprised by the lack of HDD activity, hehe, it's so refreshing.
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I always find it interesting. Hey try Steam! Hey try Libre Office! The most wonderful thing about Windows is that virtually all significant desktop software is available for it, got Libre Office installed on several Windows 10 devices, no need to jump through hoops normally just to use software.
 
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