Windows 10 China Government Edition Allows Control of Encryption and Telemetry

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
In addition to a new Surface Pro, Microsoft revealed a version of Windows 10 tailor-made for the Chinese government at their Shanghai event this week. Unlike the version we all know and love, the Eastern variety lets users do some really radical stuff, like remove unwanted apps, control updates, and manage telemetry: basically, it grants more control and less bloatware. Wait, isn’t this the version we should all have?

...Windows 10 China Government Edition...makes a number of concessions to keep Chinese officials happy. It’s a release that raises a lot of questions. The Windows 10 China Government Edition allows the country to not only use its own encryption, but also to control updates, remove unwanted apps, and manage telemetry. Users around the world will almost certainly be asking why control over telemetry is not an option for them, and what the implications of making changes for the Chinese government could be. Coming after Microsoft spent two years "earnestly cooperat[ing] with the Chinese government on the security review of Windows 10," the custom version of the operating system will be used by Chinese government and state-owned entities.
 
Longtime Windows customers: "Let us opt-out of Windows 10's telemetry and app bloat?"

Microsoft: "LOL! Put the tinfoil hat away! Telemetry is your friend!"

Chinese gov't: "Turn off Windows 10's spyware and app bloat."

Microsoft: "Done and done!"
 
Last edited:
Definitely a topic I will be following in earnest. I upgraded to 10 to address some shortcomings of 8, but for non-production use at home, I've tolerated the OS...at least for now.
 
I guess that's what happens when you stand strong with a no compromise attitude in the face of Microsoft. Imagine if every Windows user could unite, vote with their wallet, stop being so submissive and do the same thing.
 
Wait, isn’t this the version we should all have?

It is, don't tell the Chinese Microsoft is BS'ing them
 
BulletDust said:
I guess that's what happens when you stand strong with a no compromise attitude in the face of Microsoft. Imagine if every Windows user could unite, vote with their wallet, stop being so submissive and do the same thing.
Click to expand...

They have tried. Their neckbeards can only combine to the 8th power. Not enough, captain!
 
auntjemima said:
They have tried. Their neckbeards can only combine to the 8th power. Not enough, captain!
Click to expand...

lol, very good! :)

Perhaps the situation with the Chinese can be a good thing? The Chinese have already done the groundwork.
 
You know, Linux does the same thing. Telemetry is no big deal. You shouldn't be so paranoid. This is the way everything is going with Agile.



Did I nail the impression?
 
BulletDust said:
lol, very good! :)

Perhaps the situation with the Chinese can be a good thing? The Chinese have already done the groundwork.
Click to expand...

Lots of companies make software specifically for the Chinese and we never see those modifications made for the western world. I don't expect to see these types of options given to us. Who knows, though, any thing is possible these days. We live in a time where whiny twats get tons of things changed, and quickly, so this could be "our time"!
 
jfreund said:
You know, Linux does the same thing. Telemetry is no big deal. You shouldn't be so paranoid. This is the way everything is going with Agile.



Did I nail the impression?
Click to expand...

Pretty much what half of the replies will be before the day is over.
 
waits for china to sell there version to USA and china has 1 billion ms windows installed beating MS to there own game LULZ
 
BulletDust said:
I guess that's what happens when you stand strong with a no compromise attitude in the face of Microsoft. Imagine if every Windows user could unite, vote with their wallet, stop being so submissive and do the same thing.
Click to expand...

Give me a legit alternative that lets me play ALL my games and I'm in!
 
auntjemima said:
Lots of companies make software specifically for the Chinese and we never see those modifications made for the western world. I don't expect to see these types of options given to us. Who knows, though, any thing is possible these days. We live in a time where whiny twats get tons of things changed, and quickly, so this could be "our time"!
Click to expand...

to be honest these changes make sense since the custom OS is specifically designed for government and state computers, not consumers.. the chinese don't want microsoft or anyone else to be able to "spy" on what their government is doing.. this is NOT a custom consumer version of windows 10.. i'm pretty sure we do the same thing with our government computers as well. so i'm not sure why people are freaking out or why this is even article worthy.
 
BulletDust said:
Imagine if every Windows user could unite, vote with their wallet, stop being so submissive and do the same thing.
Click to expand...
Well there's already the massive, silent, offline protest happening in the form of the majority of the installed base of Windows users sticking with Windows 7.

These people don't "hate Microsoft" as some try to paint it, they just want a proper successor to Windows 7.
 
JackNSally said:
Give me a legit alternative that lets me play ALL my games and I'm in!
Click to expand...

If enough people vote with their wallet.. switch to Linux and only buy from Linux supporting developers via steam and gog. Guess what the industry will follow us. :)
Linux developers (mainly valve) have been putting the systems in place so when the day comes that average users tell MS to beat it... we won't be at the starting line with Gaming on the PC.

Setup a dual boat... keep windows around for the games you can't do without. That way you will be ready for the possibility the game industry tells MS to get bent. Not many Linux users who where never MS people. Its far easier to walk from Windows today then it has ever been.
 
ChadD said:
If enough people vote with their wallet.. switch to Linux and only buy from Linux supporting developers via steam and gog. Guess what the industry will follow us. :)
Linux developers (mainly valve) have been putting the systems in place so when the day comes that average users tell MS to beat it... we won't be at the starting line with Gaming on the PC.

Setup a dual boat... keep windows around for the games you can't do without. That way you will be ready for the possibility the game industry tells MS to get bent. Not many Linux users who where never MS people. Its far easier to walk from Windows today then it has ever been.
Click to expand...

Yeah I dual boat [:)] my system. About a third of my Steam games are on linux at this point. Haven't noticed any real problems playing on Linux yet.
 
JackNSally said:
Give me a legit alternative that lets me play ALL my games and I'm in!
Click to expand...
And productivity applications like Visual Studio, 3ds Max, Office (sorry, but the freebie alternative on Linux doesn't cut it), substance programs, and game engines such as unity's editor, and maybe we can vaguely start talking. Also, games would need to run on par speedwise with windows and have virtually all of them to be a factor. Then I still would probably stick with Windows as it is battle tested and works amazingly well already.
 
I had to install a bunch of laptops with a windows 10 "Army Golden Master" I'm not too sure what is different with those, but I would think it disables a lot of the BS
 
Who wants to bet they say it allows for more precise and total control of telemetry only to find out that no, it actually doesn't? Anybody? :D
 
Enterprise licensing already has most of the features listed in the Chinese Version, Home is the only one with all the bloat and garbage that you can't get rid of. Pro you can uninstall it via power shell, Enterprise same deal, and LTSB has it all removed by default. We are re-imaging all our systems with LTSB over the next few months our few remaining legacy apps we have not managed to get running in Win 10 are working fine in Virtual Box and are being shelved away so only those who truly need access are granted it.
Why virtual box you ask because it is the only VM we have found that still receives updates that will work with NT4.
 
Lakados said:
Enterprise licensing already has most of the features listed in the Chinese Version, Home is the only one with all the bloat and garbage that you can't get rid of. Pro you can uninstall it via power shell, Enterprise same deal, and LTSB has it all removed by default. We are re-imaging all our systems with LTSB over the next few months our few remaining legacy apps we have not managed to get running in Win 10 are working fine in Virtual Box and are being shelved away so only those who truly need access are granted it.
Why virtual box you ask because it is the only VM we have found that still receives updates that will work with NT4.
Click to expand...

Except it has now been demonstrated that even Win10 Enterprise ignores user, group policy, and registry settings and does whatever the hell MS wants.
 
Need some editing, but the concept applies.

4ehtirycc1sy.png
 
GoldenTiger said:
And productivity applications like Visual Studio, 3ds Max, Office (sorry, but the freebie alternative on Linux doesn't cut it), substance programs, and game engines such as unity's editor, and maybe we can vaguely start talking. Also, games would need to run on par speedwise with windows and have virtually all of them to be a factor. Then I still would probably stick with Windows as it is battle tested and works amazingly well already.
Click to expand...

If it could run ALL programs, I'd give it a shot. Virtually all? No thanks.
 
naib said:
The chinese get a version of Windows10 that everyone else wants. Oh the irony
Click to expand...

Due to the closed source the Chinese government 100% sure has its own backdoor and telemetry embedded even if users have 'options' to disable them.
 
jfreund said:
Except it has now been demonstrated that even Win10 Enterprise ignores user, group policy, and registry settings and does whatever the hell MS wants.
Click to expand...
In the researchers own report (if you call his twitter feed a report) when he ran MessagerAnalyzer on those connections they were all going to Google services, he still hasn't answered why that is. He than went on to drop the subject and explain how when nothing else is running it looks as if windows was making those connections when it was in fact Google Chrome phoning home. The whole thing than breaks down in what appears to be links to Vegan Taco's and alternative Bitcurrencies... I wouldn't exactly call it a credible source that demonstrated the issue, and nobody has been able to reproduce it, or if they have they haven't posted about it.

The only legitimate gripes I see are from Win 10 Pro installs that had the services disabled by Solar Winds and other 3'rd party tools only to not have them actually be turned off, but I fail to see how Microsoft can be blamed for 3'rd party tools not doing something on a system they weren't designed to work with.

But as somebody who uses Enterprise and manages a few hundred installs of LTSB I can say I say I see more data coming from the windows 7 Pro machines than I do from any of the LTSB installs by a large margin. iPads are still the #1 culprit for unsolicited data uploads though, with OSX falling into second, though if we had any Android devices I assume they would take the #1 slot.
 
GoldenTiger said:
And productivity applications like Visual Studio, 3ds Max, Office (sorry, but the freebie alternative on Linux doesn't cut it), substance programs, and game engines such as unity's editor, and maybe we can vaguely start talking. Also, games would need to run on par speedwise with windows and have virtually all of them to be a factor. Then I still would probably stick with Windows as it is battle tested and works amazingly well already.
Click to expand...

And a gingerbread house on lollypop lane!

Seriously, posts like this make me chuckle. Ain't no way you're switching from Windows so why even mention it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top