Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Windows 11: the privacy risk
ALARMING video about the absence of privacy for users of Windows 11:
A week ago, an expert former Windows developer (linked above) with deep detailed knowledge, posted to Youtube: Windows 11 is a Lost Cause. Truly Destined for the Garbage. Don't Upgrade from 10.
His video is heading for a million views. It underlines the wisdom of not installing "11".
It discusses the extent to which the 11 version is riddled with code that sabotages a user's privacy. My take is that much or most of Microsoft's new features billed as security, are intended to shield all the data—constantly gathered—about the life of an unwitting "11" user that Microsoft collects for the benefit of Microsoft.
About 40% of those who use Windows are "still" on version 10: anyone valuing their privacy should consider staying there.
(BTW, the developer mentions Apple only in passing; he's now 99% on another UNIX-class operating system: Linux).
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I've used Macs for more than three decades and have long been aware they can also run the "Windows" operating system (either with BootCamp or by virtualisation).
As little more than as an experiment, last weekend I installed Windows 10 on a Mac Mini. The Mini could easily have run the bloated, resource-hungry, current 11, but after researching and comparing the two variants, I was confident that 10 was the right choice.
Even though I was installing the "Pro" version of 10 on my 2018 Mac Mini, I was taken aback at the extent of the pushing of other Microsoft products at every turn, all of them unwanted.
I accidentally signed up for a "Microsoft Account" and it took time and effort to undo it, together with all the unwanted effect of this spyware window into one's life. It also took time and effort to delete permanently Microsoft's unloved "Edge" browser (IMO, those who value their privacy should consider the Brave browser, available on all platforms).
I hope I have cleaned up Windows 10 Pro as far as is possible, but I'm half expecting MS to try to push spyware in again, under the guise of a vital security update.
Tags for Forum Posts: 10, 11, AI, Microsoft, Pro, Windows, end of life, privacy, spyware
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter
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Ian, can I invite you to read the thread from the start or to try harder to understand the subject matter?
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Permalink Reply by AndrewAW1
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Again, this is terrible advice because it relates to standard updates, not the extended support.
Windows 11 is a much more secure OS due to the TPM and various other features but you're advising people to stay on windows 10 and then giving duff advice on security updates.
You say your knowledge of Windows is a couple of days and that is very clear. I wish I had the confidence to declare myself an expert in something after a couple of days.
If you want a non-invasive OS don't use Windows at all. Thinking Windows 10 is fine but Windows 11 isn't is just strange given the similarities between the two.
I also find your trust in Chatgpt quite entertaining given the largest investor by far is ... Microsoft.
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In terms of privacy, both 10 and 11 come "out of the box" covered in muck, but both versions can be cleaned with extra work.
The question in my mind was, which version can be made cleaner?
Andrew will be reassured that a part of Chat's advice (following) about cleaning overlaps with his earlier suggestion of using O&O ShutUp, which applies to both 10 and 11. I'm prepared to take consider that advice in spite of—or because of—Microsoft being Chat's biggest investor!
Chat's answer was clear and unequivocal:
It is Windows 10 that can be made the cleanest!The advice is suitable for those installing Windows on an empty PC (or Mac) for the first time (the less likely use case) or, for current PC users of 10 who feel under pressure by MS to "upgrade" to 11, due to the frightening or hysterical "end of life" message, being amplified by others, some of who may have a pecuniary interest in that warning.
My gut feel is that MS is going to have to extend their extra special extended support for some time to come. Many of the 100s of millions of 10 users are corporations who are likely already to have wiped 10 clean. They are less likely to be duped by MS than consumer-users. If MS tries to end any support for them, then MS risks their switching to another platform such as Linux. Big corporations will understand better than ordinary users, the risks to privacy of 11.
One has to ask oneself why do developers outside MS continue to develop for 10 if it is end of life and a terrible security risk? Do they know something that ordinary users don't?
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Cleaning Windows ~ OK, here's a toughie! Given that Microsoft insert a great deal of unwanted code into both Windows 10 and Windows 11 (advertising, bloatware and spyware, etc.), if one wanted to clean installations of 10 and 11 to the maximum degree possible, which of them could be made cleaner, please?!
ChatGPT said:
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