Okay, maybe not ‘watching you’, but they are spying on you. Seems that Microsoft MSFT 425,43 +5,25 +1,25% was not content with just spying on Windows 10 users. They have pushed through some ‘Telemetry’ updates on Windows 7 and 8.1 which allow Windows to collect and send data back to Microsoft. Keep in mind if you have opted-out of previous ‘feedback/telemetry’ programs with Microsoft, these updates undo all that (including user privacy settings in the Windows hosts file). …(the updates) all add “customer experience and diagnostic telemetry” to Windows 7 and Windows 8. This is shorthand for monitoring how you use Windows…
September 15, 2015
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Mozilla Future Releases has published the article Windows 10 and User Choice, which talks about some the changes that have occurred with Firefox as a result of Windows 10. Besides Windows 10 making Edge your default browser (unless you do a custom install), web searches using Cortana are done though Bing. The article goes on to explain how they have been able to workaround some these changes. But first, they talk about the UI change in regards to the search feature for the Windows 10 version of Firefox: User choice is a core principle with which we design our products….
This registry script works for Windows Vista and newer and adds a ‘Take ownership’ (Administrator) option to the context (right-click) menu in Windows (File) Explorer. Very useful for removing crap Microsoft has sneaked onto your computer such as the Get Windows 10 (aka GWX) propaganda as well as Windows 10 itself. You can run this script on files and/or folders which will give the Administrator ownership privileges to be able to delete said files and/or folders. Installation is simple, download and open the zip file then run the Take Ownership – Install.reg file. You will be presented with a couple prompts accept…
Okay, this is getting out-of-hand. All the Get Windows 10 propaganda (App in Windows 8.1, System Tray Icon and in Windows 10) that Microsoft MSFT 425,43 +5,25 +1,25% is bombarding Windows 7 and 8.1 users is bad enough. However, even if you declined the upgrade to Windows 10 and in some cases even if you removed the Windows 10 upgrade offer KB3035583, Windows 10 may already be on your computer…just waiting for you to (accidentally) install it. Yes, you read that right! Microsoft has taken it upon itself for those users in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 who are running Windows Updates…
Most people who were running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 before Windows 10 was released this past July who didn’t want it removed (and also hid) KB3035583 from their Windows Updates. But, what about people who bought a new Windows 8.1 computer or reinstalled Windows 7/8.1 AFTER Windows 10 was released? I ran into this scenario last week after a couple family members purchased new Windows 8.1 PCs (yes, you can still get Windows 8.1 PC’s) and the machines download and installed KB3035583. I thought this would be a simple fix, remove and hide KB3035583 and all would be well. As it turns…
Bug 1203584 was filed on September 10th, 2015 indicates Mozilla has delay the enforced extension signing (unsigned add-ons can not be installed…period) until Firefox 44 coming in late January 2016. This means that unsigned add-ons may still be installed in Firefox 41-43 if you set the xpinstall.signatures.required preference in about:config to FALSE. Not sure as to the reason for this change as the bug simply stated: We’ve decided to push turning the pref for signing requirements on out to 43 so need to turn it off in aurora/beta. Forcing the pref on will be pushed out to 44