| Technology Pioneer? Hardly Every version of Microsoft Windows after 3.1 has been built with tracking facilities integrated into the operating system, and the concept of browser cookies was always intended to be used to gather information about what is on the other side of the keyboard.
Microsoft admits that even those that don't register their operating systems get their data vacuumed (unknowingly) into the borg, simply by having gone and looked at the registration sites or attempting to download updates.
Its the same reason cable operators don't want you to have a private DVR device. Aside from the fact they can't price-rape you monthly, they also can't track every move you make and turn that into focused advertising. |
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| I just get around the microsoft thing by setting up a hosts file. I do this for my customers for free too. Nothing like sticking it to microsoft  |
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bjbrock
join:2002-10-28
Mcalester, OK | Hosts files don't stop the data mining. MS' IP's are hardwired into the system of their data mining software so name resolution isn't needed. You didn't think MS had already thought of that? Using a third party firewall to block outgoing traffic is the only way to stop their data mining. |
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| I dont know about that right now I cant access any microsoft sites. I update to the max and block all MS IP's from the host file. The only thing thats annouying about it is windows defender keeps poping up saying you host file has been hijacked.
I could be wrong. I will keep a closer eye on it since you mentioned it. I might block it from the router if thats the case. Then just block it on my customers routers as well. Thanks for letting me know. |
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1 edit | You can't access any MS sites because you've hardwired your system to resolve those domains into bad IP addresses. That's fine if the software is trying to access a server by way of its domain name. However, if the software makes a connection directly to an IP address, it doesn't need to do a DNS lookup on a domain, which gets around your hosts file. Having the hosts file there doesn't block anything. All it does is break DNS, since a DNS request will always be run against that file before a DNS server is queried.
Now, if you have a decent router, or, better yet, a Linux box configured to act as a router, you can easily stop all this nonsense. The router can block access to the IP addresses, and the Linux box can do this, or, if you know what you're doing (I certainly don't), you can reroute that traffic anywhere you like.
Of course, if Windows worries you that much, maybe you ought to look at other alternatives. Ubuntu is free, and it's a great replacement for Windows. If you still need to run some Windows apps, then Wine can do that for you from inside Linux. I'm no Linux expert, but I'm going to learn it because I'll be damned if I'm going to keep buying new updates to Windows from Microsoft. I can build my own computers, so I see no need to add the cost of a new copy of Windows to each one. |
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| The only problem for me to goto linux is gamming. Programs I use as well like photoshop. I dont think they will run on linux, but I dont know. I should check around. |
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 PiggieI Actually use WindstreamPremium
join:2005-11-23
Orange Springs, FL | Educate the Adults
Since when wasn't the parents job to keep kids off the computer. I call BS on protecting the children, it's a ruse. |
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| reply to cpsycho
Re: Technology Pioneer? Hardly If you still need Windows for some apps (beyond what you can run under Wine and CrossOver), a dual-boot system should work for you. That's what I do. For most of the time, I run Ubuntu, but I can boot into XP if I need to.
If you haven't already, you should visit www.ubuntu.com and download a CD or DVD image. You can boot it as a live CD and play with it without altering your system. It will run more slowly than if it was installed, and you can't save anything to your hard drive, but it will give you a chance to check it out to see if you might like to install it. Also, if you run the CD from within Windows, you will have the option to install Ubuntu as a Windows app. It won't run as a true OS, but it will allow you to use it more fully than as a live CD before you do a "real" installation. And if you install it within Windows and later want it uninstalled, you can go to Add/Remove Programs in Windows' Control Panel and get rid of it like any other Windows app.
Give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. |
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