macOS has a lot of this too. Itβs weird Apple seems to get a pass but Microsoft gets attacked. (Ads in start is a huge problem though).
Re:Reclaim Windows10
by pessimizer on Tuesday June 01, 2021 @10:45AM
(#27355194)
> Apple seems to get a pass
Seems to who?
... I don't think MacOS has _any_ of this? Besides Siri and telemetry, but it asks you on installation if you want to enable those.
Siri/spotlight does web searches, maps are included, location tracking baked in under the disguise of find-my (Microsoft also has a find-my alternative), there is an advertiser id built into mac toohttps://developer.apple.com/documentation/adsupport/asidenti...
Really the only thing different is Apple has made it seem beneficial to users where Microsoft just comes off spammy.
That stuff is all optional and off-by-default, though; you have to either say yes on installation or opt in afterwards.
It's not all optional and off by default... They only ask about sending debug data to app developers, siri, and I believe find-my. Apple is a little worse since they try to force you into entering your credit cards for Apple pay.
> They only ask about sending debug data to app developers
They ask two questions:
* send telemetry to Apple;
* allow sharing telemetry with app developers.
If you don't agree with the first one, the second one is grayed out.
wrt advertiserid, that's iOS/iPadOS only, on macOS it retuns zero-filled UUID.
Good catch on the macos advertiser id. It's just a matter of time for it to actually work as expected though.
> It's just a matter of time for it to actually work as expected though.
Eh, I mean they just recently made it effectively useless on iOS (requires a prompt before it works; unsurprisingly very few users give permission). Not sure why they'd go the other direction on MacOS... I suspect it's just there for Catalyst compatibility.
> Map updates (who the fuck uses maps on a PC?)
Who doesn't?
Using google maps on a pc is one thing
Using bing maps via the bloatware app... not used by ordinary people.
Ah, bing maps.
Re:Reclaim Windows10
by imwillofficial on Tuesday June 01, 2021 @12:22PM
(#27356982)
Everyone
Microsoft already asks you to enable/disable these features on first setup.
Not quite for a lot of it - e.g. it asks if you want to use Cortana as your personal assistant but selecting no isn't the same as disabling it (integrated into start menu functionality) or when it asks if you want to opt into telemetry and you uncheck it you're not saying "no telemetry" by unchecking it you're saying "basic telemetry only".
> Disabling Telemetry breaks Windows updates
> Automatic web searches in start menu
> Application suggestions are silently installed (wat?)
> Allow MS to collect activity history
> Location tracking
> Map updates (who the fuck uses maps on a PC?)
> Tailored experiences (apparently spamming ads on a desktop OS is an experience)
> Advertising ID
> Cortana
This is just from skimming the list for 5 minutes. Not even sure what else is in there.