Introducing the Shadow Government, I.E. WINDOWS 10 And Your Very Own A. I. Assistant!

originally posted by: buddha
You can put Linux mint and others on the Same disk!
you just copy a CD/DVD and then start the computer.
easy ! and Lots of sides will give help.

Believe me. I have played around a lot with various versions of Linux. Nothing is ever that simple with Linux. Even Mint. It looks like Windows in many ways but it definitely is nothing like Windows underneath. The only good thing about it is that you can put it on a USB drive and use it that way but even that can be finicky. Sometimes it doesn't create the persistence file and you can't save your work when you turn it off. You pretty much have to install it on an actual hard drive for it to be useful. If you don't have an abundance of hard drives this is dangerous for a beginner because the installer is not intuitive at all if you don't know exactly what you're doing. It will screw up your Windows install in a heartbeat. This is very bad for people who have computers that did not come with rescue DVDs so they could just format the hard drive and reinstall it clean if something goes wrong.

The last computer I bought came with Windows 8 but no restore disc. Everything was on the hard drive and if something killed the hard drive before I figured out how to back it up, I was just screwed.

a reply to: paxnatus

Who's gonna even buy this contraption? The last thing in the world anyone wants is Microsoft Paperclip with the ability to learn from its environment and some day attain sentience. That's a B-grade horror movie right there that no body wants to become a reality.

It used to be that I looked forward to OS upgrades by Microsoft, but not so much anymore. Sure, it’s nice to see some features get a facelift with a few added bells and whistles. Even changes in the UI are great, as long as they make sense and improve the system’s performance/logical flow/efficiency/appearance or whatever. However, there are certain types of changes that I do feel uneasy with; changes that setoff my internal warning sirens and make me want to duck for cover. Unfortunately, I think those latter type changes I referred to will only become more and more frequent, and there’s not a damned thing anyone can do about it.

Every time I hear the terms “cloud” or “Internet of Things”, or when an article describes the new OS’s “voice command” capabilities and how the system’s AI module will “learn” my preferences, likes/dislikes, etc and automatically tailor the system to behave accordingly, it causes my sphincter to slam shut and contract so tightly that it makes me walk funny for a day or 2. My discomfort, and everyone else’s for that matter, is of little significance to Microsoft, and will likely not to be taken seriously. They know most folks will simply stop griping and go with the flow soon enough.

The IT/Tech industry in general has a pretty well-defined map as to the direction it’s headed, and short of an astroid impact to Silicon Valley it will proceed as planned. And that plan includes the super-massive collection of very detailed information on all of us. They’re gonna get to know us better than we know us, whether we like it or not. It will happen through things like the A.I. Assistant, home appliances equipped with a network interface, cool wearable clothing items connected to the Internet, fashionable eyewear that keeps you up-to-date with current market trends, toilet paper dispensers that let you know when it’s time to buy more toilet paper, etc. Pretty soon the major corporations will know when you get up in the morning, what and when you eat, your favorite TV programs, your musical preferences and favorite artists, your sexual preferences, frequency and ranked performance, how many times a day you take a #2 and the amount of time you typically spend on the throne, etc., etc., etc. Microsoft is just doing their part and being consistent with the rest of the industry. It’s funny, the NSA has to go to the likes of Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. to get all the really juicy stuff on us, and yet we complain little about the corporations who actually collect the data. Maybe that’s because the NSA doesn’t make fun gadgets for us to play with.

Seriously, the corporations will take it to the limit when it comes to collecting our personal information. They mainly want it for advertising purposes and to sell us stuff, and they will absolutely disregard any/all moral/ethical considerations to achieve their goal. Their purpose is to maximize profits, and to Hell with anything that gets in the way. Personally, I think it all makes perfect sense if the corporations are to assume control of the nation. They already have the government leadership in their pocket. We’re now the icing on the cake, and their ticket to ungodly decadent wealth. You know what’s really funny about all this? As long as they throw us a few new gadgets from time to time, we’re happy to play along with their agenda and look the other way. I guess you could say we’re shameless tech-toy whores. God, we’re so EASY! And CHEAP!!

Maybe it’s too late to turn back now. The train’s left the station. All I know is I do not want or need cloud services, and do not trust Windows A.I. Assistant to be faithful to me and not spill the beans to Microsoft. It’s just not fun anymore. Know what I mean?

Some of you guys are telling her to stop using windows and get Linux. But I have a feeling with her current understanding of technology by reading her post. She will not understand or even begin to comprehend how to use Linux. Linux is definitely not for beginners or even intermediate users.

I would suggest for her to go back to windows XP and never upgrade. I think that would be the best solution for her and would make her feel more at ease. As for her phone. I would suggest getting rid of any newer type phone with a data plan and get a burner prepaid phone.

originally posted by: paxnatus
a reply to: BlackboxInquiry

Okay you think they are going to allow you to turn this off....perhaps but what if that feature keeps learning anyway and your not even aware....In fact you have made a very good point! If This was my intention....I would include a dummy switch to let the user think they had disabled their assistant....but keep forging ahead with the original plan...then there would be NO OUTCRY! No need for 3rd party patch... or hackers.....we wouldn't find out until we created the MONSTER!! BWAHAHAHA!

Pax thanks for your comment

Your comment intrigued me, I'm a programmer. I don't do anything more than rudimentary AI such as NPC behavior in video games but I am still familiar with some of the concepts. The first thing I want to mention is that this so called database that this AI is running off of isn't anything new. You may not be aware of this but Windows going back to Windows 95 if not earlier has a run history. It keeps a record of when each program is loaded, and this record grows to be quite long over the course of the computers lifespan. Search results are trivial to add as an addendum because they're already being recorded in your browser history which is nothing more than a text file that can be read. Between these two facts you can create a pretty good recreation of a persons typical computer use throughout the day. When they get home and turn on the computer, what they're doing on it, their routine, how much work they actually do, when they're doing less scrupulous things, and so on.

This Ai isn't really learning in the sense of the word that you're using. Instead it's simply linking data from a few files together and extrapolating what events you have coming up soon. Disabling it doesn't do anything, because the data that makes it run is still written by the other programs you use and if you ever came to the attention of someone, they would be extracting that raw data rather than what the AI tells them.

a reply to: paxnatus

Well, that's an interesting bit of data! I seriously loathe Window 8 (yes, I left off the "s"), and was looking forward to something better. Well,, really,, I want to build a desktop and install Vista, but that is down the road, and waiting on funds. For now, I would be happy with Windows that had, oh, maybe, windows! I'd like to be able to play a game of Freecell while watching a video, or chatting with someone. But learning AI that tracks all we do whether we want it to or not? Oh, h-e-double-hockey-sticks no! And this uses the new browser? What if we don't use their browser at all? I don't use IE now, and haven't for years. If we use some other browser, will their AI work with it as well?

a reply to: paxnatus

Just don't upgrade to WIn 10?

I'm still running Win 7 after many years.

Not really a problem.

Looks like surveillance made easy for the tptb.
a reply to: paxnatus

I live by my moto " the best kept secret is one everyone knows". Let people think what they want, live with the bull# and get on with living how you want. I have met so many people in my life that think they "know" me, i listen to them telling others about what I have done and what im doing, all most all of the time they are wrong but it keeps them happy and feeling they have power over me, and im free to do what I want. The same thing goes with the government, let them spy all they want (they will do it anyway) and get on with living your real life

It used to be far easier to install linux before Microsoft tried to nobble it with that rubbish UEFI "secure boot business". I feel that tactic has really paid off for them unfortunately.
But ultimately once you have installed linux it will be a stable system for a long time, especially with long term support versions (mint and ubuntu) and even longer with the rolling release models (mint debian etc.).
Also microsoft really gamble with their OS, the next version might be rubbish, but ultimately you are pretty much forced into "upgrading". Upgrading to a slower inferior system, remember vista?
I've rarely had a linux upgrade which is worse than the previous version.
I have spent more time messing about recovering windows than I ever have making linux work.
So yes its tricky (thanks to microsoft), but in the end it will save you lots of time. Its secure, virus free and doesn't have built in spyware (unless you install chrome LOL).

To the Original Post;


Im fairly certain that function can easily be uninstalled completely. Might have to be a bit tech-savvy to do it, but Im more than positive guides will begin to flow around on how to uninstall such apps like the "MS SIRI", Edge, and other invasive programs you do not want.

Its all loaded as various drivers and services, and thus, can always be disabled by the user. Just because there is no uninstall avaliable, it is no match for the tech-savvy user to disable all and any services/programs he or she chooses to do.
And for the non-techy, there will be guides.

originally posted by: paxnatus
a reply to: BlackboxInquiry

Okay you think they are going to allow you to turn this off....perhaps but what if that feature keeps learning anyway and your not even aware....In fact you have made a very good point! If This was my intention....I would include a dummy switch to let the user think they had disabled their assistant....but keep forging ahead with the original plan...then there would be NO OUTCRY! No need for 3rd party patch... or hackers.....we wouldn't find out until we created the MONSTER!! BWAHAHAHA!

Pax thanks for your comment

No, this is not possible.
It will be very easily disabled on startup and thus cannot be loaded either hidden or not.
The user is always in control of his OS, yes, even with Windows; not only with Linux.
There are built-in administrative tools like for example "gpedit.msc" which is not accesible from any UI frontend; which will allow you to change settings at the very core of windows.
There is also of course the more wellknown ways of simply removing a service completely with the "sc delete" command, and also manually go into the registry to remove it from here ""HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services""

Like I said, there is always a way for the user to be in control of what services and apps will load.

a reply to: paxnatus

I get my very on Jeeves from the Ironman comics? Count me in!

a reply to: alienDNA

There are ALWAYS guides. That's how I stay employed as an IT guy. Don't know what to do? Google the error. Then do that. I get paid to do that. It's pretty chill.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Ditto.

originally posted by: TheLegend
a reply to: paxnatus

Just don't upgrade to WIn 10?

I'm still running Win 7 after many years.

Not really a problem.

Mainstream support for Win 7 ended January 13, 2015.

I have some older computers that run Win2k and XP and they have no Microsoft support at all and they run OK but you probably wouldn't want to use them for online banking due to no security updates.

No reason to "upgrade" to Win 10 that I can see if you're happy with Win 7. But you won't have an assistant telling you what to do.

a reply to: paxnatus

Thankfully I am still in my old 7 windows, I hate google and never use it or have it installed, so when the time comes to update with a new computer it will not be windows in it, hopefully the new hype of intrusion coming from windows new and so call improved OS soon to be available windows 11, will get enough people soo mad at it with the free 10 update that it will fail for Microsoft, then new developers can offer a better OS with the consumer preferences in it and not those of greedy corporate for profits, I don't need a computer to guide me by my hand on every aspect of my life, we should have the control plain and simple.

Microsoft 10 and 11 can kiss my latino butt.

a reply to: marg6043

So which operating system are you going to use after you leave Windows? OS X? Linux? Going to go back to DOS?

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I am open for ideas about what to replace windows with, but I will never spend a dime on a new computer with any of the windows 10 or 11 in it, the later will be the new one to be with the newest computers.

My brother is a computer engineer and he always told me never to use windows, he works with the government traveling to trouble shoot the systems that are for government use only, he is also a developer of computer programs for small business, still its been very convenient to buy a computer with Microsoft OS in it because is been the norm unless you buy a mac.

I am to consult with my brother to see what options will be out there beside Microsoft, I hope that after the hype and disappointment of personal computer users with windows 10 and 11 people will be screaming for new developers to bring a competitor for Microsoft beside Apple.

I guess I will stick with my two computers still running windows 7 for now.

I refuse to be manipulated by greedy corporate monopolies.