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You can do it at link time with this: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-... Or by setting the proper AppCompatFlags. Or by calling SetProcessDEPPolicy. Or half a dozen other ways documented on MSDN and technet.

I mean for fucks sake man why do you think there is more than 12 pages worth of shit you have to turn off just to get windows 10 to STFU

I read through that list and most people would want Teredo, Windows Defender, Date/Time sync, Font Streaming, ActiveX blocking, Mail synchronization, Network connection status indicator, ability to download offline maps, ability to run apps in the background, etc switched on but it is good to be able to turn them off if you want to for some reason. That is a *good* thing, not a bad thing.
It is also useful for applications to be able to access resources like the calendar, camera, emailing, messaging, call history, radios, etc but good to be able to control access to them. Also being able to disable default apps is a good thing, some Android devices you cannot do this on and you certainly cannot do it on iOS so why are you saying this is a bad thing to be able to do?
I cant see why you are presenting the ability to control your system as a negative, indeed if you are using iOS, Android or OSX you have a similar set of things to control and many of the things you can turn off on Windows 10 you cannot turn off on these other operating systems.

Backward compatibility. For instance, a quick search brings up this:
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20050131-00/?p=36563:
Header data for a bitmap file that would become incompatible and need rewriting if the size of a long changes.

Damned if you don't change it for the reason you outlined, but even more damned if you do change it, because now you (or your users) have to rewrite lots of code to restore the old functionality of the code. Probably (way) more than if you "just" have to rewrite code that manipulates pointers with long arithmetic.

I dont know how the speed of a fully-optimized Visual C++ program compares to the speed of the same program if compiled with clang or GCC (since I dont have any code-bases/software that compile with both VS and with clang or GCC to compare with) but I have been using Visual C++ since Visual Studio 6 and the Visual C++ compiler is far superior now than the one included with Visual C++.

Optimized output is far better (when you turn all the optimizations on) than Visual Studio 6 and Microsoft has been putting a lot of developer time into improving the quality of the compiler and runtime libraries (including support for a very large chunk of the newest C++ standards with the intent to support more going forward).

A read of https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.c... clearly shows that Microsoft no longer considers C++ a second-class citizen.

I dread the day the Marine Corps is forced off of Windows 7.

Well, how does January 14, 2020 if the Marine Corps have extended support. If they don't have extended support, too bad. Check here for more information.

I have a Lenovo laptop with Windows 7 Professional on it. Sometime in the last nine months, Windows has forgotten how to talk with much of the hardware in the laptop. This includes the finger reader and all networking devices. I called both Microsoft and Lenovo, and both refused to help.

Do you have "extended support" for your Windows 7? You probably don't hence the reason why Lenovo and Microsoft refused to help. Check here to get more information.

Like it or not if you want support for Microsoft Windows you either get extended support or move to Windows 10. If you do want Windows 10 then get the ISO from here rather than upgrade although make sure you do backup your important data. It is very easy to install although before you do I do suggest looking at the following video . The presenter was a Microsoft employee for 15 years and is not against Windows 10 but what he does not like is how Microsoft Windows 10 phones home by default, he then goes on and explains how to tighten your privacy.

If you have a powerful PC you can easily install Windows 10 in a virtual machine and the ISO is great for doing this. I actually have Fedora 23 on my Desktop (latest Skylake core i7 with 16GB DDR4 memory) and used my six and a half-year-old laptop's (has Fedora 23 on it) Windows 7 product key. I also used KVM as my virtual machine which surprisingly is actually certified to install Microsoft Windows. You can use VirtualBox if you wish but I am not overly impressed with Oracle at the moment.

If you have watched the video and you can even search for "windows 10 privacy concerns" in your preferred search engine (Google gets 1.8 million hits) you will know that Windows 10 phones home by default. You can turn off many of the so-called privacy features but you will either have to fiddle with the registry (Oh joy!) or get some third party (if you trust them) software to lock down Win10 but it has been known for a Microsoft update to turn some features back on again (for our own good of course :-)) so you need to be vigilant.

Basically, if you don't like Windows 10 then you better get to like it because soon it will be the only game in town (Windows 8.1 mainstream support expires 8th Jan 2018) or switch to an alternative OS such as one of the many Linux distributions, BSD or even a Mac if you have the money. If you have a work PC then the problem is not your problem.

I have a Lenovo laptop with Windows 7 Professional on it. Sometime in the last nine months, Windows has forgotten how to talk with much of the hardware in the laptop. This includes the finger reader and all networking devices. I called both Microsoft and Lenovo, and both refused to help.

Do you have "extended support" for your Windows 7? You probably don't hence the reason why Lenovo and Microsoft refused to help. Check here to get more information.

Like it or not if you want support for Microsoft Windows you either get extended support or move to Windows 10. If you do want Windows 10 then get the ISO from here rather than upgrade although make sure you do backup your important data. It is very easy to install although before you do I do suggest looking at the following video . The presenter was a Microsoft employee for 15 years and is not against Windows 10 but what he does not like is how Microsoft Windows 10 phones home by default, he then goes on and explains how to tighten your privacy.

If you have a powerful PC you can easily install Windows 10 in a virtual machine and the ISO is great for doing this. I actually have Fedora 23 on my Desktop (latest Skylake core i7 with 16GB DDR4 memory) and used my six and a half-year-old laptop's (has Fedora 23 on it) Windows 7 product key. I also used KVM as my virtual machine which surprisingly is actually certified to install Microsoft Windows. You can use VirtualBox if you wish but I am not overly impressed with Oracle at the moment.

If you have watched the video and you can even search for "windows 10 privacy concerns" in your preferred search engine (Google gets 1.8 million hits) you will know that Windows 10 phones home by default. You can turn off many of the so-called privacy features but you will either have to fiddle with the registry (Oh joy!) or get some third party (if you trust them) software to lock down Win10 but it has been known for a Microsoft update to turn some features back on again (for our own good of course :-)) so you need to be vigilant.

Basically, if you don't like Windows 10 then you better get to like it because soon it will be the only game in town (Windows 8.1 mainstream support expires 8th Jan 2018) or switch to an alternative OS such as one of the many Linux distributions, BSD or even a Mac if you have the money. If you have a work PC then the problem is not your problem.

If .NET has been abandoned, what's the replacement? Why have they completely rewritten software they're going to abandon. What's this? You really don't know what you're talking about. Ever since Silverlight was abandoned, people like you keep posting this shit about .NET being dead and yet Microsoft keep releasing new versions and making you look like fools.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms184681.aspx

I have a solution with a half dozen projects that can hit the memory wall in a couple days or so.

I find that when I drive my car for extended periods that things no longer work as well as they used to. I'm told I should check my fluids from time to time but never bother to get around to trying to figure out why pert goes down over time.

Perhaps it's that the IDE leaks memory badly, in which case 64-bit would let it leak worse.

Perhaps it's that OhPlz drowns kittens to get off.

Either way though, it needs to be addressed.

Agreed, we should do something about your hypothetical drowning of kittens.

Their response was completely lame

So you've actually read the MSDN article referenced in the story above? The reasons described are not unreasonable, and pretty well known who care about perf optimization.

They've done great things with C# and C++ lately which means they're putting money into the product, it's bizarre that they're passing on this

One thing does not follow from the other. C# & C++ are languages that work quite well from Visual Studio *AND* the command line. Visual Studio is simply the shell which loads oodles of MS built plugins to show the code. Improvements in the language do not automatically mean new VS tooling.

I'd take it even if some features were missing and were added back in as updates later on.

You seem to be in the minority on this, as while 3100 votes (not people) sounds like a lot, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the # of people who use Visual Studio.

Set the connection as a metered connection. Windows Update will not pull updates over the connection.

Don't forget that Windows has run warships and submarines. At least on this page it says:

With the same code base as Windows Embedded Compact 7, Windows Embedded Automotive 7 is an extensible technology platform that allows automakers and suppliers to deliver visually rich in-car experiences with a shorter time to market. Bringing the power of Windows to the car, Windows Embedded Automotive 7 includes a large set of integrated and flexible middleware components that allow automotive solutions to scale across a broad range of automotive makes and models. Drivers benefit from the rich user interface and features including state-of-the-art hands-free Bluetooth phone communications, speech commands, touch input, advanced dashboard systems and more.

I don't think they'll be getting into the actual driving software, but I think they think that'll be an isolated set of sensors/logic and they can deliver the rest. That Microsoft will enable autonomous cars was a bit hubris though, if other companies enable autonomous cars Microsoft can deliver the interface. Not that I'm entirely sure why you'd want to, I think it'll be like mobile. A part of the high end market will go with the Apple experience, the rest will use something Android-ish and Windows Car will follow the footsteps of Windows Phone.

Oh please! I'm so sick of that "support" line of BS, especially since its been reported that they FIRED the QA and testing teams.

This is about MONEY all right, its about making money off of YOU because with windows 10 YOU ARE THE PRODUCT and the OS is merely a carrot to get to you, your data, and your eyeballs. MSFT wants endless revenue and they make more by spying on you and selling that data to advertisers who then pay them AGAIN for ads on the start screen than they ever made on the OS. with previous versions they got paid less than $100 a unit every 3 years, now? They get paid 365 days a year by advertisers for unlimited access to your information and advertising space on your PC.

I mean for fucks sake man why do you think there is more than 12 pages worth of shit you have to turn off just to get windows 10 to STFU and the vast majority of which you CANNOT turn off unless you are on enterprise...you know, the version you have to pay them yearly for? Because its about turning a one time payment into endless revenue and if that means acting like malware to get more products/users they can sell? Then they are gonna do it.

Once you have Windows 10, every update acts like this and cannot be rejected.

Stop spreading lies. Updates in Windows 10 can easily be ignored or rejected. There are several that I'm currently holding off on at the moment.

Here is a simple question for you. Do you want the Microsoft operating system that you are currently using supported?

Now take a look at the following Microsoft operating systems that are supported , keep in mind that only those that want and are willing to pay for extended support will get supported, which basically means if you have any Microsoft OS that is less than 8.1 it is not under mainstream support.

If you are a gamer then you either upgrade to MS Windows 10 or you won't be able to play any games that require DirectX 12 support.

What is reprehensible (at least at the moment) is even when you have configured the options for MS Windows 10 an update may revert them back because we all know that "Microsoft knows what is best for us". Take a look at the following video . It is import to note that the presenter is not against the OS, what he does not like is when updates change the user's configurations and this type of thing got a great deal of controversy when some like this happened with a Debian update.

Yeah... nothing cool on win 10 like linux subsystem for windows with BASH support... https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-...

Now you’ll want to enter the default Windows 10 Pro product key as mentioned by Charles From Microsoft:

From your Windows 10 Home running Version 1511, enter the Windows 10 Pro Default key under change product key.
VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T This default key will not activate the system, just take you to Pro so you can activate using a valid Pro key that you will provide.

Individuals only got support for Windows 7 until 1/13/2015. They aren't included in the 2020 support plan, and Microsoft is under no obligation to support home users for Windows 7 anymore.

As per Microsoft's lifecycle policy, Extended Support applies to retail purchases, and entitles home users to security fixes until January 14, 2020 (Win 7) and January 10, 2023 (Win 8).

"Microsoft will offer Mainstream Support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product’s general availability, or for 2 years after the successor product (N+1) is released, whichever is longer. Extended Support is not offered for Consumer software and Multimedia products with the exception of Windows Desktop Operating system which follows the Business, Developer, and Desktop Operating System Software Products policy as outlined above." -- https://support.microsoft.com/...

There is an exception for consumers that specifically includes the OS. So, you are wrong, they are covered until 2020.

it is insanity in this day and age to have to support multiple substantially different versions of an operating system for general population. its unjustifiably expensive and unsustainable.

Then Microsoft should not have sold WIndows 7 and 8 with support windows that extend to 2020 (Win 7) and 2023 (Win 8). Consumers purchased these products with the promise of support as per Microsoft's published Windows lifecycle. If Microsoft didn't plan to do this, and price their product accordingly, that is very much their problem.

Technically this is an improvement- it is no longer a dark pattern, there's no more trick. Obviously the sane thing to do is to simply stop forcing this OS change on the users, but each Windows 10 user must generate so much ad revenue that it is worth trying to stomp out each and every one.

Anyway, whatever. Install Linux, that's your only long term fix. You can turn off updates in Windows 7 or 8, or you can get some binary that tries to fight Microsoft on this, or you can do some doodlefuck in the registry. The point is, you're fighting the OS distributor, who is no longer trustworthy. Install Linux, or you must like this shit.

Shill prediction: At some point in the near future, the "free upgrade" goes away. At this point, however, they'll still offer it for free for users of assistive technology: ( https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.c... ). That's nice of them, but that *probably* means that pretty much anyone will still be able to get it for free, by turning this on. So the shill prediction is: that this becomes a "cool trick" that gets posted on forums and stuff, at some people looking to "pull one over" on Microsoft.

Windows 10 uses you. You're the revenue source, because they sell ads. Of course they are willing to let you be a revenue source at no cost to them!

windows activation error code 0xc004f014:
Error Code 0x80070456 - 0xA0019 - Windows 10 Media Creation Tool - USB - Microsoft Community

On both my HP Laptop with Win 8 Home. And my Lenovo Laptop with Win 10 Home. The Media Creation Tool downloads the ISO to "somewhere". Then promptly fails to actually create the media (USB) with the aforementioned error.

NTLite + (Windows10 ISO | Insider Preview ISO) + slipstreamed Lenovo Drivers + create ISO. Rufus to USB Stick (GPT Partition Scheme, FAT32). Clean Install Windows 10. Change License key to: ...

Or you know, just install Linux. That's what I did. Booted from USB stick, and installed Fedora Linux in about fifteen minutes. Works great.

NTLite + (Windows10 ISO | Insider Preview ISO) + slipstreamed Lenovo Drivers + create ISO. Rufus to USB Stick (GPT Partition Scheme, FAT32). Clean Install Windows 10. Change License key to: ...

Or you know, just install Linux. That's what I did. Booted from USB stick, and installed Fedora Linux in about fifteen minutes. Works great.

Almost impossible like this for Windows 8: http://windows.microsoft.com/e... And this for Windows 10: http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca... It's come a long way since windows 7 and earlier.

Almost impossible like this for Windows 8: http://windows.microsoft.com/e... And this for Windows 10: http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca... It's come a long way since windows 7 and earlier.

NTLite + (Windows10 ISO | Insider Preview ISO) + slipstreamed Lenovo Drivers + create ISO.
Rufus to USB Stick (GPT Partition Scheme, FAT32).
Clean Install Windows 10. Change License key to: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Change License key to purchased Windows 10 Pro key. Register.

Don't even bother trying to use the recommended Media Creation Tool. When you have a OEM Windows machine it appears to ALWAYS fail to actually create the media (usb stick).

NTLite + (Windows10 ISO | Insider Preview ISO) + slipstreamed Lenovo Drivers + create ISO.
Rufus to USB Stick (GPT Partition Scheme, FAT32).
Clean Install Windows 10. Change License key to: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Change License key to purchased Windows 10 Pro key. Register.

Don't even bother trying to use the recommended Media Creation Tool. When you have a OEM Windows machine it appears to ALWAYS fail to actually create the media (usb stick).

NTLite + (Windows10 ISO | Insider Preview ISO) + slipstreamed Lenovo Drivers + create ISO.
Rufus to USB Stick (GPT Partition Scheme, FAT32).
Clean Install Windows 10. Change License key to: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Change License key to purchased Windows 10 Pro key. Register.

Don't even bother trying to use the recommended Media Creation Tool. When you have a OEM Windows machine it appears to ALWAYS fail to actually create the media (usb stick).

Every company around here uses the built-in services. No need to install extra attack vectors.

I love RDP, and it works amazingly well... As long as both ends live on the same network (or have a public-facing IP) and don't have a firewall running (or the users at both ends know how to properly configure it). Unfortunately, those conditions rule out 99% of destinations.

Microsoft's advice on dealing with those issues may leave a few folks wanting, however: "If you're at home, make sure your router has the Windows logo on it". Gee, thanks Redmond! I'll have no trouble trying to walk someone through fixing that over the phone! "Okay, now open your browser and go to NewEgg.com... Buy the following router - Yes, you need to pay for it; no, it won't really do all that much that your current one doesn't, but just buy one anyway. Then just call me back in two weeks and I can walk you through hooking it up, and then we can experience the full glory of a Remote Assistance session to address your actual problem!"


And apparently the login credentials are stored on their hardware, probably "in the cloud" too.? yeah, feeling about a zero chance I'll try their "services"

Those "credentials" just makes the raw connection. Windows' own security still applies, so any potential attacker still needs to know your own, purely locally-stored, credentials.

By comparison, if you have one of the 1% of situations that would allow RDP/RA to work, an attacker only needs to know your local credentials. I'd have to call adding one more layer of security to that (even one we don't directly control) an improvement, not a weakness.

It's not just third-party code. Win32 has APIs like this - note the MAX_PATH sized member of the struct.

You can download ISO files for the older versions of windows.

Microsoft even have an official page to let you do it.

Download them, stick them on a USB thumb, boot them, job done.

If you need your gaming or DVR recording to never be interrupted by updates, prepare to do hairy registry hacks. Even then I get momentary notifications during full screen games that new updates are available.

If you need the level of privacy where even (generally responsible and well audited) Microsoft employees or (somewhat restrained, depending on your religion and country of origin) US government can not discover what you are doing without spending major money, you should be really using Linux on hardware with minimum number of binary driver blobs or enterprise remote administration features.

If you do basic word processing, legal web browsing and e-mail to family, Windows 10 is most likely an improvement from Windows 7/8 in terms of usability and security from non-government hackers. Game performance is also improved and the difference is likely to get bigger as time goes by.

From what I understand, you can install Windows 10 and immediately downgrade to permanently make a given computer eligible to install Windows 10 in future.

Copying large numbers of files across drives takes 1/2 the time.

Source? I can copy files between drives in Windows 7 at the speed of the disks.

The network share performance has improved dramatically.

Source? I can saturate 1Gb/s NIC copying files using Windows 7.

Windows 10 automatically compresses memory, so you have less issues with memory size on older PCs.

Which causes high CPU usage which is especially problematic for "older PCs".

I actually like Win10 (privacy/telemetry issues aside), and it's the first MS OS I've actually been (mostly) impressed with since NT 3.51 (which was solid as a rock.)

But the main reason I would want to upgrade any machine I can is that once installed and activated, you can re-install Windows with the download ISO image from Microsoft. That means you can take a crapware laden OEM piece of shit, upgrade to Windows 10, wipe it and reinstall a virgin Windows 10 with no further activation issues, no OEM crapware.

... I haven't found any features of Windows 10 that would warrant my updating from Windows 7.

Windows 7 Starter is eligible to upgrade to Windows 10 Home. I did this on an old netbook I was given, and I needed to try out Windows 10 anyway. The netbook is no speed demon, but now you can change the desktop background and use dual-screens without hacks. Dual-booting CloudReady (Chromium OS) also works fine.

Why not just turn this on by default? If this breaks some kind of DOS convention, then it's likely only relevant to enterprise users running some legacy crap, and assuming they run Windows 10 at all, I highly doubt they're going to upgrade to this build any time soon anyways.

Because it was not traditionally a registry setting but a compile time setting. Software has to be updated to use the new capabilities, and most software probably won't be as the majority of software dependent on this issue will have by now been upgraded to use the Win32 Unicode/Wide-String APIs that have the 32k byte limit instead of the 260 byte limit in the Win32 ASCIIZ/ASCII-String APIs (CreateFileW vs CreateFileA). And that's also assuming that a simple re-compile will do the trick; unfortunately most software often refers to the 260 byte character limit as either of the following:

• 260 (f.e char filename_buffer[260];
• unsigned int maxPath = 260;

Better code would have used the MAX_PATH C-Preprocessor Definition (f.e char filename_buffer[MAX_PATH]), but then that would still be a problem as the values are usually on the stack (not the heap) and pre-declared, so the code has to be updated to detect the size automatically at run-time and then allocate the proper amount. For most software this is probably not worth it as its easier to upgrade to using the Wide-Strings with a the Win32 Unicode API, especially as there are a few conversion functions (provided by MS) to do so (f.e MBCSTOWCS() - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-...).

The bigger issue (which is somewhat mitigated by the fact its disabled by default at the application level) is how many buffer overflows is it going to cause, not just in the applications but also the libraries the applications are using. Remember in Windows development a good chunk of the libraries are provided by other vendors without source, so one not only has to make sure *their* code will support the changes but also that all their dependent libraries (dynamic [dll] and static [lib]) do too.

... or just search the interwebs for an "unfuck" script that will do all of that for you, like such as:
https://github.com/dfkt/win10-...

But a lot of this is just as applicable to win7 , win8.x , iOS, Android, etc.

I have Win10 on a few devices at home. It's nice. The new touchscreen UI/features can be annoying, but the gestures do make sense if you have a touchscreen. M$ has been trying to do tablet pen/touchscreen devices longer than anyone, so it's funny to watch them play catch-up now. But I remember being just as lost the first time I played with an Android emulator, and even more frustrated the first time I played with iOS. It all makes sense once you bother to learn the new UI quirks and get used to it. And the old Start menu is still there if you're one of those diehards, even if you have to install Start Menu Classic to get it.

So.... stop whining, or listening to other people who whine, and just play with it, even if just in one of those free IE11 test VMs.
https://developer.microsoft.co...

To me, the deciding factors are Windows 10's automatic updates and the economic decision.
The privacy issues are becoming moot because Microsoft is salting the earth of Windows 7 and 8.1 with privacy-stealing "features."
I've already had updates that broke Windows 10 and that, alone, is probably enough to avoid it.
The economic decision boils down to: if your machine will be replaced before your OS EOL, don't bother with the upgrade. If you expect it to be around longer than the EOS, consider getting the "free" upgrade.

https://technet.microsoft.com/...

Or just use the approved way.

There might not be a ADMX for it yet. There are a couple of GPO settings there are no proper templates for. Annoying as hell.

The compatibility issue is likely exactly why it's limited to Win32 applications with a manifest and Metro apps.

https://technet.microsoft.com/...

Or just use the approved way. This seems like an 'enterprisy' feature. Something you would set in active directory.

NTFS allows 65535 unicode sized char entries per level of directory. With I think up to 255 levels deep (have to look it up). Which I believe is an arbitrary number and easily ignored.

The 260 char limit is a leftover from DOS and just about every example on MSDN.

I doubt that Microsoft is going to break Microsofts How to manage Windows 10 notification and upgrade options documentation.

Of course they would update the documentation to reflect the changes.

Silly rabbit, the next Windows critical security update will fix that registry error you just created.

I doubt that Microsoft is going to break Microsofts How to manage Windows 10 notification and upgrade options documentation.

Create a blank .reg file and put this in it

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Gwx]
"DisableGwx"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
"DisableOSUpgrade"=dword:00000001

Then run it, alternative manually add those keys to the registry yourself.

Yes, I know this isn't exactly user friendly and NO it shouldn't be necessary but it works all the time, every time.

It's even documented on the Microsoft website, go on have a look : https://support.microsoft.com/...

Why this is STILL not common knowledge I don't know. All you get from everyone is bitching how "Microsoft shouldn't be doing this" and "how dare they have the gall to do this". If EVERYONE on Slashdot put some effort in to spreading the word about this pretty simple fix, then a LOT of people would not end up with Windows 10 when they don't want it.

Hey maybe Slashdot could run a quick piece on it? Perhaps spread the word to some mainstream press with a link to a reg file hosted by someone trustworthy.

Alternatively let's all just keep rehashing the same fucking discussions about how "update KBwhatever" keeps coming back when hiding that has never been they way to fix this problem.

Does this count ? http://www.microsoft.com/en-us...

Uhmmm... You could stop it all by dropping microsoft.com and windowsupdate.com in your router: https://support.microsoft.com/...

Nah. It was a Basic program running on DOS

On an 8"? That's awfully obscure. Sure it wasn't 5.25"? If not, you have a really obscure piece of kit there!

He/she's probably right. Look here .

After banning common usernames, now they ban passwords....
https://support.microsoft.com/...

Or maybe it could refer to all of their online accounts such as Hot Mail, Xbox accounts, etc.

A Microsoft Account is a login for Hotmail and XBox, and your PC, too if you didn't dig for the Local Account option during setup. That's the point.

Currently data can be transferred on your phone by apps that may be running in the background.

Android logs the amount of data transferred by each app running on a device and lets the user sort a list of apps by decreasing data volume. Is this not enough?

Voice calls were never made without the customers knowledge

Almost never. (Search for butt dialing.)

It is not really feasible or helpful to keep logs of every IP address and size of every packet transferred to/from your phone.

So let me get this straight: Unlike satellite ISPs, cellular ISPs have failed to offer a reward for moving away from congested times of day, and you're rationalizing it as because the device communicates with more distinct destinations than when voice calls dominated cellular usage. Let me see if I can think of a way to interact with Internet data transfer accounting mechanisms already present in mobile operating systems.

Windows 8, Windows 10, and Android operating systems allow users to mark particular SSIDs as metered, and an application is expected to respect that by querying cost whenever it receives a notification of change in the device's Internet connection. I guess the real solution is for carriers to signal to a device when the connection has become unmetered or has become metered, so that applications can switch to more conservative download schedules.