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Microsoft To Disable Policies In Windows 10 Pro With Anniversary Update (ghacks.net)

Reader BobSwi writes: More changes in the Windows Anniversary update, due August 2nd, are being discovered. After yesterday's news about Cortana not able to be turned off in the Windows Anniversary update, certain registry entries and group policies have been found to be updated with a note stating that they only apply to Enterprise and Education editions. Win 10 Pro users will no longer be able to turn off policies such as the Microsoft Consumer Experience, Show Windows Tips, Do not display the lock screen, and Disable all apps from the Windows Store.

8 of 535 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'm shocked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They never said they stop sneaking it into your systems, they just said it stops to be free tomorrow ...

  2. Windows as a Service by npslider · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What did that really mean? I for one, never fully understood where they were going with that idea.

    Was it to become more Google-ish, always in "Beta", slowing adding changes ever so subtlety?

    Perhaps, but I think now we are getting the clearer picture. Now that Windows is a service that you "subscribe to" the users not shelling out the big bucks (i.e. corporate site licencees and Software Assurance customers) are seeing control of their computers slowly removed.

    Microsoft now seems to feel that if you do not own a "licence", you use OUR service "OUR WAY", end of story. Over. Out.

    Not sure I like this.

  3. Is it feasible to block Cortana with the router? by mark-t · · Score: 2, Interesting

    is there a way to configure openwrt to give an ip address of 127.0.0.1 or something for the reuests that come through?

  4. Re: I'm shocked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hehe, indeed. I switched from Win 8.1 on my desktop to Xubuntu and bought a MacBook Air as my main laptop. I also got a blanco Chromebook for certain tasks (e.g. banking etc, you know the sensitive stuff).

    Haven't really had any need for Windows outside work where I dev with C# and other junk. But even that I'll soon be able to do on my Mac.

  5. Re:Year of the... by ITRambo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Linux share of the desktop/laptop market has doubled in the last eight years to over 2% today. That's not too shabby. I really like Mint 18 Cinnamon. It actually does everything for me that Windows does. This is the first distro that I've tested over the last 20 years that met my goal of a distro installing everything, including drivers for my network printer, quickly, easily and the first time. LibreOffice 5.1 even opens my Excel templates the same as Excel does, and prints correctly. I set the default LibreOffice file formats as .docx and .xlsx, for compatibility. It also opens Publisher files. What's not to like?

  6. Re:The Latest Innovations by vux984 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Microsoft continues to amaze and excel as they go to new lengths to make the Windows experience even more excruciatingly intolerable to any user that has the slightest clue what they're doing with a computer.

    I have been trying to figure out what the HELL they are thinking.

    99.99% of Windows 10 Pro users were NEVER going to mess with group policy editor to tweak those settings anyway. So ~why~ go to the trouble of disabling them.

    And as for the one in a thousand that is going to go into group policy and change this stuff... why spend resources getting in his way... there's no money in that. And its just going to piss them off, and they WILL find another way.

    So... no I don't think this really has anything to do with preventing consumers from doing what they want.

    I think this has everything to with ensuring enterprises have to use the enterprise version, and pay the VLA subscription prices etc. That's where the money is, and that's where it might actually be worth it for microsoft.

    i think us power users are just being caught in the cross fire.

    The interesting question for me, unless I wish to abandon windows entirely* is how painful moving to the enterprise version would be. I've always paid extra for windows pro, because i wanted to run IIS, and RDP, and not be stuck with the idiot permissions model, etc. So I've long since accepted paying a bit extra to get what I want from windows.

    Now, maybe instead of pro, I just want the enterprise version. So what will that cost... because it seems it does everything I want. It lets me turn off telemetry, it lets me turn off cortana, etc, etc. If I had the enterprise version, I wouldn't be stuck fighting with windows, it would just work for me.

    http://www.zdnet.com/article/m...

    So Microsoft... $84/user (so i can have enterprise on all my computers and laptops, and always up to date?) And I don't have to put up with any of your consumer-freemium-telemetry-cortana-shit? I'm potentially ok making that deal.

    * re abandoning windows option; I work with windows so I need it. I own a macbook pro as my primary laptop; and I have linux running in my office as well... so I'm fairly well positioned to leave windows if I really wanted to. But I don't really want to... I use it for games, and I use Windows for work (visual studio and other proprietary stuff), and for accounting, etc, etc.

    I like linux, and love it as a server, but find it needs too much tinkering for a gaming PC or HTPC. And OSX ... i like my laptop, but I'm not going to shoehorn myself into apple's extremely limited lineup of overpriced desktop options.

  7. Re:The Latest Innovations by MachineShedFred · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Many large companies are using the Pro license, because they don't want to be on the hook for annual enterprise licensing payments. I know of at least two Fortune 500 companies that are using Pro licenses for their desktops and laptops, and I imagine there are many more.

    This is Microsoft applying a group policy crowbar to get them onto "Software Assurance."

    --
    Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
  8. Future anniversary updates by WaffleMonster · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You must watch a 30 second ad before logging into your computer

    Unless purchasing enterprise edition you will not be able to run more than 4 programs at a time.

    For your safety all software not signed and approved by Microsoft will no longer execute.

    For your safety UWP sideloading is no longer offered. You agree all side loaded software and associated data will be automatically deleted.

    To help improve customer experience your screen and key presses will be mirrored to Microsoft.

    Windows requires Internet access for real-time exfiltration of telemetry to Microsoft and any government or intelligence agency willing to pay. Windows will no longer function without Internet access. If Internet access is interrupted windows will be suspended until access is restored.

    Unless you have purchased Enterprise edition all Network data transfers are limited to the lower of 10mbit/s or 5 concurrent TCP session.

    Unless you purchase Enterprise edition desktop resolution is reduced by 1/3rd. Full screen applications no longer function. The non desktop area is used to display personalized ads 24x7 based on analysis of screen mirroring to Microsoft.

    Windows calculator now displays 5 second ads after every addition or subtraction operation, 10 second ads after multiplication or division and 15 second ads when any trigonometric or exponential function is used.

    Registry editor, disk manager, device manager, group policy, firewall and certificate manager are no longer available for use.

    It is no longer possible to login with a local user account. All accounts must be created and managed from Microsoft service.

    All local storage will now be automatically wiped, all your data and software uploaded to Microsoft and drives repurposes as encrypted data caches which you will not have access to. You agree all your data is now owned by Microsoft and you grant an irrevocable license to monetize it however they want. If you don't agree you will no longer be able to login to your computer or access your data.

    To login to Windows for your safety and security your web cam and microphone must be enabled and pointed at you at all times when using computer. If web cam is switched off or blocked your computer will no longer function for your safety.

    All network communications even local communications with other computers on your network will now be routed thru Microsoft servers and analyzed for targeted advertising. Copies will auctioned off to anyone willing to pay for it. If you do not agree to these terms networking will be disabled. When networking is disabled windows will no longer have Internet connection and therefore it too will be disabled. All local disk storage is encrypted with a key you don't have and therefore you will permanently lose all access to everything until such time as you agree to our new terms.

    Windows now requires monthly payments to use Microsoft services. If you do not agree to pay monthly fee you will not be able to access Microsoft services. This means you won't be able to login to your computer and access any of your data until such time as you agree to pay.