Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Will Never Again Sneakily Force Windows Downloads on Users (betanews.com)
A reader shares a report Windows users in Germany were particularly unimpressed when Microsoft forcibly downloaded many gigabytes of files to upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10. Having held out for 18 months, and losing its case twice, Microsoft has finally agreed to stop its nefarious tactics. After a lengthy battle with Germany's Baden-Wurtenberg consumer rights center, Microsoft made the announcement to avoid the continuation of legal action. A press release on the Baden-Wurtenberg website reveals that Microsoft has announced it will no longer download operating system files to users' computers without their permission: Microsoft will not download install files for new operating systems to a user system's hard disk without a user's consent. The consumer rights center hoped for this resolution to be reached much sooner, but Microsoft's decision will please the courts and could have a bearing on how the company acts in other countries.
You can trust us this time. Honest! We have changed.
They said (emphasis mine):
Microsoft will not download install files for new operating systems to a user system’s hard disk without a user's consent.
How about you just don't upload or download anything without the user's consent?
Not sure where you are getting this from, TFA just mentions files for a new operating system. Since MS has stated there will never be a 'Windows 11' they aren't really giving up much here.
love is just extroverted narcissism
Microsoft will never sneakily force updates on users through large downloads and only in Germany
FTFY
I seem to recall them claiming (a year or so ago?) that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows, it's rolling updates from here on out. In which case this announcement is a completely meaningless way to duck punishment - they promise to no longer download files for a new operating system... because they will no longer release new operating systems. Just massive updates to their only one.
--- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
Interfering with someone's computer without their permission is a criminal offence in Europe. In the UK it comes under the Computer Misuse Act. It just seems that no-one (other than, in Germany, the Baden-Wurtenberg consumer rights center) has the bottle to pursue this.
From this :-
CMA 1990 introduced the following three new offences into UK criminal law:
unauthorised access to computer material;
unauthorised access with intent to commit a further offence;
Unauthorised acts with intent to impair, or with recklessness as to impairing, operation of computer, etc (as amended by the Police and Justice Act 2006).
I would consider converting Windows 7 to Windows 10 shows an intent to impair.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Fraud_and_Abuse_Act
TLDR? From the first paragraph of the wikipedia summary:The law prohibits accessing a computer without authorization, or in excess of authorization.
Putting file on a computer for the purpose of an unrequested upgrade certainly seems to be 'in excess of authorization', especially when you factor in the several million counts of it. The people who authorized this decision are CRIMINALS.
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!