And Then Run Deep, Run Silent...

I believe the last post I did relating to computers was to be the last. Cancel that and make this the last. Possibly.

Below is a most helpful comment from the good Ripper and I have the spooky feeling we’re repeating ourselves and I do believe this goes back to earlier Windows as I did, at Ripper’s suggestion, have Anti-Beacon installed. At the mention of it again, I went looking and guess wot? Gone. Gone with the installation of Windows 10? We’ll give that no never mind; it’s back now.

As stated, some preloaded applications can be uninstalled but attempting to uninstall other unwanted apps will result in the message from Hal, “I can’t let you do that.”  You know wot? You can. Use the Power Shell. No, it’s not some scary third party program, it’s part of Windows and a quick Google, or a talk to your tin can, will give you all the guidance you’ll need to get rid of built-in stuff you don’t need or want. You could start here. I’d backup before you start. Especially any links to your coffee maker; but that’s only common sense.

“...key logger there are many technical sites that tell you how to turn this off. The problem with that is, they all use the settings app. They think they are safe by doing that but it achieves nothing, the settings can be switched back on silently during updates. That's if those settings work at all, and I don't trust that they do.
   Colour me paranoid if you like, but I've found that the only real way to get rid of this stuff permanently is to use the Power Shell to uninstall and delete the apps, then install Spybot Anti-Beacon, which disables all (107!!) of the telemetry hosts. This effectively prevents Windows from phoning home in the first place.
   There are a couple of Apps that you can disable but you can't delete. These include Cortana and the Edge browser. Switch both of those off and use another browser. Same for Windows Media Player. Even if you disable Bing in the hosts file for example, Edge will still connect to it. Now that's pretty serious stuff. The hosts file is a block list for admins to restrict where users can or cannot go. Any web address or domain entered in the hosts file should block the browser from visiting those sites but it seems that Edge can just ignore it.”

With thanks to Ripper and I hope this helps some of you dependant on your need to get rid of built-in stuff you don’t want and your level of paranoia regarding privacy or your fear of Windows and the paranormal. Damn!! There’s a black helicopter hovering over the house now...

In other news, isn’t it delicious to see how the establishment is having to contort itself  in an attempt to deal with Trumpton and Mirage, two fellows who just talk, just like us, without first forensically checking every letter of every word to ensure they are used with total political correctness? If that French lady - Le Biro is it? - rocks up next year, I’m sure heads really will explode.

Quote;  Sid Caesar.

“The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was the genius.”