Windows 10 rumour?

[Mick_Berg]

Earlier tonight 3 gigs of my data allowance went down the drain thanks to MS' (and Google's I think) new information gathering policies.
So I'm having a bit of a change of heart here, and am thinking of dumping MS completely. So yes, we do need a Linux version of TANE.
Wholbr, I apologize for my previous dismissive attitude to your post.
Mick

 

[cascaderailroad]

Please relate more about this: MS' (and Google's I think) new information gathering policies

Where is your External HD ?

Backups Backups Backups ...

HE SAVES, but HE will absolutely NEVER EVER save your work !

 

[clam1952]

Neither Google or Microsoft will have uploaded 3GB's of data even if you have allowed all the phone home stuff, that sounds more like either the Win10 anniversary update downloaded which is around 3 or 4 GB's or if not that your PC has been compromised in some way, possibly being used as part of a botnet.

Linux, depending on the Distro, frequently has updates as well although you are in control of downloading and installing them.

 

[Mick_Berg]

Neither Google or Microsoft will have uploaded 3GB's of data even if you have allowed all the phone home stuff, that sounds more like either the Win10 anniversary update downloaded which is around 3 or 4 GB's or if not that your PC has been compromised in some way, possibly being used as part of a botnet.

Linux, depending on the Distro, frequently has updates as well although you are in control of downloading and installing them.

I just wish they would tell me what they were doing. Those of us with limited data need to be warned about such large downloads.
If in fact it is something like a botnet could you.tell me how to go about fixing the problem.
Thanks,
Mick

 

[Mick_Berg]

Please relate more about this: MS' (and Google's I think) new information gathering policies

Where is your External HD ?

Backups Backups Backups ...

HE SAVES, but HE will absolutely NEVER EVER save your work !

I really don't know much about it, my very security-conscious wife suggested that that was what was going on in the latest version of Windows 10.
Mick

 

[wholbr]

Hi Mick and everybody.
Mick, if you are only using the Google browser in Windows 10 then there have been no updates that would need a three gigabyte download in recent weeks. However, if you are using Google drive as a backup for files then your PC drive content you may not have wanted to upload could have been been taken automatically if somehow the Google drive settings have been changed mistakenly. The foregoing is certainly not unknown and very often happens from what I read, However,you should be able to see the upload in your Google drive allowance if you open the app

Other than the above there have been very large changes and developments on the Google Chrome OS and Android platforms in the last week, but that would not affect a Windows platform PC only running the chrome browser.

Hope this helps Mick and you quickly get the problem sorted out.
Bill

 

[clam1952]

Good point Bill hadn't though of that, in which case might want to look at Microsoft's One Drive as well.

 

[clam1952]

I just wish they would tell me what they were doing. Those of us with limited data need to be warned about such large downloads.
If in fact it is something like a botnet could you.tell me how to go about fixing the problem.
Thanks,
Mick

Most decent AV programs assuming they haven't been hacked by Malware should pick up anything like that, having a look at network activity in resource monitor should indicate if anything is connecting to your PC that shouldn't be, if you close everything there shouldn't be much Internet traffic, need to look at the TCP connections.

For anyone that really wants to take back control and stop all the outbound traffic to Microsoft, I'd recommend Spybot Antibeacon as do most of the tech sites which will easily block all of it or some of it, if you want to permit certain things to work. Windows Mail for example require One Drive access or it won't work.

https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

 

[Mick_Berg]

Good point Bill hadn't though of that, in which case might want to look at Microsoft's One Drive as well.

Thanks guys, I must admit that I'm a bit careless about these things. I will have a good look around.
Mick

 

[wilts747]

If you want to know to whom or what your computer is communicating with the following may be of interests and whats more it can be run without installation:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/internet-traffic-activity-monitor-gets-update.htm

Peter

 

[clam1952]

Got that here, also a similar one slight more options but basically the same, currports from nirsoft http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/cports.html

I also use Networx and have a graph on the taskbar so I can see instantly if anything is connecting to the net.

Actually its not a bad idea to have the whole sysinternals collection.

 

[wholbr]

Hi Mick and everybody.
Mick, hope you have solved the problems of losing WiFi allowance unwittingly. However, on a different note, you advised in your posting at #41 of this thread that you are considering “ditching Microsoft” and moving to Linux. I have been reading this morning that Steam are planning to make their entire gaming library available for Android, Apple IOS, Amazon and PCs running linux as an operating system.

I found the above somewhat “stunning” as the article further went on to describe how Steam plans to stream much of the library to mobile devices and low end desktops. Steam believe that the problems of lag can be solved, but I feel many would be “somewhat sceptical” in regard to that statement . Google have been streaming games through their Chrome OS system which is 100% cloud based but the lag problem has always been present in fast games such as driving/racing etc.

Therefore Mick, I am wondering if the above is the route you are planning to go down as of coarse T:ane is available on Steam and therefore will be available on Linux in the above. If you are planning to “plough the road” with the Trainz T:ane version on Linux via Steam. I am sure that many on this forum will be very interested (including me) to see how you get on and wish you well with the project

Would also be interested in what the more technology minded on the forum think of the Steam plans.

Bill

 

[Mick_Berg]

Hi Mick and everybody.
Mick, hope you have solved the problems of losing WiFi allowance unwittingly. However, on a different note, you advised in your posting at #41 of this thread that you are considering “ditching Microsoft” and moving to Linux. I have been reading this morning that Steam are planning to make their entire gaming library available for Android, Apple IOS, Amazon and PCs running linux as an operating system.

I found the above somewhat “stunning” as the article further went on to describe how Steam plans to stream much of the library to mobile devices and low end desktops. Steam believe that the problems of lag can be solved, but I feel many would be “somewhat sceptical” in regard to that statement . Google have been streaming games through their Chrome OS system which is 100% cloud based but the lag problem has always been present in fast games such as driving/racing etc.

Therefore Mick, I am wondering if the above is the route you are planning to go down as of coarse T:ane is available on Steam and therefore will be available on Linux in the above. If you are planning to “plough the road” with the Trainz T:ane version on Linux via Steam. I am sure that many on this forum will be very interested (including me) to see how you get on and wish you well with the project

Would also be interested in what the more technology minded on the forum think of the Steam plans.

Bill

Is that technically possible Bill? Can Steam or anyone else just port a program like TANE over to Linux? I would never have believed it.

Regarding the problem with losing WIFI allowance (and what really annoyed me, going into "overdraft" and paying 30 bucks for the privilege), my carrier introduced a new system that avoids this. There is no charge for overage but it slows to 128k. Seems like a lot of people were having the issue. If they hadn't changed the system I would have cancelled.

Cheers
Mick

 

[clam1952]

Is that technically possible Bill? Can Steam or anyone else just port a program like TANE over to Linux? I would never have believed it.

Regarding the problem with losing WIFI allowance (and what really annoyed me, going into "overdraft" and paying 30 bucks for the privilege), my carrier introduced a new system that avoids this. There is no charge for overage but it slows to 128k. Seems like a lot of people were having the issue. If they hadn't changed the system I would have cancelled.

Cheers
Mick

Steam can't just port games other than their own. Unless you are the games creator or give permission and release the source code, it's not legally possible. N3V would have to create a specific OpenGL Linux version which will cost probably as much as producing the Windows and Mac version for what currently is a tiny market.
Steam might be able to use Wine in Linux to run some of them however that only has reliable DX9 support which is not true DX9 but something Codemasters concocted that uses similar libraries which rules out the latest DX10 DX11 and DX12 stuff. Wine is a Windows compatibilty layer that is good at running office type programs and not too complicated Windows Games and for some after doing some more complicated stuff which is beyond the capability of the average Windows user. For the curious it's a hack using actual Windows DLL files in place of some of the Wine compatibility versions which MS would not be too happy about however it adds the bits missing from the Wine "nearly" equivalents, too much hard work involved for the non geeks anyway.
A few years ago unofficially one guy was reverse engineering Windows OpenGL games and producing Linux Binaries however he mysteriously vanished, probably got a cease and desist from one or more game producers, he was good though..... Note you still had to buy the actual game to use the binaries.

Microsoft does actually gives you the info on how to stop the downloads on a metered connection for mobile internet, if you know where to look! For some reason isn't available as an obvious option. Or there are several simple programs that will do it for you.
I can turn it on or off at will, I only actually turn it off if there is a large update due which you can usually find out by keeping Tabs on one of Windows10 forums well in advance of it happening. Suspect I might have a higher allowance, 15GB although it is extortionate charge per MB if I go over. 1GB would cost just over £102

 

[cyberdongreen]

A great bit of software for keeping Windows 10 quiet is "O & O Shut Up10." It's freeware and the makers say they are a "Microsoft Partner" (don't know how that works considering they're depriving Micro$oft of all your private info.) It blocks Cortana completely and shuts up all the other pesky stuff too. https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

A great bit of kit IMHO

Dave

 

[wholbr]

Hi everybody.
Apologies to Mick and everybody, but I now cannot access the article I referenced at #52 of this thread in regard to Steam streaming their entire games library to all systems and devices.

However, I am in the office today and did speak to our computer contractor who came in this morning and over a coffee break explained things as follows.

The latest Amazon OS system has Linux as its core base coding along with Google Android, Google Chrome OS, the new Facebook OS and Apple IOS (IPhone and IPad). Steam OS is a Debian-based Linux operating system in development by Valve Corporation designed to be the primary operating system for the Steam Machine.

Therefore, in technical terms it should be possible for Valve (Steam) to stream its gaming library to all the above OS systems being that the individual receiving devices and the servers to them are running on the same Linux base. Steam already run a game streaming service for devices running Microsoft Windows be that PC and laptops. Therefore, in the above it would be technically possible to stream the Steam gaming library to the vast majority of home PCs, Laptops, Tablets and smartphones.

Of course there would without doubt be a legal situation in streaming content to all the above, but if the service were to be monetized to the advantage of all involved, no doubt those matters would be overcome.

I am no “techie” but when the above was explained to me this morning it did sound feasible. I would be interested in the opinions of the more technical minded members of the forum on the subject.

Anyway back to work, looks like the whole office is in for a late evening. Too much chatting going on over cups of coffee. In my case I told all the staff that it was Malcs (clam1952) fault.

Bill

 

[Mick_Berg]

A great bit of software for keeping Windows 10 quiet is "O & O Shut Up10." It's freeware and the makers say they are a "Microsoft Partner" (don't know how that works considering they're depriving Micro$oft of all your private info.) It blocks Cortana completely and shuts up all the other pasky stuff too. https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

A great bit of kit IMHO

Dave

Looks interesting, will try it. I assume all you techies are familiar with GodMode for windows?
Mick