Windows is getting disgusting

[MrSlack]

[_Andrew_]

What would be a good cheap way to switch the output from a cable modem? I've found some RJ-45 switches for under $20, do these work well?

The idea would be to have the local network connected most of the time, but be able to temporarily switch the connection over to a Windows 10 (games only) computer when necessary, while keeping the spy box isolated from the local network. Plugging and unplugging cables is obviously one solution, just not very convenient.

MikroTik produce a range of affordable routers running there RouterOS which provides a massive range of functionality. Just be prepared to spend a bit of time setting things up. There are plenty of guides on line and on YouTube that go thorough these steps.

[nidlaX]

I use my computer to make videos, images, music, documents, websites, programming, work with email, web browsing, watch movies, gaming, etc.

Products used: Adobe CC, Sony Vegas Pro, both with purchased plugins, Steam and all the games I have with it, KiCad, Autodesk Inventor, Reaper, and a bunch of other things. I also calibrate my monitors with a Spyder 3, use a Wacom tablet, Logitech wireless joystick, Brother DCM1512 multifunction printer, an HP Laserjet CP1025nw color printer, SDR radio devices, and a bunch of other generic USB devices.

I think it's true that you can't play certain games natively on Linux, and there is simply no solution to that matter. For everything else you've mentioned that's work or productivity related, I don't think there is necessarily some task that is simply *not possible* to accomplish. Rather, I think you mean that it is difficult or not possible to achieve the same workflow using Linux applications that you could have with Windows applications.

But I would be interested to hear a specific example of such an impossibility if you have one in mind.

[AlxDroidDev]

The gap between Windows and Linux is getting a little narrower (at least for Win10 users):

Microsoft will release a native BASH shell to Windows 10:

Note that this isn’t a cross-compiled or a virtual machine. Instead, it’s a proper and native Bash on Windows 10. This has been made possible with a new Microsoft-Canonical partnership that has allowed Redmond to include new native Ubuntu libraries in the OS.

Sources:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/03/ubuntus-bash-and-linux-command-line-coming-to-windows-10/
http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/30/be-very-afraid-hell-has-frozen-over-bash-is-coming-to-windows-10/
http://fossbytes.com/linux-command-line-bash-shell-comes-windows-10/

This is pretty good news, because I, for one, am pretty lame using PowerShell, but I am quite proficient using Bash. CMD is also quite limited when it comes to scripting, although it has been pretty useful in the past (up to Windows 98).

It is obvious this won't change much of the discussion that has been going on here, specially that that involves running specialized and advanced software on Linux and that is currently only available on Windows, but it is a clear statement that MS is paying attention to the market. It is also notorious that MS is the one taking responsibility to make its OS more compatible, and not the other way around. This is one of the huge advantages of having a centralized development company (Microsoft) with lots of money for R&D.

[amspire]

It will be interesting to see how this Windows 10/ Linux project works.

Microsoft and Ubuntu should be forced to make all their native Ubuntu libraries completely open source, and so in theory there is no reason why any other distro couldn't be made to work in Windows 10. Any other distro should be free to use the open source Ubuntu / Windows compatibility code.

Unless Microsoft couple this with some extra non-open licensing dll's that prevent anything but their own Ubuntu dll's from working. In effect, this would be Microsoft benefiting from the open source Linux, but still managing to turn it into a non-open system.

Also does this mean that Microsoft will be trying to by Ubuntu? That would be really scary.

[edy]

For those of you wanting to stop Windows 10 from loading on your machines, Steve Gibson from GRC just announced this utility:

https://www.grc.com/never10.htm



I was previously using GWX Control Panel by Josh Mayfield available here: http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

Apparently, Steve's solution is better... Here is an article comparing the two:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3049165/microsoft-windows/steve-gibsons-never10-vs-josh-mayfields-gwx-control-panel.html

[Mechanical Menace]

I am looking at Linux again and would appreciate help in getting things up and running. I am considering Mint, Arch, and maybe even using unRAID to get some solutions that aren't possible with just one OS. It would be great to have the option to use different OSes at the same time with no performance penalties, or at least not big penalties.

I would honestly think twice about Arch as your main distro. It's not bad at all but it is pretty much today's Gentoo with less reliance on source only distribution, the Linux nerds distro for Linux nerds. You have to have the time and patience to be more bothered about playing with your computer than actually use it and I think like me you do not have the time to use something like that as your main OS. But I would say it's good to have installed as a "play and learn" distro. Their forums are a massive wealth of information that more often than others doesn't just give a cryptic bunch of CLI commands and config changes to copy and paste but an explanation of what they do.

Mint is Ubuntu without the need to install one package to view all your media and without an option to Unity so without the need to uninstall Amazon desktop search integration, and fewer distro releases (advantage for some, disadvantage for others). Arguably prettier (personal preference of course) but the only reason I can really think to use it over one of the non Unity *buntus is you really like the Cinnamon fork of Gnome. You do automatically get a lot of the advantages Ubuntus (relatively) massive userbase brings though, and no matter what some say selective use of PPAs is brilliant but as with many a powerful tool when people use it without thinking it can lead to disaster. How Chrome uses it is a brilliant example of it done right. You go to the website and download the .deb, open the .deb and it gets opened in the package manager and when installed it adds the Chrome PPA to your system and all the updates are handled by your system automatically.

IMHO, I think it is obvious that we can't continue with MS and feel like we have control over our computers, files, and privacy.

I'm not actually that paranoid about it but my use of Windows is very limited. Basically I have it for some games and when I'm in the mood to binge on those games web browsing (not using MS browsers) and consuming media just so I don't have to reboot just to do that until I'm in "productivity mode" lol. I may be being naive but I doubt that that can give MS much real information about me beyond which embarrassing games I play and already share with the world that I do.

[Karel]

The gap between Windows and Linux is getting a little narrower (at least for Win10 users):

Microsoft will release a native BASH shell to Windows 10:

Note that this isn’t a cross-compiled or a virtual machine. Instead, it’s a proper and native Bash on Windows 10. This has been made possible with a new Microsoft-Canonical partnership that has allowed Redmond to include new native Ubuntu libraries in the OS.

Sources:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/03/ubuntus-bash-and-linux-command-line-coming-to-windows-10/
http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/30/be-very-afraid-hell-has-frozen-over-bash-is-coming-to-windows-10/
http://fossbytes.com/linux-command-line-bash-shell-comes-windows-10/

So, it's true that windows advances slowly and is lightyears behind Linux...

[madires]

I use Windows' own firewall rules to block various ports, services, and IP addresses, and disable various services through the management console. It works quite well, actually. I employ a hardware firewall, also with port and IP filtering for inbound and outbound connections. I started by blacklisting the list of IPs associated with MS found on internet lists, then set up my windows 10 PC on it's own connection and logged all traffic activity through the firewall. Then I block every port (outbound and inbound), as I am not using the PC, so all traffic is unrelated to me. It's actually not hard to do, and so far, every time I add a port, IP, or service to the Windows built-in firewall, my router stops recording attempted access from them, so it seems to be working, even from within Windows.

A more simple approach is to set up a local DNS resolver, to log the MS sub/domains used and then to add those sub/domains. If Win10 can't resolve the data collection servers it can't send any data. And I doubt that any sane software developer would hardcode an IP address. Maybe someone already has done the domain list.

[madires]

What I specified gets rid of mass-surveillance style phoning home. It does not protect you from targeted surveillance, or also zero-day backdoor mass surveillance as yet unrevealed. It is only for current mass surveillance. And for that, it works very well, surprisingly well in fact. Windows surveillance is also why I recommend encrypting your /home folder if you dual boot Linux/Windows 10, as there is no guarantee that Windows cannot/will not read your Linux partition filesystems.

That is also helpful in case you get one of those file-encrypting ransomwares. It can't encrypt what it doesn't see.

[madires]

For those of you wanting to stop Windows 10 from loading on your machines, Steve Gibson from GRC just announced this utility:

Utility?

Run regedit and add/set:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Gwx]
"DisableGwx"=dword:00000001

[MrSlack]

I use Windows' own firewall rules to block various ports, services, and IP addresses, and disable various services through the management console. It works quite well, actually. I employ a hardware firewall, also with port and IP filtering for inbound and outbound connections. I started by blacklisting the list of IPs associated with MS found on internet lists, then set up my windows 10 PC on it's own connection and logged all traffic activity through the firewall. Then I block every port (outbound and inbound), as I am not using the PC, so all traffic is unrelated to me. It's actually not hard to do, and so far, every time I add a port, IP, or service to the Windows built-in firewall, my router stops recording attempted access from them, so it seems to be working, even from within Windows.

A more simple approach is to set up a local DNS resolver, to log the MS sub/domains used and then to add those sub/domains. If Win10 can't resolve the data collection servers it can't send any data. And I doubt that any sane software developer would hardcode an IP address. Maybe someone already has done the domain list.

It doesn't use windows DNS to look these up. Needs to be done at the firewall.

[madires]

A more simple approach is to set up a local DNS resolver, to log the MS sub/domains used and then to add those sub/domains. If Win10 can't resolve the data collection servers it can't send any data. And I doubt that any sane software developer would hardcode an IP address. Maybe someone already has done the domain list.

It doesn't use windows DNS to look these up. Needs to be done at the firewall.

You can tell Windows to use any namserver you like. If the nameserver is running on another PC or a router doesn't matter.

[MrSlack]

It used hard coded nameserver addresses at MSFT for lookups, not your local nameserver. This is for the sake of windows defender continuing to work after a DNS hijack. Unfortunately they built a load of other crap on top of it as well.

[madires]

That can be fixed by a single firewall rule or two

[rdl]

Microsoft controls well over a thousand sites on the internet, most of which are not obviously associated with them. Sneaky bastards they are indeed.

[Lightages]

Even though a picture of a tinfoil hat has been posted to prove me wrong, remember that MS themselves have said that there are features in the kernel of W10 that cannot be turned off or bypassed. Changing DNS tables or blocking IPs is no guarantee that W10 won't be talking to HQ.

The best tool still IMHO for quick blocking of the spying, in Win7 and 8 at least, is:
https://github.com/th3power/aegis-voat

and this does more than the Steve Gibson utility.
http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

Again, these are no guarantee that MS won't do something to put spying and telemetry in Win7 or 8 that can't be blocked.

[AndyC_772]

One obvious, relatively inexpensive solution I've been considering is to install a hardware firewall between my network and the internet. It's probably not a bad idea in any case, spyware or not.

Does anyone have any experience of a device like, say, this one?

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/products/18897-zyxel-usg40-eu0101f/

[Syntax_Error]

Aww, come on, even I thought the tinfoil hat picture was funny, and I'm one of the guys wearing one. I don't have cats, though.

I stand by what I said, and as time passes, our paranoia is continuously validated and fed by ever more frequent revelations about surveillance and the complicity of software giants and telecoms. It's the world we live in, and will continue to do so. So, I live my life and sometimes I like to shut doors that have been illuminated.

As for the firewall, it's a fantastic idea. I have been considering adding another box outside the WAN link configured with pfSense as a silent firewall, i.e. it has no IP address and is not reachable through it's network port, hence it does not communicate it's existence to anyone. Mostly just because I like to play with toys like this.

[Lightages]

I can highly recommend pfSense on a small fanless computer. I am managing a medium sized network that has its connection to the internet. It is very stable and easy to run and configure without having to go Cisco university. It is also very flexible.

[madires]

As for the firewall, it's a fantastic idea. I have been considering adding another box outside the WAN link configured with pfSense as a silent firewall, i.e. it has no IP address and is not reachable through it's network port, hence it does not communicate it's existence to anyone. Mostly just because I like to play with toys like this.

That's called "transparent firewall". pfSense is one of the very few OSS firewalls supporting transparent mode.

[Lightages]

Mechanical Menace:

The reason I was looking at Arch is that I have had previous experience with Linux and there is the Architect Arch installer which helps getting it up and running. It is more difficult to install, but it can be kept up to date all the time and appears to not need a full re-install whereas other distros require a full re-install when the base version is changed. I rather like that idea.

Mint is coming up to a version change and so I don't want to go through re-install pains when it is time to update. Maybe I am putting too much into this. The biggest benefit I see with Mint is the big repository and ready to go installation.

[Syntax_Error]

Try both, and others! If you don't want to, or don't want to all at the same time, then don't. That's fine, too. They're all free (of cost), and most have polished products certainly worth a try. I've no experience with Arch myself, and am aware of it's reputation, but I say if it interests you and you aren't daunted by the reputation, then give it a spin. Same for mint. Why not?

As for the upcoming Mint 18, keep in mind that you don't have to upgrade right away, or at all if you aren't ready. I'm excited about Mint 18 and can't wait for it to drop, but I won't be upgrading to it right away. I'll test it out, sure, but it won't replace my main OS until it matures for 3-4 months first, barring any big problems of course. I am usually not an early adopter.

[GEuser]

Just saw this in the Inbox of updates , I hid it but glad I looked at the info sheet first too , but get the Bold (which I did to highlight it) , a when not IF .

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/kb/2952664

"This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. These diagnostics help determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed. This update will help Microsoft and its partners ensure compatibility for customers who want to install the latest Windows operating system."

[Mechanical Menace]

Mechanical Menace:

The reason I was looking at Arch is that I have had previous experience with Linux

Sorry when I said it was a good "learning distro" I didn't mean for new users in particular but users of any level. Modern general use OSs are massive and complex and no single person knows a single one inside out. There's always something to learn lol.

but it can be kept up to date all the time and appears to not need a full re-install whereas other distros require a full re-install when the base version is changed. I rather like that idea.

So do I. Loved rolling updates on Gentoo and since. But it's not totally error free, if you take that route be prepared to occasionally fix something after an update. It's got a lot better though but tbh so have other distros that do full base updates. Once upon a time I'd advise people to not run the distro update but just do a fresh install, now I wouldn't because of how problem free the updates are.

Mint is coming up to a version change and so I don't want to go through re-install pains when it is time to update. Maybe I am putting too much into this.

Don't update until you want to, and don't think you have to reinstall. Honesty the worse I've had happen updating instead of reinstalling since Ubuntu 12.04 is certain repos have been disabled once or twice, and that was generally PPAs I shouldn't have bothered with anyway but forgot to remove lol. Bit of a pain but better than having to reinstall your whole OS manually just to update. I don't know how long it has been since you tried using Linux in anger but that has come a long, long way.

The biggest benefit I see with Mint is the big repository and ready to go installation.

That's pretty much why I use a *buntu or derivative on my main desktop most of the time. Well that and third parties general love of the *buntus.

Oh btw I'm not trying to talk you out of Arch or Mint, or away from Mint to something upstream, I'm just trying to give my honest appraisal. If my fanboyism was coming out I'd say go for Fedora or OpenSuse, but ones an experimental mess and the other overly conservative in a lot of ways.