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Comment by aw3c2 | Hacker News Reader

So, my uncle needs a new computer and he needs Windows 10 on it. How can I make sure that he is not being spied on and psychologically manipulated by ads right from the beginning? Is there a professional version of Windows 10 with none of those shenanigans I keep hearing about?

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After installing Windows 10:

Go to Settings -> Privacy, and slide many (most?) things to off. Including Diagnostic & Usage Data to Basic.

Settings > Personalization > Start and slide "Occasionally show suggestions in start" to off.

Settings -> Personalization -> Lock Screen and slide "Get fun facts, tips, and more from Windows and Cortana on your lock screen" to off.

Settings -> System -> Notifications & actions -> "Get tip, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows" and "Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and occasionally when I sign in to highlight what's new and suggested" to off.

Go to Cortana (Taskbar) -> Settings (Gear Icon) -> "Taskbar tidbits" to off

I wouldn't use the built in "Mail" app with or without ads, it is terrible. Just have him simply not use it.

And then do it again after most updates to the system.

Fortunately they stopped doing that. It was definitely a problem with the first two-ish feature updates for Windows 10 however.

Just use Spybot Anti-Beacon software and do most of the above steps in a click.

Edit: Sorry. It's now a paid software. Checking for free alternatives. Found one: shutup10

Lastly, install Unchecky. It'll automatically uncheck options for additional unwanted programs, adware, toolbars... when installing software.

Be careful with those scripts/software. Many of them essentially break Windows 10 by design.

If you stay within the Settings UI then you are working within Windows 10's supported design. When you run a script that disables a system service (e.g. Cortana) things start to get quirky/broken.

Several of those break Windows Update for example.

> Several of those break Windows Update for example.

Some people might consider that a feature /s.

Not really, at least not for consumers. There are 'decrapifier' scripts you can run, but all that shit just gets re-installed on the next major build update anyways in my experience.

https://community.spiceworks.com/scripts/show/4378-windows-1...

https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

I'm curious as to why he needs Windows 10?

You can’t and there isn’t.

I'm wondering the same. My dad got a Surface Pro 6 last week and I had to go and make sure every toggle I could turn off was turned off. It's insane.

Does he need 10? Windows 7 still works fine, so does Elementary OS if that works.

If you use Windows 7 on modern processors (Ryzen/Skylake), Windows Update stops working so you won't get security updates.

I have an Intel 6700K and WU works fine for me.

Yes of course, otherwise I would not have asked.

There is LTSC, but available only in volume licensing.

Volume license is slang for "Torrent", right?

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