Windows 10 is not so Zim friendly, and here’s why

Victor Mukandatsama Avatar

The much-touted launch and hype surrounding Windows 10 is beginning to take knocks in certain sectors with expert users and competitors complaining that Microsoft is over-exerting its own agenda onto the operating system and using the feedback from users to further “entrap” them.

The major issues raised by discussion forums include the fact that Windows 10, especially through Cortana, collects so much information about the user it ends up infringing on their privacy.

Competitors such as Mozilla have also complained that Windows 10 overrides the default settings and prioritises its own apps such as the internet browsers. The ads are another feature that won’t be too popular with users as we may have to watch a video add before playing a game or the lock screen that used to display the flying windows will now suggest various application and services you may be interested in.

However, the one particular complaint that will come from Zimbabwe is the idea of forced security updates which are mandatory in Windows 10 (incorporated in the EULA). These updates, considering that the OS has just been released and will be working on killing a lot of bugs that came with the final build, will chew your bandwidth in the background and impede on your productivity.

It won’t help at all if you have not been connected to the internet for long either as the updates accumulate or are slipped in through your local network peers. Windows has also introduced a P2P torrent link service for sharing updates across a network so that once one computer has the updates it will share with the rest.

I have to admit, Windows 10 has its merits. But has the connectivity problem, especially for Africa and the developing nations been looked at? Do we have the capacity for such downloads and are the Dream bundles of today and the future and our normal internet solutions sufficient? When Windows 10 Mobile does eventually come what are the options?

image credit : microsoft.com

18 comments

  1. marengz

    Set your internet connection as metered, then updates wont download unless you specify.

  2. fourwallsinaroom

    Hey Victor,
    lately it seems I am taking a few jabs at you, but I do not think you have researched this or gone through the installation process a few times and made notes.
    First things first: you have control over the adds etc. that windows pushes to you. If you selected express during installation thats when you get funny adds. I personally disabled all the data collection, if i remember correctly it was three pages with about 6 or so on off buttons per page where you say, no i do not want an AD id, no i do not want this, no i do not want that.
    Secondly cortana is not mandatory. It is optional.
    Nothing is free -> Google now collects my data and tailors my adds. In return I get to say Ok Google, set my alarm clock for six am tomorrow.
    Thus far the only free app I have seen to a degree is whatsapp… But remember even then Whatsapp has started ties with facebook which will lead to targeted adds etc. another discussion for another day.

    All the live tiles can be disabled, in my case I like them so I left them on
    I am not using a live/outlook/hotmail account so once again, those extras are disabled
    I am running 10pro so I have deferred my upgrades, no issues here for me.

    If you check there is a way to see which apps are downloading what data and how much they have consumed thus far. This will give you an idea of what to disable if you are worried.
    More so you can set the metered option.

    Now that said, we will use the ever so popular econet, which runs windows. While econet has STM upon STM of IP transit, the fact that one HP Pro Book can get the updates and the entire office is updated peer to peer instead of individual connections must be a God send, and as new features are tested through Insider its relatively safe. Also there is Windows Enterprise but I have not tested that nor do I have details on group policy specifics for domains

    We are moving with the times and the fact that unlimited WiMAX can be had for $49 a month means that for $1.64 a day I can forget about the data issue… or if my office has the ZOL fibroniks, I can use ZOL spot for free ($700 package comes with 50 Zolspot unlimited accounts)… (dont like ZOL but the truth is they are the cheapest at the moment)

    Anyway all that said, if you have a spare machine, install windows 7, activate, upgrade and select the custom options during part three of the install. You will see data consumption and amount reported is night and day.

    1. Khayelihle Tshuma

      Thank you for helping the article writer with his job.

      1. Victor Mukandatsama

        Thanks for the feedback fourwallsinaroom. I was looking at it from the perspective of an average Zim user who knows how to upgrade and is not versed in tweeking and customising. That person has the right to complain about these defaults because its not their field of expertise. They probably use some dongle unfiltered internet see a Get Windows 10 upgrade and go for it. Tech guys, no problem.

        1. Zeng

          I see no problem with windows 10 actually this OS is performing faster than my previous softwares, am still testing it but, for the mean time right here as. ZIMBABWEAN I am imperssed

        2. fourwallsinaroom

          The challenge here is we want our cake and we want to eat it too. Lets go to something simple like Android. The reason playstore has multitudes of free apps is because most are add supported and others provide some sort of revenue via alternative routes. For instance, the Ecocash App.. Econet has no interest in charging for this app because it generates money through its use. I mean no one opens the app looks at the menu’s and closes it, most will buy airtime etc.
          Now Windows 10 comes with things like cortana etc but unlike Windows 7 is free for those upgrading.
          In return Microsoft revises their EULA and privacy agreement and says look listen by default we will take all this data about you and you feel free to use Edge Browser (we will make the experience safer) use Cortana (will make your life easier) Use your windows live hotmail etc, and we will sync your stuff and give you cloud storage for free but we will read your stuff and tailor make adds for you and so the list continues. But if you really do not want all those things, you can opt out and sacrifice those features.

          Because all of this is documented and by using the software you agree to its terms and conditions. Microsoft yes may have stepped on toes by the auto opt in features, but they could because it was free and of course they would do it because it is making some serious money for them.

          Looking at Facebook, you do realize they have more information than any agency literally in the world. And guess what you gave them all of that information for free.
          A few examples to get this point home
          1. They know what you look like – multiple photo’s is the norm
          2. They know the hotels you stay in, the bars you drink at, the places that you work – check in via facebook.
          3. They know your friends, family, past lovers etc.
          4. They know how you feel
          5. They know what your interests are, following and groups.

          Facebook can therefore provide you with ads, and from time to time tweak terms and conditions and keep it free. This data is priceless and guess what. Facebook never came to your house with a flyer to say join facebook now. They never had an add on DSTV saying get a facebook account now etc.

          One of the reasons why the internet is not working as well as it should in Zimbabwe is there is no content and no information. If you can get Zimbabweans to volunteer content for free, eg. things for sale at all levels (musika to ok mart, Kaguvi street to transerve, Whatsapp under the tree installations to nokia service center) the internet will become more useful to Zimbabweans and they will use it more eventually driving the price of internet down. While this is a little bit of a digression, in order for Microsoft, Bing etc to stay relevant they need to have information about what makes Victor tick, or fourwalls etc. That information will not be surrendered freely by you or me if someone puts a flyer in the mailbox and says, hey please list all the things you searched for this week, please list the kind of communications you are having in your email etc.
          How do you solve the information harvesting issue? Simple give them an OS for free, turn it all on, put a privacy agreement and EULA in there and presto within one day you have data from more than 10million internet users, their region and their habits. Genius if you ask me.

          The get Windows 10app had plenty of links to terms and conditions which we all should read, but because this is ZIM and we do not like to read, we did not.

          I remember for instance that when I opened my Ecocash I never read the terms and conditions of what I was getting into. Nobody does, but if things go south with my ecocash account, Econet pretty much has their behind covered.

          All that said!
          It boils down to two things
          1. Privacy and 2. Internet Data consumption

          on issue 1. What am I doing on the internet that I do not want Microsoft to know (if I am savvy enough to want privacy but not smart enough to read privacy agreements there is something wrong) – I will be trying Windows 10 on mobile, but I have never had issues with Google collecting the data they do about me (and well if there ever was a case I am sure thats what in private browsing / icognito is for). The google ecosystem works very well for me, infact the data it gathers about me on a day to day basis is pretty useful for me and its free. Google now, tells me when liverpool is playing, it tells me how long to get to my office. Motorola took it a step further with Motorola Assist – When I am driving it reads my sms’s, resumes my bluetooth music streaming, it silences my phone automatically during meetings, it knows not to disturb when I am sleeping.
          If Windows 10 Mobile offers anything close to the functionality that google does, I may be willing to give them my data.
          2. Data usage – well thats for the internet pricing in zim article

  3. fourwallsinaroom

    Some after thoughts
    1. Go to Windows update settings -> Advanced -> Choose How updates are installed. This will allow you to share locally, or via the internet or disable peer to peer.
    2. During installation when it says settings, click customize do not click express. This gives you the choices to disable data submission, disable bing search suggestion, windows location, send browser history to microsoft, advertisingid, submit files for examination against possible threats etc.
    -if you missed this step you need to do it manually via settings one by one.

  4. fourwallsinaroom

    Last post a quick google shows this
    https://fix10.isleaked.com/ — everything you need to disable.

  5. Dennis

    Hey Victor.
    If you were part of the windows insider program u would have understood becoz the feedback was good cknsidering that people use windows machines differently that js fro college students, gamers, corporates and many more. The issue of feedback was to find problems that people would actually encounter the developers might have missed and some which occur duringbthe process for instance when the hacking team was hacked.

    As for internet. Dont worry. I will give u a shot list of the best in Zim

    TelOne Wifi, Africom, ZOL. Unozodei

  6. Sinclair

    Windows 10 – if you just do a “default” upgrade you get loads of these privacy intruding and bandwidth chewing settings. But there are ways around though I have to admit it took some research. I will link to a good article. And yes, do set your connection to metered and you can actually switch off updates. Switch off the update service.. problem is then you dont get any updates of course.

    http://www.techrepublic.com/article/windows-10-violates-your-privacy-by-default-heres-how-you-can-protect-yourself/?tag=nl.e101&s_cid=e101&ttag=e101&ftag=TRE684d531

  7. The N

    come on folks. internet in zim is getting cheaper by the day. the other day I saw an econet advert…$1 for 1GB. thats fantastic. Basically a windows update rarely comes at more that 5GB which equates to 5 bucks. But people still complain, they would rather take that 20 bucks and go buy shake shake than update their windows and install latest applications, and use that to develop or research on projects that make money. food for thought. I aint the richest man in the world but I can sacrifice a dollar to keep my machine up2date.

    1. Caleb Mutsumba

      That’s it The N. Looks like some people are born to complain…. they will even if a loaf of bread fall from Heaven!

    2. Preach N

      I personally get a pack of raisins instead (weird but sober habits lol) but i get your point. I still have to learn how to tighten the screws on what services can use data on win10, coz even factoring in the new dream bundles, those updates accumulate relentlessly. So far my poor guinea pig pc at work has been updating almost every single day. Every morning i’m met with ‘Configuring updates’ screen, and occasional urgent requests to restart during the day. It’s the price of progress but i think it can be handled better.

  8. Ushe

    some of the reasons why I still love my Windows XP! No oooga booga this, ooga booga that…

  9. Falifa

    Is Victor Mukandatsamwa a tech blog writer????

    This is just poorly researched journalism at its best. Fourwallsinaroom would have written this article better, he used more words in his comments for crying out loud. And like Dennis says, if the writer had been part of the Windows insider program religiously following updates from Gabe Aul and all the other MS Insider people he would have known how much fun that process was and how sincere Microsoft was throughout.

    Also if you are that bent on not having your personal data farmed either get off the internet or pay for a powerful VPN to keep yourself hidden. The truth is every “free” service is there to take your data and sell it en masse. Facebook exchange, Blue Kai, Microsoft exchange are some of the biggest big data networks that aren’t Google and all they do with your data is use it for their advertising platforms or other demand side platforms.Targeting is never at an individual level though and the data mining required o know that a cookie left by Google in your browser shows you consume porn is just too costly to justify that being done.

    My point, the benefits of Windows 10’s shiny new features far outweighs them lumping my demographic info with that of a billion others far outweighs any privacy concerns. You just need to use Cortana for a day to understand this and she is now cross platform by the way and available on your droid.

    Forced security updates are only when you as a Noob Windows user do not specify when and how you want updates Victor. My advice is spend a couple of hours reading Engadget or Windows Central and get an idea of what content to pipe into your articles. We appreciate all the local tech news and to keep our attention so your advertisers can pay your unjustified salary Victor make the other articles that aren’t about the local tech industry worth reading. We are not fools and will know more on certain subjects than you do so do keep that in mind.

  10. Falifa

    P.S

    Ushe, too bad you do not have Windows 7 or 8, you would have appreciated the free upgrade from those. As someone who only upgraded to 7 and boycotted Vista I know what I am talking about when I say this is the best MS version to date. It works as well on my Windows tab as i does on my PC and the mobile version is just a dream, even in it’s incomplete and sometimes buggy preview state.

  11. Wisey

    econet has a 3gig dream bundle for 2bucks and africom has a 7gig dream bundle for 4bucks, so basically speaking data is cheap and any1 can handle the updates.

  12. Gundu

    informative guys don’t blame victor actually he is a good writer opens up the debate and gives everyone a chance to show off their knowledge for free. he is wise and wisemen get ideas from fools kinda of shiri yakangwara. I’m a freshman tech wise but I appreciate your efforts. ndadzidza. but some of u are snobbish something victor isn’t and that’s a plus for Vicky .lol

2023 © Techzim All rights reserved. Hosted By Cloud Unboxed