Pointing to Group B directions

Topic

You’ve been Group B (Win 7 & Win8.1), and want to review directions:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/2000003-ongoing-list-of-group-b-monthly-updates-for-win7-and-8-1/

Such a popular topic, comments have extended twice, at:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/comments-on-akb-2000003-ongoing-list-of-group-b-monthly-updates-for-win7-and-8-1-2

For learning if you want Group B:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/2000011-group-a-group-b-and-group-w-whats-the-difference/

You are Group A, can you transition:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/group-hopping-a-b-a/#post-219144

You are Group A, neutralize telemetry anyway:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/2000012-neutralize-telemetry-sustain-win-7-8-1-monthly-rollup-model

Where do I find these marvelous AskWoody Knowledge Base articles:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/knowledge-base-listing/

Where can I boast about my chosen group and whine about comments that are not directed at me:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/forum/outside-the-box/rants/
(there is a “Create New Topic in “Rants” function below the list of topics. Give a title, write the OP, and submit.)

8 users thanked author for this post.

woody, geekdom, rc primak, Elly, SueW, jburk07, The Surfing Pensioner, HiFlyer

Replies

Love the links! Thank you!

Non-techy Win 10 Pro and Linux Mint experimenter

1 user thanked author for this post.

OscarCP

Good idea and a good way to start bringing this topic to people’s attention once more, Anonymous and Elly. I hope it is not too soon for this, so it does not get buried out of sight by all the topic-of-the-day posts. Particularly those about Windows 7 and 8.1 “rollups.”

One quick thought, or two:

(1) It has been repeatedly said that Group B is no longer an effective, safe way to patch. Well, so far, after years of parching that way, I have not noticed any changes that might give me a reason to support such an idea. For now, at least. But, for me, “for now” is good enough: I’m also alive, for now and, also for now, can see clearly the beauty of the Boreal Autumn’s conflagration of color in the trees outside my windows.

(2) And to those repeatedly stating that Group B can also be afflicted by spyware, if not now, then any time in the future, because MS could put it in the IE11 or the Security Only updates (or in Office, or the MSRT, or…) whenever they wanted to, I say: stop giving pointers to them!

 

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

@OscarCP, I believe your first point exists entirely in your reading, not in the text presented. This site is very well moderated to reflect the standarad set by Da Boss when he writes in every Woody on Windows article some version of

If you’re very concerned about Microsoft’s snooping on you and want to install just security patches, realize that the privacy path’s getting more difficult. The old “Group B” — security patches only — isn’t dead, but it’s no longer within the grasp of typical Windows customers. If you insist on manually installing security patches only, follow the instructions in @PKCano’s AKB 2000003 and be aware of @MrBrian’s recommendations for hiding any unwanted patches.

No where in there is a suggestion of unsafe or not effective. That concept comes from how you read the meaning. Not from the words printed.

Moderators do allow discussion of other viewpoints. But I fear you have a self constructed strawman taunting you. Please link quotes where moderators have allowed false statements to stand when challenged.

1 user thanked author for this post.

woody

Thank you so much for making my point better than I did.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

Sir, you have confused me. Please cite by link anywhere you find

(1) It has been repeatedly said that Group B is no longer an effective, safe way to patch.

Any two instances of this “repeatedly said” will suffice. Thank you.

more difficult
isn’t dead
no longer within the grasp of typical Windows customers

do not convey the same meaning as

no longer an effective, safe way to patch

In fact, copied again for clarity, Woody continuously points to long standing directions

If you insist on manually installing security patches only, follow the instructions in @pkcano’s AKB 2000003 and be aware of @mrbrian’s recommendations for hiding any unwanted patches

Mr Leonhard is respectful enough to not give directions that are “no longer an effective, safe way to patch” on his excellent website or advice column.

This has nothing to do with Woody or MVPs. So, my answer to your appeals, dear Anonymous is: Yes.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

There was no binary question that could yield a “yes” response. I made a statement that has passed moderation, and challenged you to document your claim. Two citations please.

I am confused again as to how “anonymous” is the difficulty here. In response to a vanished post, at this timestamp, all anonymous posts including the OP are one contributor. (seven instances, this included) Written by someone tired of ad homonym distractions. It may be of more benefit to focus on the text than the voice, and respond directly to direct points raised.

But in deference to posted sensitivities, I will relent. I hope that other voices will pick up in support of Group B as maintained.

If you mean ad hominem, Anonymous, do we not here have a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Homonyms are a somewhat different phenomenon, for example post (send a message) and post (after the event).

I hope that it is received peacefully when I point out that

-my spellczecher does not know Latin, I made the hurried reflex response of accepting the top suggestion, failing to proof adequately

-neither of you have chosen to cite examples of your displeasure

-instead you have chosen to mock the hominem instead of the text

If you can also show where I was disrespectful of OscarCP, and not his writing I will apologize profusely and with flourish. But other than all that, well done you.

Hey, folks. No reason to make this personal.

I feel that the vast majority of people who read my stuff are skating on thin ice when they try to manually install the monthly Security-only updates. In other words, Group B is entirely valid (at least to a first approximation), but for most people there are just too many traps.

Gurus should follow their own lead, of course. But for people trying to make heads from tails out of it, Group A is the only way to go. And Group B should first rely on PKCano’s writings in AKB 2000003.

For most, Group B — manually installing Security-only updates — is no longer an effective, safe way to patch. That said, there’s been no indication that the manual Security-only patches include additional telemetry or spyware. The Monthly Rollups are getting plenty of that.

If any of you wish to follow OscarCP’s method, you’re most welcome to give it a whirl. But then you’ll have to rely on OscarCP for assistance should something run afoul.

3 users thanked author for this post.

walker, ch100, OscarCP

Group B is a specific method described by longstanding directions published and updated as needed in AKB 2000003. What you have taken great pains to produce here is your personal interpretation and plan for implementing OscarCP’s monthly update procedure. It shares many features with Group B. It works very well for you, and probably will for anyone who wishes to follow it.

Please explain how it is superior, or should replace the original as linked above.

Many thanks for this, Oscar. I agree, in your place I should not take the argument with “anonymous” (do we know him by another name?) any further either. He/she is only interested in scoring points and tripping you up, not at all in understanding your commitment to your approach to patching. I’m sure more objective contributors will post on this thread soon.

2 users thanked author for this post.

HiFlyer, OscarCP

I have not posted the above because I think it is superior to anyone else’s approach, but merely as a hint and invitation to others to add to this thread their own ideas and, or comments. Thanks for including that link to PKCano’s list.

And also to keep this thread visible in the “Recent Replies” list, so others can discover it right away.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

But you need to see clearly that giving multiple different directions, and calling it “Group B” when it is not, will lead to a future horror show when representatives of this site attempt to help confused users. If your desire is to continue maintaining a Group B list on this website, you are going about it in exactly the wrong way.

Have a dialog with the one MVP who takes great pains in maintaining that list. Suggest any improvement that makes sense to you, one at a time. Be willing to read a response that says the two year old procedure works well as is. But you may find that a quality improvement is accepted and implemented.

Just do not reuse a title already given to a standard procedure. Confusion will result. And you are not Microsoft.

Oh, dear. This is growing tedious. Henceforth,  I am not bothering to answer any further “Anonymous” postings. More particularly: those with a prosecutorial bent directed against me. Because this thread is not about me, it is about something really important: giving others useful (or so one would hope) information on Group B patching.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

1 user thanked author for this post.

HiFlyer