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Thank you, that is exactly what I needed. :^) gene

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Alex5723

I have uninstalled it in all the ways mentioned. What I’d like is a registry entry to prevent it from being installed again. :^)

I don’t travel outside the US and if I do a video call it’s on my Apple devices, do have Skype there. I just don’t want it on my Windows desktop. I can uninstall it, I just would like to prevent Update from reinstalling it without permission.

My registry only goes this far:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\

the rest of that is nowhere to be found. I tried pasting a snip of it in here but couldn't.

Using an HP Pavilion desktop as my main machine, Win 10 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB hard drive, 2TB external backup device. Purchased 11/18, the previous one has 8GB RAM and is a backup but can’t upgrade to Windows 11.

My main machine is still running fine, I expect it will until support for Win 10 ends. I like having a desktop, I’m retired, no need to take my desktop stuff with me as I’ve an iPhone 16 and the latest generation iPad Pro, both of which sync with my password manager and I can get to any apps I use on my desktop via the iPhone or iPad – use both of those to cast streaming services to my Sony Bravia.

I like my setup, it works for me, but six years on a desktop is a lot, Update keeps pushing 11 on me, but I don’t want it. I’ll most likely look for another Pavilion in a year when Win 10 ends. I’ve used 11, helping friends with things, but am still annoyed it even exists as 10 was supposed to be forever. Probably the main reason I’ve not upgraded it. If they’re still affordable next year, open question that one.

Yes, I found the review interesting and do hope you continue to offer it annually. Thank you!

I’ve had a desktop for 30 years, retired at 74 and expect I will always prefer a desktop, waiting until I replace this one to switch to 11, this is 10 Pro, 16GB Ram, 1 tb drive, 2 TB external drive.

I did have a MacBook but never got comfortable with the command structure, so sold it. I’ve had an iPhone since the 4 and do quite a bit on it, I’ve also got an iPad Pro, 12.9 screen that doubles as a laptop, the functionality being much the same only through apps, rather than programs. But for anything heavy duty I prefer the desktop with my 32 inch HD monitor, older eyes have trouble with small screens. I use the iPhone when out and about, don’t really need to carry a wallet given its features, my whole life is in that thing address book, banking, and more. I use the iPad for evenings when I’m in my living room not my upstairs office where the desktop lives and I am looking forward to the big changes coming to it this year, I use it with the Apple case/keyboard, so typing on it is as easy as on my desktop, the smaller screen is what keeps me from using it more – and that annoyance that Apple does not allow extensions that I find invaluable on my desktop on any browser but Safari.

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Will Fastie

I had the good fortune to get a lifetime license to Malwarebytes Pro back when they offered if for $25. It can be transferred to each new desktop as I replace old ones. They support it as if I were paying their annual fee still. Amazing company. I asked them about this a while back and they recommended Patch My PC, LLC. I’ve found that it works beautifully and run it at least bi-weekly. As far as I know it’s free too, I’ve never been billed for using it. :^)

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SueW

Somehow lost my post. I found Heinlein and Asimov in my teens in the early 60’s. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a masterpiece. Love all of their work, including their early pieces as I found them. I’ve recently been rereading the Robot novels given the attention AI is getting these days, wonderful books. Daneel also appears in the last of the Foundation series.

There are a plethora of AI apps out there, mimicking sentience, but definitely without it, on both the App and Play stores. I’ve looked at those and had a long discussion with ChatGPT about the possibility of humanoid robots with something like the Three Laws, it insisted we do not have the technology for anything like a positronic brain nor will we in at least a century.

That said, we don’t want a Terminator situation either so though all AI is software, and I’ll admit I’m not truly conversant with neural networks, nor LLMs, it seems that one of the challenges facing us all is to ensure these systems, their software, has built in safeguards of some kind to prevent any scenario in which AI acts against humanity. I think that’s a real concern and certainly given some of the things I’ve seen, including LLM chatbots I’ve looked at, possible. Something we need be very careful with as what we don’t know can indeed harm us. Very nice, and timely, article, Will. Thanks.

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Noel Carboni, rc primak, Will Fastie

True, some systems mimic it pretty well. But nothing approaches The Bicentennial Man, a great movies starring Robin Williams, based on one Isaac’s short stories.

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rc primak

Grok. Stranger in a Strange Land, one of Heinlein’s masterpieces, read so often I practically have it memorized – and SO much of it mirrored in the world today.

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Noel Carboni, rc primak

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is one of my favorite Heinlein novels, he and Isaac I found as a teen in the early 60’s, love their work, but in particular I love Isaac’s works, all of them, and Robot novels, which I have recently reread (Daneel who appears in them also appears in the conclusion of the Foundation series) give the wide attention currently being paid to AI including the plethora of AI based chatbots filling the App and Play stores, with Replika perhaps being the most popular at present and also beset with all manner of problems.

We don’t want a Terminator situation here, so I discussed this idea in some depth with ChatGPT. It is of the opinion that we do not have the technology, nor will we in the next century, to create humanoid robots with anything like positronic brains. As you point out, what we have is software, but how do we ensure that humans remain firmly in control of that to the benefit, not the end, of humanity? Not a question that is going to go away anytime soon. MalwareBytes in an article last week did an interesting piece about how it “tricked” ChatGPT into writing Malware – sort of. There are hazards.

Very nice article, thank you.

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wavy

I do the same. I use my own modem (Comcast approved) which I buy and have been using Cisco routers for years with no issues at all – well once, I was bottle necked by using a 1GB router, upgrading to a 2GB Cisco router solved that. Only when I first got broadband did I use a Comcast modem and that was a mistake, which I’ve never made again.

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SupremeLaW

I was fortunate to get a lifetime license, for one pc but transferable as I replace my desktops, to Malwarebytes Pro for $30. They still support it as I were paying their now annual full price subscription. It’s a software firewall, anti virus, anti malware solution that works in smooth conjunction with Windows Defender. Have never had a virus or piece of malware make it to any machine I’ve ever owned going back 30 years. Easy to use, runs an automatic scan daily and is always on. I use their browser extension too, free, on all browsers. Just my two cents. :^)

I just wanted to say thanks for today’s edition. I’ve been a subscriber forever, well, actually came to you when Fred merged with you. Just a wonderful look behind the scenes. I’m impressed with your dad as I’m 73 and have genetics that will take me well into my 90’s as well. I use primarily a Windows Desktop, older eyes need the large HD monitor, and iOS devices do not allow the extensions vital to my every day usage. I do have an iPhone 14 Pro Max and a year old iPad Pro 12.9, with the magic case which I use a lot in the evenings downstairs when not at my desktop – I have several streaming services, some available on my Bravia, some only on my Apple devices which I can cast to my Bravia. I would like to put in a plug for Apple support – I had for years a MacBook Pro laptop, but after retirement just wasn’t using it for anything, but they supported it until I sold it back to them this past summer. Their customer service app is outstanding, they can remote in to either device and though not controlling anything, walk me through every step I need to find the particular spot I need to fix whatever it is I need, if the first level can’t, they boot me right to a senior tech who can. I’ve just never gotten better customer service anywhere. I’ve been in love with tech since 1981 when I was using an IBM 3270 to program management reports from an IBM mainframe in a language that doesn’t even exist anymore. But I’ve never had a better resource for all things tech than this newsletter. I’m just grateful you exist and that you are so wonderful in all that you do. So, thanks to you, Susan, for being here for us. :^) Yeah, still like old school text emojis.

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wavy, Will Fastie, LH, Norio

I was just wondering if you had ever considered Sublime Text for your HTML needs? It’s a very good program I use myself and have for several years. Great edition today. Thank you.

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Will Fastie