In the process of updating the seldom used desktop with Windows 7 (a 48 hour process), suddenly that desktop now qualifies for a Windows 10 Free Update ?? AFTER July 29? Nooo... make it stop... :D
I have had a computer since 94 or 95 and started with Window 95. Windows XP and Windows 7 have been the best and most stable for me. I have Windows 7 64 bit on my desktop and laptop. Last summer I got an announcement that I qualified for an "OPTIONAL" update to Windows 10. From all I had read and heard from others, I didnt want it. I have always had my Windows Update set to Notify me of updates, but let me choose. At first, the Windows 10 updates began showing up as Optional, but few weeks later it disappeared, but if I saw a Recommended Windows 7 update that I decided to use and clicked ok on it, it would auto start downloading Windows 10. I immediately stopped the download. Microsoft had imbedded the auto upgrade in my Windows 7 updates. So much for "Optional"! I tried everything I know to get rid of it to no avail. Long story short, I finally found a Free program someone created named GWX10 (GetWindows10). I downloaded it and it removed all traces of of the sneaky software that Microsoft put on my computer and continues to monitor if they try it again.....Thank Goodness! Since then I can download and install what updates I want for my Windows 7.
I'm really sick of companies like Microsoft and Google trying to control your computers. My SIL gave my wife a Samsung Tablet for Christmas a year ago, and Google would not let you use it until you signed up for a Google email address? She plays some games on her tablet, but they will not work on the tablet saying it needed Flash Player. I found out that Google stopped allowing Adobe Flash player for Android so you have to use Google and play their games. They are also connected in some way because if you block google on her game on our computer, it also blocks Adobe on her game and it stops playing. I think they work together to gather personal info.
I saw on the news this week that Google is going to stop reading your emails and go to an algorithm system to read your emails for trends or products your talking about to sell mailing lists to ad companies. It said they had been reading emails since 2004. That should be illegal, IMO!!
I also have been using a NO tracking free program that seems to be blocking attempts by various tracking websites to gather information off my computer.