"Al Smith" <invalid@address.com> wrote in message
news:w5V0n.58733$Db2.53903@edtnps83...
> Bruce Hagen wrote:
>>
>> "Al Smith" <invalid@address.com> wrote in message
>> news:dYU0n.58732$Db2.34293@edtnps83...
>>> Bruce Hagen wrote:
>>>> "Al Smith" <invalid@address.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:MIU0n.58727$Db2.33777@edtnps83...
>>>>> I'm thinking of uninstalling Windows Live as a way of lightening my
>>>>> software footprint (and also because it says it is going to collect
>>>>> data on me if I use it). Curiously, when I Google I can't find
>>>>> anything critical about Windows Live. This surprises me. Usually
>>>>> there
>>>>> are tons of critical comments about various Microsoft software
>>>>> products. What gives? Anyone notice this?
>>>>>
>>>>> -Al-
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Windows Live Mail? Windows Live Messenger? Windows Live Hotmail?
>>>> Windows
>>>> Live what?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Windows Live everything.
>>>
>>> -Al-
>>
>>
>> Well, I never heard of Windows Live Everything, or that it gathers
>> information from you. But if you don't need Windows Live Everything, by
>> all means, remove it.
>>
>> I hope you understand my reply, because I don't.
>
>
> When I clicked on a Windows Live component for the first time, a box
> came up informing me that if I ran it, Microsoft would be collecting
> bits of personal information from my computer, and that running it was
> confirmation that I was OK with that. Well, I'm really not OK with that.
> I don't even run cookies when I surf the Web. I can't see that any of
> the Windows Live components are of any value to me, so I've more or less
> decided to remove them. But I decided to check first to see if they have
> caused problems for anyone, or what others have to say about their
> value. I was surprised at the lack of negative comments about the entire
> complex of Windows Live components ... some people don't seem to like
> the e-mail part of it very much, though. Getting rid of Windows Live is
> just part of the software pruning process for me. I always delete
> anything I don't absolutely need and use.
>
> -Al-
I have Windows Live Mail (only) on one of my machines. Nothing else
"Live". Personally, I dislike it completely. I do not care about anything
that MS produces with the "Live" concept. This is more of a preference
choice. IMHO, Windows Live Mail was developed as the developers thought it
should be, and not from the feedback received by OE and WinMail users over
the years.
I believe what you refer to is downloading Windows Live Essentials. That
is what gave you 4 or 5 programs to choose from, WLMail being one of them.
If you have no use for them, then by all means remove them. (I only have
WLMail to help me be of help others, otherwise???).
As far as the data collection goes, nothing personal is included so that
part of your query may be a tad paranoid.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA