Probably not much point in disabling that. Disabling downloads from other machines on the web makes more sense if you have a data cap or are charged per MB, which is common in some countries. It's not really a privacy-related change as far as I can see.
The ironic part is that people have just become accustomed to (or ignorant of) the way data is gathered from your average Android phone. Everyone is upset about Win10, but little attention is given to Android and the associated ecosystem of apps.
The guide shows how to disable sending updates from your computer to other computers on your LAN or on the Internet. It doesn't suggest disabling updates anywhere...
I doubt there are enough people who care. Google has already proved that seemingly benevolent spying is a highly profitable business model. Most people aren't bothered, or even know, that they are being "Scroogled". Microsoft is just following suite. Sadly it seems to be a sign of things to come.
> Compared to my Android phone Windows 10 is absolutely mute.
I think this says more about Android than it does about Windows 10. Windows 10 has crazy defaults, but so does android and many android apps want access to my info for no good reason (e.g. news apps wanting access to list my accounts, my phone number, my contacts, precise location etc.). Comparing privacy defaults of Windows to Android is not comparing it to a particularly high bar.
> Because there is a difference between "can voluntarily use" and "is rammed down your throat".
I got gmail rammed down my throat pretty hard when I needed to install an app from the play store on my Android phone... Google search was also front and center on the home screen.
>> updates hadn't installed automatically because Windows Update was too busy advertising Windows 10
> That does not make much sense, if any.
I saw exactly the same thing. The entire updates to install section in the Windows update(s) app was covered over by a big green update to Windows 10, and that was after I cancelled my Windows 10 reservation. I eventually just downloaded the damn thing, but haven't installed it yet.
I've currently got a system with the Windows 10 downloaded, but I am hesitant to actually proceed with the (up?)grade. Like many people I assumed that it was just the same old Windows with more enhancements, not something with batshit crazy privacy defaults, that even when disabled still leak data.
Until recently Microsoft had taken a far more reasonable approach to privacy than say Google. Anyone remember the MS "gmail man" ads mocking the way Google inspects your email when MS doesn't? It seems that MS under Nadella has taken a decidedly Google-like turn away from privacy with Windows 10. MS seems as hell-bent as Google and Facebook to collect as much data about you as possible, even if it is for seemingly innocuous purposes.
Very few people will read the privacy terms. Just because they have a document people clicked 'agree' below without reading doesn't mean that MS should not be held to account for what Windows 10 is leaking. For many users not using Windows isn't an option.