Debotnet - tweak Windows (privacy, disable apps)

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hamasaki
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Debotnet - tweak Windows (privacy, disable apps)

#1 Post by hamasaki »

Debotnet
https://www.mirinsoft.com/blog/news/60- ... h-debotnet

Image

The most important features at a glance

Disable telemetry and online features, which send your data (sensitive and not) to Microsoft
Choose which unwanted functions you wish to disable
Uninstall Windows 10’s Built-in Apps
Debotnet will show you what it's doing. You have full control, because the executing code can be viewed in a simple text editor
Debug mode. E.g. the Test mode lets you see which values are twisted in registry, commands executed etc.
Simple scripting engine for adding custom privacy rules
Scripts updated on GitHub
Modern and familiar UI, with template support
Small footprint. No installation required.
Portable
100% Free Software

Download:
https://www.mirinsoft.com/debotnet/send ... 3-debotnet

Github:
https://github.com/Mirinsoft/Debotnet/releases

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webfork
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Re: Debotnet

#2 Post by webfork »

Very nice.  It's like someone wrote up a wish list of all the things I don't want on my machine and wrote it into that first screencap.

Anyway, have you tested this at all?  It looks like it might be still in beta with a release number 0.2.6.

License: Open but non-standard EULA that allows for commercial use and redistribution.

hamasaki
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Re: Debotnet

#3 Post by hamasaki »

Yes, seems to work ok. The screenshot says 'Stable 0.2.7'.

bitcoin
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Re: Debotnet

#4 Post by bitcoin »

looks like its only for Win 10 though :(

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Midas
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Re: Debotnet

#5 Post by Midas »

Debotnet v0.6.0 released (changelog and downloads at https://github.com/Mirinsoft/Debotnet/releases).

Previous release review at www.ghacks.net /2020/02/01/windows-10-privacy-debotnet-0-5-update-brings-massive-improvements/.

Among other tools, Debotnet (https://www.mirinsoft.com/debotnet) proved invaluable with a recent installation of Windows 10 I had to perform on a 3rd party computer -- which, upon finalizing and notwithstanding the reasonably recent hardware, wouldn't do anything at all, not even show the start menu. After much weeding and pruning, the computer was brought up to a fairly usable state.

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webfork
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Re: Debotnet

#6 Post by webfork »

Midas wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:37 am Among other tools, Debotnet (https://www.mirinsoft.com/debotnet) proved invaluable with a recent installation of Windows 10 I had to perform on a 3rd party computer -- which, upon finalizing and notwithstanding the reasonably recent hardware, wouldn't do anything at all, not even show the start menu. After much weeding and pruning, the computer was brought up to a fairly usable state.
Very interesting. I wonder what a privacy tool fixed that standard install had broken?

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webfork
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Re: Debotnet

#7 Post by webfork »

I've done some testing with this program, both with the "recommended" set (green box items) and a more thorough process with some positive results. I also really loved that (on one device) Windows Defender decided it was a serious Trojan, but checking with VirusTotal showed only one other scanner as even problematic. It's the first time I've come across a program identified as a security threat that was sort of a reverse advertisement.

I'm also pleased that it's not only open source, but uses native Windows PowerShell scripts, and that it shows a detailed log of changes. It may not be the most intuitive program, but that's some real transparency.

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vevy
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Re: Debotnet

#8 Post by vevy »

webfork wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 7:59 pm I'm also pleased that it's not only open source, but uses native Windows PowerShell scripts, and that it shows a detailed log of changes. It may not be the most intuitive program, but that's some real transparency.
It is not, I believe. The scripts may be, but the program itself is not. They just use GitHub for project management and releases, like here: https://github.com/mirinsoft/CloneApp#c ... umentation

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Midas
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Re: Debotnet

#9 Post by Midas »

webfork wrote: I wonder what a privacy tool fixed that standard install had broken?

A zillion under-the-hood non-essential (mostly telemetry and online services related) processes from what I could muster.

Sorry for the late reply, your question slipped me by.

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webfork
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Re: Debotnet

#10 Post by webfork »

vevy wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 8:15 pm It is not, I believe
Sigh. Yeah I gotta stop taking stuff posted to Github or SF as being automatically open. All the scripts are definitely open (and you can download and modify them from the Github page as you see fit), but you are correct: the program itself is not. It also has a successor program that is also not open.

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Midas
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Re: Debotnet

#11 Post by Midas »

Please note that, although both developed by Mirinsoft, Debotnet isn't the same as CloneApp.

The later is intended to supersede the former -- you won't stray far from the truth by assuming that is more of a way for the dev to cash in on the success of Debotnet by switching to a closed source product, IMHO. As at least some of those PS scripts were harvested from various web-sources and integrated under the Debotnet interface, it would be rather more difficult to monetize it.

Today, I have decided first to pause the development of Debotnet (critical bugs I would still close if necessary) and focus completely on SharpApp as successor. Debotnet will not get updated script files for the upcoming Windows 10 versions, 20H1 and 20H2 and it will be in second step abandoned this year.

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webfork
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Re: Debotnet

#12 Post by webfork »

Wanted to update this thread and say I had some real trouble with Debotnet with (nearly) all the disable options selected. A sister system with only the processes marked "recommended" worked fine. In any case, i'm currently using WPD with everything turned off and so far so good.

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Re: Debotnet - tweak Windows (privacy, disable apps) [discontinued]

#13 Post by webfork »

Update here: the author has posted that this program is now discontinued (https://github.com/builtbybel/debotnet/releases) and is pointing users to Privatezilla (https://github.com/builtbybel/privatezilla)

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