Microsoft = Big Brother

[mr_a500]

There are far more things to worry about than just the index.dat. If you want to keep your activities private on a Windows computer, you've got to do lots of work. Microsoft "privacy features" like deleting cache or history never do a proper job of deleting everything (and I've seen many cases where it did absolutely nothing). There are hundreds of records (browsing, recent files, log files, temp, indexing, etc) kept in hundreds of locations. Take a look at the registry (and have a barf bag handy).

Whenever I wanted to "clean" my computers at work (cleaning hidden records, nothing else), I had to spend about an hour deleting files and editing the registry.

(bill gates just called to remind me i missed a toe while clipping my toenails the other day; ill have to remeber to cover my webcam)

:-D That was the little toe on your left foot, right? Yeah, I saw that too, but knew Bill would remind you so I didn't bother. (your sock has a hole in it too)

[mr_a500]

Dynamite is ultimate privacy.

Oh, you ARE naive. They could still get your DNA from the bits blown onto (or through) the walls, ceiling and floor. You'd need an explosive that not only destroys your DNA structure, but even disguises any potentially identifying base elements.
"Ha ha! Now they'll never get my information!" BOOM!!!
(damn... what about the record made when you bought the explosive?)

Seriously though, of any computer system I have ever known, Windows is by far the least "safe". Microsoft might be getting better at security (from external attacks), but it is getting WORSE at allowing the user to see and easily remove and/or disable activity logging.

[mr_a500]

I am shocked at the number of people who don't even know how to really delete a file from Windoze (XP or otherwise).

I am shocked by the number of people who don't read entire threads before posting. Deleting a file is not the point. The point is that there are hundreds of files in hundreds of locations that you have to find. I'm not just talking about internet cache. I'm talking about ALL activity logging.

Learn to work with the registry! and your fairly safe.

Learn to work with the registry? Learn to work with the REGISTRY???!? It doesn't matter how much you learn it (and I know it inside out), the registry is still a convoluted trashbin. Once again, it is not only about knowing HOW, but knowing WHERE the logging information is.

I don't claim that all this logging information is for Microsoft to spy on people as the thread title suggests (although Microsoft have been guilty of spying many times). My point is that anyone with access to your computer will have a total record of everything you ever did if they just check the logging.

... or just get a Mac.

Best suggestion so far. I wish I could find a job where they used Macs instead of Windows. But it's probably only a matter of time before Macs start doing activity logging everywhere too. At least they don't have that stupid registry. The registry has to be the single dumbest OS "feature" ever made.