Question about apps location data

I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9
(ver 6.3 build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that
with my IP address or something ?

Dave-UK wrote:
I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9 (ver 6.3
build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that with my IP
address or something ?



http://www.skyhookwireless.com/howitworks/submit_ap.php
I have a satnav app on a wifi only iPad. It works fine.

Ed

On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:52:54 -0000, Dave-UK wrote:

I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9
(ver 6.3 build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that
with my IP address or something ?


Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.

However, as I understand it, that is not supposed to be a very specific
or exact relationship. Maybe accurate to which town you're in, under the
best circumstances.

OK, research report:

I Googled "location from ip address" (without the quotes). The first hit
was whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup.

I went there and it gave me the correct IP address, the correct city
name, and a location (latitude & longitude) about 5 miles from where I
am sitting now (desktop computer, i.e., my house).

Then I used Google Earth to actually measure the distance. It's 4.65
miles.

So this may give you a hint :-)

We have no secrets...

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:30:15 -0700, Gene E. Bloch wrote:

On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:52:54 -0000, Dave-UK wrote:

I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9
(ver 6.3 build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that
with my IP address or something ?


Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.

However, as I understand it, that is not supposed to be a very specific
or exact relationship. Maybe accurate to which town you're in, under the
best circumstances.

OK, research report:

I Googled "location from ip address" (without the quotes). The first hit
was whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup.

I went there and it gave me the correct IP address, the correct city
name, and a location (latitude & longitude) about 5 miles from where I
am sitting now (desktop computer, i.e., my house).

Then I used Google Earth to actually measure the distance. It's 4.65
miles.

So this may give you a hint :-)

We have no secrets...

I went back to the report the above site gave me and noticed a link
(i.e., some highlighted text in the first paragraph of the report).
Clicking there brought up a brief write-up about how it works.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message ...

Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.


MSDN provides some explanation on *Location* applicable to User Settings'
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr.../hh768219.aspx
qp
Geographic location is considered personally identifiable information (PII), so to protect user privacy, location is off by default
for each user. The user must enable location services in Control Panel. In Windows 8, the user needs to make only one choice and
does not need to have knowledge of specific location providers. By making one selection in Control Panel, the user can enable or
disable all available location providers, including the Windows Location Provider.
/qp

The above isn't necessarily entirely all encompassing (user must enable in Control Panel) since some apps upon use or installation
will request permission to enable location for full functionality..effectively toggling it 'On'

The MSDN article and Windows 8 provides a good clue to deduce how g
qp
This app has permission to use:
**Your Internet Connection**
/qp

If one looks at Fiddlertool.com
http://www.fiddlertool.com/ua.aspx
Load the above url, scroll down and look at the getComponentVersion routine which should identify 'Your public IP address'
et al - your assigned internet connection.

i.e. Your speculation is spot on!

....and its pretty easy for an app to get the information from Windows.


--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message ...
On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:52:54 -0000, Dave-UK wrote:

I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9
(ver 6.3 build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that
with my IP address or something ?


Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.

However, as I understand it, that is not supposed to be a very specific
or exact relationship. Maybe accurate to which town you're in, under the
best circumstances.

OK, research report:

I Googled "location from ip address" (without the quotes). The first hit
was whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup.

I went there and it gave me the correct IP address, the correct city
name, and a location (latitude & longitude) about 5 miles from where I
am sitting now (desktop computer, i.e., my house).

Then I used Google Earth to actually measure the distance. It's 4.65
miles.

So this may give you a hint :-)

We have no secrets...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team anytime!!
:-)

Dave-UK wrote:

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:52:54 -0000, Dave-UK wrote:

I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9 (ver
6.3 build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that with my
IP address or something ?


Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.

However, as I understand it, that is not supposed to be a very specific
or exact relationship. Maybe accurate to which town you're in, under the
best circumstances.

OK, research report:

I Googled "location from ip address" (without the quotes). The first hit
was whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup.

I went there and it gave me the correct IP address, the correct city
name, and a location (latitude & longitude) about 5 miles from where I
am sitting now (desktop computer, i.e., my house).

Then I used Google Earth to actually measure the distance. It's 4.65
miles.

So this may give you a hint :-)

We have no secrets...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team
anytime!! :-)



"Towards Street-Level Client-Independent IP Geolocation"

http://static.usenix.org/events/nsdi.../Wang_Yong.pdf

So if some web site comes surprisingly close to figuring out where
you are, that could be why.

Paul

Looks like you didn't read my whole post...

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 02:13:22 -0400, ...winston wrote:

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message ...

Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.

MSDN provides some explanation on *Location* applicable to User Settings'
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr.../hh768219.aspx
qp
Geographic location is considered personally identifiable information (PII), so to protect user privacy, location is off by default
for each user. The user must enable location services in Control Panel. In Windows 8, the user needs to make only one choice and
does not need to have knowledge of specific location providers. By making one selection in Control Panel, the user can enable or
disable all available location providers, including the Windows Location Provider.
/qp

The above isn't necessarily entirely all encompassing (user must enable in Control Panel) since some apps upon use or installation
will request permission to enable location for full functionality..effectively toggling it 'On'

The MSDN article and Windows 8 provides a good clue to deduce how g
qp
This app has permission to use:
**Your Internet Connection**
/qp

If one looks at Fiddlertool.com
http://www.fiddlertool.com/ua.aspx
Load the above url, scroll down and look at the getComponentVersion routine which should identify 'Your public IP address'
et al - your assigned internet connection.

i.e. Your speculation is spot on!

Did you read what I wrote under "Research report"?

...and its pretty easy for an app to get the information from Windows.


--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

"Dave-UK" wrote in message eb.com...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team anytime!!
:-)


Lol...If the Seal Team arrives you've a lot more to be concerned about than location use in Windows 8.

--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

Not unless you used or use illegally obtained software

"Dave-UK" wrote in message
eb.com...

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:52:54 -0000, Dave-UK wrote:

I've got Windows 8 Pro (ver 6.2 build 9200) on a desktop box.
I set the weather app to use my home location, a town in the UK.
I've got a spare laptop which I use to test stuff on.
I downloaded a leaked evaluation copy of Windows Blue/Windows 9 (ver 6.3
build 9364) iso and loaded that onto the laptop.
I formatted the hard disk before installation.
I only use local accounts, never Microsoft accounts.

Now the laptop's weather app starts up at my location in the UK.
It's the same with the maps app, it knows where my location is.
How does it know where I am ? Does Microsoft hold the data
about the desktop's apps favourites and is able to match that with my IP
address or something ?


Speculation: it derives your location from the IP address.

However, as I understand it, that is not supposed to be a very specific
or exact relationship. Maybe accurate to which town you're in, under the
best circumstances.

OK, research report:

I Googled "location from ip address" (without the quotes). The first hit
was whatismyipaddress.com/ip-lookup.

I went there and it gave me the correct IP address, the correct city
name, and a location (latitude & longitude) about 5 miles from where I
am sitting now (desktop computer, i.e., my house).

Then I used Google Earth to actually measure the distance. It's 4.65
miles.

So this may give you a hint :-)

We have no secrets...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team
anytime!! :-)

"Andy" wrote in message m...
Not unless you used or use illegally obtained software


Actually this evaluation version of Windows Blue is not worth running.
For one thing the ability to create a system image has been removed.
The 'improvements' seem to be in the Metro area, like snapping multiple
apps open at the same time.

On 3/30/2013 5:25 PM, ...winston wrote:

"Dave-UK" wrote in message
eb.com...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team anytime!!
:-)


Lol...If the Seal Team arrives you've a lot more to be concerned about
than location use in Windows 8.


The "black helicopters" might have a hard time, since the maps showing
street addresses place the address in the woods down the street!

On Mon, 01 Apr 2013 01:28:20 -0400, charlie wrote:

On 3/30/2013 5:25 PM, ...winston wrote:

"Dave-UK" wrote in message
eb.com...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team anytime!!
:-)


Lol...If the Seal Team arrives you've a lot more to be concerned about
than location use in Windows 8.


The "black helicopters" might have a hard time, since the maps showing
street addresses place the address in the woods down the street!

Actually, "they" did it on purpose. "They" know where you are, but those
coming to help you won't be able to find you.

As you can see, my Paranoia Training Course has been going quite well
lately :-)

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

The woods 'down the street' is just a convenient landing spot. If the Seal Team is coming, they've probably more accurate
information than provided by Windows included 'location' finder.



--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps


"charlie" wrote in message ...

On 3/30/2013 5:25 PM, ...winston wrote:

"Dave-UK" wrote in message
eb.com...


As I've paid for a Windows 8 upgrade licence via credit card Microsoft
now knows my email address, my IP address, my home address and my name.
So when I run Microsoft 'evaluation' software which phones home to the
mother ship I can expect the black helicopters with the seal team anytime!!
:-)


Lol...If the Seal Team arrives you've a lot more to be concerned about
than location use in Windows 8.


The "black helicopters" might have a hard time, since the maps showing
street addresses place the address in the woods down the street!

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message ...
Looks like you didn't read my whole post...

qp
Your speculation is spot on!
/qp

--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps