Private Winten - Open Source Windows 10 privacy tool with built in Firewall

Make this unpack to folder in C: drive ( ex. C:\PrivateWin10) or other place but in folder do not try from desktop unpack. I test in VM all is ok on Windows 7 Pro with Sp1.

 

you are missing System.Windows.Controls.Ribbon.dll

 

Guys! What do you think?
Are the buttons to the side of the rule list and the bottom lists a good UI concept?
Or should I move this functionality to the ribbon toolbar?

Cheers
David X.

 

No ribbon please.

 

Last time you posted a screenshot, I replied here with "Eww Ribbon" and got moderated about not being on topic or some-such, guess I'll take this as another chance to express my dislike for Ribbon UI. Eww Ribbon.

 

Okay... why?

Whats so bad about the ribbon UI?
Only the fact that you don't see all the options all the time?
Or is there more?

 

It takes up an immense amount of space which on a small screened laptop can actually be really irritating...

People stick to their habits, they don't like to change and have to relearn where everything is, Ribbon UI is/was change for the sake of change. It's like an overstuffed refrigerator, a maze only navigable by your home's primary cook.

To flip the question around. What about Ribbon UI makes it innovative? What qualities about it make it a good user interface?

 

Well this is surely true, change without obvious massive benefits is always disruptive.
But this argument only applies to an established UI people learned how to use, and not to a completely new tool that is still under development.

Well for once you can use larger control elements than in regular toolbar, for example the Category Filter list I put in to the new builds. This ability is quite useful.

You can have more toolbar elements in total without the toolbar area becoming too large, through the ability of having multiple toolbar tabs.
But in my opinion this is quite a bit more cumbersome as one don't see all the toolbar options at once.
So this aspect has advantages but also drawbacks.

An other aspect that has advantages but also drawbacks.
Is the ability to create larger buttons, making often used functions quicker accessible. less aiming with a mouse.
But at the cost of wasting a lot of space.

 

New release: https://github.com/DavidXanatos/priv10/releases/tag/v0.55
New build with many improvements, see change-log for details.

[0.51] - 2019-11-10
Added

• added tweaks to disable visual studio telemetry
• when closing priv10 from tray now it prompts if the user wants to stop the priv10 service
• programs.xml and tweaks.xml is now auto saved every 15 minutes
• added rule context menu
• added command to restore rules detected as changed
• added command to approve rules detected as changed
• program list cleanup not removed not longer existing programs
• added access filter to view options
• added socket type filter to socket list
• added access column to socket list
• apps/services/groupes in dropdown are now sorted alphabetically

Changed

• moved rule quick actions to ribbon (commands are also avialavle form context menu)
• moved panel filter options to toolbar form sidebar
• reworked change notifications
• rule change notifications now display the resolved name when possible

Fixed

• issues with some tweak definitions
• blocked/allowed connetion display was mixed up
• fixed minor issue with event log notificaiton
• fixed issue when changing rule guard mode
• fixed crash bug in notifications
• fixed issue adding apps

 

New build with many improvements and changes, its not thoroughly tested hence marked as prerelease.
Download: https://github.com/DavidXanatos/priv10/releases/tag/v0.57

[0.57] - 2019-11-16
Added

• a few new tweaks
• added windows 8 and newer address keywords
• added app context menu option to uninstall the client (remove service, autorun, event log)
• added -help command to show all available console commands

Changed

• on windows 8 and above the "Internet" address keyword is used for rules, instead of a manually assembled range
• rule lookup now properly handles the interface type parameters
• improved special address handling
• priv10 is now by default only using the windows event log when being installed as a service

Fixed

• fixed issue with grouping combobox
• fixed issue with original rule backup

 

A small progress update on priv 10...

I'm working on build 0.60 which will feature a build in DNS proxy, basically a pi-hole (https://pi-hole.net/) running locally that is very useful as it makes the DNS filtering approach to Privacy and Ad Blocking available for mobile computers that connect to many different networks often not featuring a pi-hole of their own.

I think this is a really great addition contributing a lot to a holistic privacy approach.

Also I have a small pool for you what do you prefer
a) many small builds often possibly with more bugs and or un ready features
or
b) a few bigger more mature updates from time to time even if that takes weeks to finish
?

 

personally I prefer b

 

This new build includes a major new feature, a DNS proxy that can be used to blacklist domains using Pi-Hole blacklists, as well as a manual wildcard and regex supporting blacklist. Using priv10 as system wide DNS proxy ensures effective domain blocking as some MSFT components are known to bypass the regular system hosts file and query DNS servers directly, with a DNS proxy intercepting the requests this bypass becomes ineffective.
The default blacklists contain a lot of ad blocking such that in addition to improved privacy the new feature provides system wide ad blocking.

Download: https://github.com/DavidXanatos/priv10/releases/tag/v0.60

## [0.60] - 2019-11-30

### Added
- added DNS proxy to monitor all DNS requests
- added ability to set priv10 as system DNS
- added DNS Query Log based on DNS Proxy events
- added system DNS cache monitor
- added dns proxy page
- added dns querry log
- added dns blacklist/whitelist page
- added dns blocklists page
- added blocklist update mechanism

### Changed
- reworked DNS Inspector class
- changed from tne .NET reverse dns facility to using native windows API's for better performance
- dns inspector can now be switched on or off

### Fixed
- issue where the accept button in the notifiction window would get disabled again
- issue with aplpyung rules when some rules were already present for the given programm
- issue saving gpo's, sometimes it failed with a file is in use error
- issue where file blockign tweaks were never shown as available after a recent change

 

Your perseverance is admirable.

B)

 

You need to add a button to view the Connections log and Open Sockets in full screen, or in a separate window in full screen.

 

I see how that would be useful, but as this display depends on whats selected its a bit strange to have it full screen, how about this:
When you pull the splitter between rules and log far enough up it would remove the rules panel and make it yet an other tab next to the connection log. This way its almost full screen but you still see on the side what programs are selected?

also:

Bugfix release: https://github.com/DavidXanatos/priv10/releases/tag/v0.60.1

[0.60.1] - 2019-12-01
Added

• added upstream dns diplay to the dns proxy page

Fixed

• fixed critical hang issue when not using the system event log
• issue where a custom upstream dns would not be displayed
• fixed issues with copying text from datagrids

 

Okay, let it stay as it is.
1. When closing the PWT, it remains to hang in the processes, it is necessary to kill through the process manager. Win 10 x64.
2. Custom size and position not saved for main window.
3. Custom column sizes are not saved in Connection Notification Windows.

4.
5. What correctly, v0.60.1 or v0.60a?
The program has improved significantly, I wish you success.

 

So here is a preview on the new UI: https://youtu.be/pcLpmBF2Tyo

1. I known looking into it.
2. I cant reproduce that one here this seams to work, although may be correlated to issue 1
3. Will be fixed in the next build
4. will be fixed in the next build
5. I mentioned to make it v0.60.1 but the code that generates the version string did nto support that at that time, will be improved for future builds

 

Video unavailable
This video has been removed by the user

 

new link: https://youtu.be/pcLpmBF2Tyo
I forgot to show the tree expanding in the other one

 

So a staggering amount of 14 viewers on the video, do you like it do you hate it whats your opinion?

 

If there is no other solution, then your proposed option is also acceptable.
For the connection log it is important to increase the horizontal field of view. The connection log is what the user browses most often.
But resizing with the mouse is a very inconvenient and unfriendly decision only if nothing else can be done.
Is it possible to make control buttons to get a full-screen view of the connection log?

And include the mouse pointer in the video, it will be more clear.

 

I like the option and its already implemented.

But I can add more solutions:
1) double click on the splitter between 2 and 3 will toggle between full height and split mode
2) I will replace the "Show All" check box with a drop down menu "View Mode" containing options "Normal" "Show All" and "Full Screen" which will put everything into tabs providing a full screen view for all lists.
3) pulling the splitter between 1 and 2,3 all the way to the left will move the rules from 2 to the tabs in 3 and move the program tree to where the rules were, resulting in full width for the log but still a program selection dependent split view.

How does that sound?

 

Sounds good, but:
1. In the separator (splitter) you need to aim to hit the mouse, you must agree, this is inconvenient.
2. At the same time, you have a half-empty Ribbon panel, so fill it with buttons instead of falling into the separator, and refuse the drop-down menu, it is better to implement it with separate buttons.