how do i COMPLETELY stop my computer from updating!?!?

Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.

I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that assertion. Making daily system images has always been compulsory. All it takes is one wrong keystroke, one unfortunate configuration setting, one bad judgement ... to say nothing about one jolt of static electricity or a hard drive failure ... and your computer becomes nothing more than a paperweight.

If anything, Windows has become more reliable over the years. Since you've been using Windows as long as I have, you remember the days when the conventional wisdom was to reinstall Windows every year, when plug and play was 'plug and pray,' and "A fatal exception OE has occurred in VXD VFAT(01) ..."

Since you seem to think that I am a Microsoft supporter, let me disabuse you of that thought. Microsoft is an arrogant, aggressive, self-centered monopoly. Don't think that makes them unique. Neither Apple, nor Google, nor Microsoft give two cr*aps about you and me. But, I don't believe that posts in this forum from people who don't know how to use a computer in the first place (and don't think they need to) are in any way representative.

Personally, I've found that having a "steady state" operating system works quite well.  The last time I got a blue screen error before Windows 10 was with Windows ME.  The last time I had to reinstall Windows was also Windows ME if I remember correctly.  Windows XP, Vista, and 7 all worked fine for me.  The major complaint I've had for years it the stupid "user account" crap they force us to have on our computers.  That gave IT techs a new "go-to" way to blame the user, "be sure to do it as an Administrator".  Every time I hear that I want to strangle someone.  It would be different if we actually had a decent set of tools to actually configure user accounts.  You can (or used to be able to) get those tools for an extra $100.

I used to work for a company that had in around 100,000 computer users world wide, it varies between layoffs and hiring.  The last I heard, in 2016 I believe, they were still using Windows XP with no plans to move to Windows 10.  When your system has to be validated you can't have updates come in at random.  I haven't the faintest idea what they will end up doing (or ended up doing), personally, I don't care.

I completely agree with your assertion that Microsoft and others don't give a crap about us.  No corporation does.  They ONLY do things they believe will increase their profits.  Microsoft has a monopoly so they just do whatever they want to.  I participated in a market study for Windows 8 before it's release.  The results were overwhelmingly negative yet they released on schedule.  Now in fairness I don't recall who ran the market study but it had all the stupid tiles and crap.

I find the new model of subscription services, data collection on customers, and almost forced use of cloud services quite infuriating.  I'm sure it's profitable but that doesn't mean we have to like it.

Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.

I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that assertion. Making daily system images has always been compulsory. All it takes is one wrong keystroke, one unfortunate configuration setting, one bad judgement ... to say nothing about one jolt of static electricity or a hard drive failure ... and your computer becomes nothing more than a paperweight.

If anything, Windows has become more reliable over the years. Since you've been using Windows as long as I have, you remember the days when the conventional wisdom was to reinstall Windows every year, when plug and play was 'plug and pray,' and "A fatal exception OE has occurred in VXD VFAT(01) ..."

Since you seem to think that I am a Microsoft supporter, let me disabuse you of that thought. Microsoft is an arrogant, aggressive, self-centered monopoly. Don't think that makes them unique. Neither Apple, nor Google, nor Microsoft give two cr*aps about you and me. But, I don't believe that posts in this forum from people who don't know how to use a computer in the first place (and don't think they need to) are in any way representative.

I have used MS operating systems since the pioneer days of DOS 2.0. Windows for Workgroups - terrible. Windows 95/98 - terrible. Windows NT - basic but solid, and so on. Win10 is probably the most stable Windows operating system ever. 

I also used to be a staunch Microsoft supporter, much like you. Alas, the perpetual Windows 10 automatic update problems have affected my view. This is a qualitative assessment that is gradually creeping up on me and that I cannot back up with a quantitative analysis. Microsoft might claim that 999 out of 1000 upates go through without a hitch. In my position I often get that 1 out of 1000 PCs. It did not happen under Windows 7. Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.

Windows 7 was the most stable I've used.  A version I was deprived of in the middle of the night.

I have used MS operating systems since the pioneer days of DOS 2.0. Windows for Workgroups - terrible. Windows 95/98 - terrible. Windows NT - basic but solid, and so on. Win10 is probably the most stable Windows operating system ever. 

I also used to be a staunch Microsoft supporter, much like you. Alas, the perpetual Windows 10 automatic update problems have affected my view. This is a qualitative assessment that is gradually creeping up on me and that I cannot back up with a quantitative analysis. Microsoft might claim that 999 out of 1000 upates go through without a hitch. In my position I often get that 1 out of 1000 PCs. It did not happen under Windows 7. Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.