On Windows:
1) Open up an elevated command prompt - that is, Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt, right click and hit "Run as Administrator..." Do any password typing/clicking as needed to gain elevated access.
2) Type in cd %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc
3) Type in notepad hosts
4) Place the following line in: 127.0.0.1 education.ti.com
5) SAVE.
6) Log in or log out, OR reboot. This should let all the processes reread that config. Usually, this isn't necessary - especially if the TI-Nspire Student Software isn't running. If it is, just close it completely and re-open. If you are paranoid, do a reboot.
7) That's it! You're safe! :D

Yes, that works, but for people who are scared of the command prompt, here's another (but equivalent) way.

1) Run notepad as administrator
2) Open C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts with the notepad you opened (be sure to specify "All files (*.*)")
3) Add the following line to the end of the list 127.0.0.1 education.ti.com
4) SAVE.
5) Log in or log out, OR reboot. This should let all the processes reread that config. Usually, this isn't necessary - especially if the TI-Nspire Student Software isn't running. If it is, just close it completely and re-open. If you are paranoid, do a reboot.
6) That's it! You're safe! :D

Alberthrocks, isn't that possible via modifying a file by navigating into Windows system files too? I remember going there to modify an actual hosts file.

Exactly how thepenguin suggested It's a really useful file to know.

For the last year or so, I have heard rumors and remarks about how the TI-Nspire Computer Link Software and the TI-Nspire Student Software, at certain points in time, have upgraded user's TI-Nspires without their permission.

I am wondering if this is really a forced upgrade, for example, when launching the software and connecting your calculator, a forced upgrade that was present at any point or another in previous software versions or if it might have been just a misleading software alert box tricking people into upgrading?

To those who had something like that happening, could you state if such upgrade just launched automatically or if it was due to a mistake from your part? If it was a mistake, could you state what made you upgrade, such as what message/alert box did you get? If it's a common mistake due to a misleading software warning, then maybe there could be some sort of sticky topic warning users about it?

Some people may not want to upgrade to OS 3.2 immediately (and they have every right to decide what gets installed on their calc or not), so it might be good to warn them if any of the forced upgrade or misleading upgrade warning rumors reveals to be true.

I would also like to know myself, because I use Nspire Student Software a lot with my CX and I would hate if it was upgraded without my consent. I know, for example, that in the version of Computer Link that I had, there were two boxes to uncheck to ensure that your calc doesn't get upgraded automatically, and those boxes sometimes would get checked again on next launch, even though you unchecked them before.

Hmm what the Computer Link software does do is that it pops up with a dialogue box telling you that a new version of the OS is available would you like to download and install it. But nothing as covert as just installing the OS without the prompt I think.

since OS release is soon, it should go to News to notify many people about the method.