Problems with Windows

[Phoenix]

It's no secret that Windows has poor security; I think this is mostly related to how Windows handles permissions.

I think Microsoft's first problem is that the first account must be an administrator and subsequently created accounts are automatically administrative as well. I think Microsoft should correct this problem by setting up an Administrator account, invisible to everyone else (which Windows does during setup) which requires a password (which Windows does not).

Every standard user account should be a limited account. Limited accounts should have zero access to registry, and zero write access to the boot drive outside of their home folder.

Limited users should, however, be prompted for the Administrator password if they attempt to open something which requires registry and/or boot drive write access.

Windows should include a decent anti-virus, which can, at user discretion, can be uninstalled completely from the system so long as a new anti-virus is installed within 2 reboots or 3 hours, whichever comes first. If no anti-virus is installed within that time, Windows should refuse to logon without either A) Connecting to Microsoft.com and reinstalling the anti-virus, B) Installing the Microsoft Anti-virus from the Windows DVD, or C) running the anti-virus installer from a third-party security company.

Windows Firewall should have outbound protection.

ActiveX should be put in a sandbox which requires the user to authorize any downloads and/or uploads done by the control.

Except for the AV thing, Windows Firewall, and ActiveX, what does that remind you of?

[LedZap]

Why do I have this feeling that the answer to that will have something to do with Apple?

[Phoenix]

Why do I have this feeling that the answer to that will have something to do with Apple?

In a way, yes, it does. However, it isn't just Mac OS X that implements this type of security. Any *nix operating system uses this type of security. No wonder UNIX-like operating systems are so much more secure.

[Carrot]

MY only problem with windows accounts is that occaisionally vista PMS's and just decides that I'm no longer allowed into my account. It's just not happening for whatever reason. So I have to create a new account ad transfer everythin over, this has happened 5 times over the past 8 months.

Shit arse annoying, especially the first 2 times when I didn't have a back up account ready.

[LedZap]

MY only problem with windows accounts is that occaisionally vista PMS's and just decides that I'm no longer allowed into my account. It's just not happening for whatever reason. So I have to create a new account ad transfer everythin over, this has happened 5 times over the past 8 months.

Shit arse annoying, especially the first 2 times when I didn't have a back up account ready.

Wow....is that common for all Vista users , or do you think you just have a flawed install?

[Phoenix]

MY only problem with windows accounts is that occaisionally vista PMS's and just decides that I'm no longer allowed into my account. It's just not happening for whatever reason. So I have to create a new account ad transfer everythin over, this has happened 5 times over the past 8 months.

Shit arse annoying, especially the first 2 times when I didn't have a back up account ready.

These aren't so much my complaints about how Windows' accounts as much as my complaints about Window's security.

[Carrot]

Wow....is that common for all Vista users , or do you think you just have a flawed install?

Well, when it first happened I phoned up the company I bought my latop from and the first one I talkedto ddn't know anything about it. Asked round the office and apparently it is relatively rare but those in the know are aware its more common than it should be.

One thingto note is I got by laptop when vista was out new, but I don't know how much that has to do with anything.

But it happens at completely random times. Once it happened a week later, but this has been the frst time in over 6 months.

Now I know it might happen I just save important things in the C drive, rather than the myfiles (my music my documents...etc)

[Carrot]

These aren't so much my complaints about how Windows' accounts as much as my complaints about Window's security.

I don't have any problems with security. Have NOD 32 and haven't had any problems.

[Phoenix]

Well, when it first happened I phoned up the company I bought my latop from and the first one I talkedto ddn't know anything about it. Asked round the office and apparently it is relatively rare but those in the know are aware its more common than it should be.

One thingto note is I got by laptop when vista was out new, but I don't know how much that has to do with anything.

But it happens at completely random times. Once it happened a week later, but this has been the frst time in over 6 months.

Now I know it might happen I just save important things in the C drive, rather than the myfiles (my music my documents...etc)
This is another issue with Windows, which you can't really blame the OS for. Windows has to run on possibly a million different models, therefore, it can't fully work on all of them. Perhaps Windows isn't all that compatible with your computer.

I don't have any problems with security. Have NOD 32 and haven't had any problems.
I'm talking about Out-of-the-box security.

[buttless_wonder]

Why do I have this feeling that the answer to that will have something to do with Apple?

Same shit, different name.

[Phoenix]

Same shit, different name.

Huh?

UNIX wasn't anywhere near developed by Apple; UNIX was developed by Bell Labs before Apple even really existed.

[LedZap]

A little while after they invented the transistor.

[Phoenix]

A little while after they invented the transistor.
You probably aren't kidding.

[LedZap]

No , I'm not...check it out. Other strange thing is how the GUI and the mouse were invented by Xerox PARC , before being stolen by Jobs and Gates.

[Phoenix]

No , I'm not...check it out. Other strange thing is how the GUI and the mouse were invented by Xerox PARC , before being stolen by Jobs and Gates.

I actually recognize that, but IMO:
http://www.galaide.org/old_weblog/image/7-AltoST-small.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/Apple_Macintosh_Desktop.png
Apple made it what it is today.

Although, if you think Windows is a complete rip off of the Apple GUI, you should look at GEM:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Gem_11_Desktop.png

[LedZap]

I think Microsoft and Apple COMPLETELY ripped off Xerox.

[Phoenix]

I think Microsoft and Apple COMPLETELY ripped off Xerox.

Well, yes, but that's a bit biased. If you actually knew the story, Steve Jobs saw PARC, immediately returned to Apple, and demanded his entire design team see the Alto. The woman who gave Jobs the demonstration refused until she was given an executive order to do so. The Xerox executives claimed something along the lines of "Xerox is a copy company, not a computer company." If you want to place blame on Apple taking the Xerox GUI, blame it on the Xerox executives for giving the executive order for Steve Jobs' entire design team to see it.

After that, the new Macintosh had no applications compatible with it; application availability was fueling the IBM PC. Steve Jobs had hired Bill Gates and Microsoft to write programs for the Macintosh. While Bill Gates was working for Apple, he had the idea for Windows. As far as I know, Bill Gates never set foot on the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center.

[LedZap]

Well, yes, but that's a bit biased. If you actually knew the story, Steve Jobs saw PARC, immediately returned to Apple, and demanded his entire design team see the Alto. The woman who gave Jobs the demonstration refused until she was given an executive order to do so. The Xerox executives claimed something along the lines of "Xerox is a copy company, not a computer company." If you want to place blame on Apple taking the Xerox GUI, blame it on the Xerox executives for giving the executive order for Steve Jobs' entire design team to see it.

After that, the new Macintosh had no applications compatible with it; application availability was fueling the IBM PC. Steve Jobs had hired Bill Gates and Microsoft to write programs for the Macintosh. While Bill Gates was working for Apple, he had the idea for Windows. As far as I know, Bill Gates never set foot on the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center.

I'm not blaming anyone , I'm just stating that Apple didn't invent anything new , they just stole it from Xerox.And that's why when they sued Microsoft they lost.

[Phoenix]

I'm not blaming anyone , I'm just stating that Apple didn't invent anything new , they just stole it from Xerox.And that's why when they sued Microsoft they lost.

Actually, when Apple sued Microsoft, they lost because the parts of the GUI Apple was defending were not applicable to copyright law, and the other complaints lost because Apple had a license with Microsoft at the time which allowed Microsoft to do certain things.

Apple did, however, win over the trash icon.

[LedZap]

Actually, when Apple sued Microsoft, they lost because the parts of the GUI Apple was defending were not applicable to copyright law, and the other complaints lost because Apple had a license with Microsoft at the time which allowed Microsoft to do certain things.

Apple did, however, win over the trash icon.

The trash icon win was against HP ? Correct ?

[Phoenix]

The trash icon win was against HP ? Correct ?

I believe.

[ShadoWolf]

I think Windowze just puts "walls" all around you, which is the opposite of what they say :p. I'm a linux user, and it constantly gives me headaches that it doesn't let me do stuff, like when AVG didn't wanna uninstall, I had to use msconfig to disable it, then it appeared but killing it worked, which didn't before, then deleted the folders and registry keys.
It's just a resource hog, man... At least Vista...
The default... layout is too fragile. There should be separate normal accounts and a root account secured with a password so malicious bs can't damage the system, just the way it is on *nix (linux, unix, bsd, blehh).
The stupid FAT/NTFS partitions get fragmented too easily. The EXT3 Linux partitions only start to get fragmented when you overfill them.

[Phoenix]

I think Windowze just puts "walls" all around you, which is the opposite of what they say :p. I'm a linux user, and it constantly gives me headaches that it doesn't let me do stuff, like when AVG didn't wanna uninstall, I had to use msconfig to disable it, then it appeared but killing it worked, which didn't before, then deleted the folders and registry keys.
It's just a resource hog, man... At least Vista...
The default... layout is too fragile. There should be separate normal accounts and a root account secured with a password so malicious bs can't damage the system, just the way it is on *nix (linux, unix, bsd, blehh).
The stupid FAT/NTFS partitions get fragmented too easily. The EXT3 Linux partitions only start to get fragmented when you overfill them.

That's what I was saying at the start about security. I've been working with *nix operating systems now for about 2.5 years now, and I wouldn't use Windows as a full-time OS if you paid me.

[You]

Windows Firewall should have outbound protection.



It does, at least in Vista.