Of course, things don’t work right yet. Vista is still in beta. Problem is, these sound like alpha-level bugs. Assuming they aren’t supposed to work this way, of course.
Security feature in Microsoft’s new Windows could drive users nuts
An annoying surprise awaits 2 million consumers expected to enthusiastically step forward in the next few weeks to help Microsoft test its new Windows Vista PC operating system.
Beta 2 testers can expect to encounter an obtrusive security feature, called User Account Control (UAC). Designed to prevent intruders from performing harmful tasks, the feature grays out the computer screen, then prods you to confirm that you really want to do certain functions.
In early test versions, the queries crop up so often that they interrupt routine tasks, such as changing the time clock or deleting shortcuts. And UAC sometimes triggers an endless loop of dialogue boxes that can be curtailed only by rebooting, says Paul Thurrott, news editor of Windows IT Pro magazine.
“Microsoft completely botched UAC,” Thurrott says. “It’s almost criminal in its insidiousness.”
Microsoft counters that refinements are being continually made. “The final product will be very usable and have a good balance of security,” says Windows senior product manager Alex Heaton.
Peskiness is a given with any release of WIndows. And of course Microsoft will have some bogus study telling them that this is what consumers want.
There was a FoxTrot comic a few years back where one of the characters made an OS and diliberately included bugs as a method to encourage upgrades …
Changing the clock is considered routine?
The real solution, however, is to default users as limited users. Granted, software vendors will have to update their software, but this has been the case since Windows 2000 (or even NT 4) was released in 1999. Of course, there will always be a few legacy applications floating around the require special treatment.
Chris, that is what they are doing. But they want to give you the power to make changes on the fly with out logging out and back in and that is what has been so poorly implemented.
On my first attemp to use the Feb CTP, I joind a Vista computer to a W2K3 native domain and I was prompted for local admin credentials 4 times while attempting to log in as a domain admin. I’m sure it is better now, but requiring everyone to know a local admin password to log in is, well, insecure.
It’s not a bug!
It’s a feature!
MS wants the home user to buy an Xbox, they are making Vista to please control freak corporate types only. That’s why they are losing money on the Xbox.
Does it sound any different to using a *nix system? No! If you need to do Administrative tasks you SHOULD be asked for the administrator password. Why does Joe Blow need to change the system time?
When I worked in IT we HAD to block users from changing settings otherwise they would fiddle and break it. Thank God Microsoft have realised that a computer is basically a server and everyone doesn’t have to have admin rights. They did this in XP but badly, hopefully Vista will be more like *nix in that regard.
Cris I agree with you in a corporate setting but on my home PC I do not need or want this “feature”
I pay for the hardware. I rent the software and yet they want to control how I use it. Asking for an admin password is acceptable for some functions. Why they feel they have to hide things is beyond me. Instead of letting me save a password I’m forced to enter it every time. The excuse it increased security. So I save it in a file and then cut and paste it. Now it”s really secure. The Microsoft faithful follow the Gospel because the have a vested interest in it. Can you say MCSE? Why make something then cripple it? Oh yea everybody in the church of Microsoft gets a cut.