For Windows 7, Microsoft has made some changes to User Account Control to counter the criticism that UAC was too intrusive. It didn't take long before several holes were poked in Windows 7's default UAC settings, and now one is left to wonder: is it wise to sacrifice security for (perceived?) usability? Ars has an editorial that deals with this question.
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Member since:2006-07-04
I'm with you.
UAC isn't a big deal at all. Maybe it is for those that change their settings every 15 minutes, but those types of people know how to turn UAC off, make their changes, then turn it back on.
Microsoft is caving to the idiotic tech media and slashdot-types that hyperbolized the UAC issue. These groups don't exactly have Microsoft's best interests at heart (quite the contrary, they root against Microsoft every single day), so why is Microsfot caving in to them? Absolutely pathetic weak-knee'ed management on Microsoft's part. Additionally, Apple vastly exaggerated about the issue in their ads, and rather than call Apple out on it, the tech media applauded Apple.
Microsoft needs to get a backbone (it's sadly lacking at that company) and leave UAC the way it is in Vista. There's nothing at all wrong with it.
Microsoft makes so many bone-headed decisions based on BS rather than science (I use that term in its broadest sense).
Normally when an edtiorial like this appears (from a credible source), a Microsoft developer or program manager working on the issue will respond in a blog. So we may see counter-arguments to the editorial. I still see nothing wrong with Vista's UAC.
Member since:2007-09-06
Vista was pretty broken previous to it but word is that SP1 corrects a number of issues. I believe it also relaxes UAC a little. I'm guessing that between the relaxed triggers and apps slowly being ported to Vista rather than continuing to behave int he older Windows way causes the reduction in "allow or deny".
I can't comment on Win7 directly as I was too late (or early) too the website for my beta copy. It looks nice where I've seen it installed but haven't had a chance to poke at it myself.
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Member since:
2008-10-09
I just switched from a Mac to a computer running Windows Vista SP1. Maybe they changed things in SP1 but I don't find the UAC a hassle at all. It's not it asks every time I want to move a folder or delete something.
Maybe people were used to no prompts and saw this whole new thing and freaked.
Vista has some issues but I never had an issue with UAC.