Windows Vista to be blocked by Anti-MS group

[nweaver]

unless the user it runs as has limited access to the IP stack.

 

[kamper]

How many people run a desktop machine without the ability to open up random outgoing connections? How would you browse or do email? Granted, whitelisting outbound destination ports could reduce the likelyhood that a virus could attack another vulnerable machine, but again, that's not likely to happen on a desktop computer.

 

[nweaver]

I do. Most S/W firewalls will. My firewall at home does this (keeps my wife out of trouble).

Most ports are pretty documented, and you can build an iptables firewall that doesn't allow random crap out. I have had issues where I had to sniff for packets to find what ports to open to allow the outbound connection to work.

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: STaSh

If you're not logged in as a root user, you can't severely botch your Linux install. Your data can likely be wiped by you, but not the core OS. Since you can't do that, neither can spyware or viruses. They don't have permission to do it.

The same applies to Windows. Unfortunately, it is rather...challenging to run as a non-admin on Windows, and it is not the default. This is changing in Vista.

Thank God. I'll admit that my most-used account on my computer is an admin account, but I'm not the average user. I'm damn careful with what I do. Every other computer I make I try to make a non-admin account default.

 

[stash]

I'm not the average user and my most used account is a non-admin

It really isn't that bad for me, but for joe user, it could be a pain. But maybe not. Most non-technical people just want to get email and surf the web. Very easy to do as a non-admin. The only real problems are when they need to install apps.

 

[xgsound]

Originally posted by: Parkre
1969??? jeezzzzz....I'm surprise this guy (from his generation) can even turn on a computer.

(while i know that was a blanket statement, I have yet to meet (personally) someone older than 50 that understands computers well)

Where do you think computers came from? If you think disks the size of a washing machine are old hat, imagine reel to reel punch paper tape for storage.

The funny thing is you're right. Computers were like black magic then, and not many people knew any thing about them. Come to think about it, not much has changed.




Jim

 

[corkyg]

Like I said way back in the beginning - some folks just don't have enough to do.

BTW - the resulting debate is much better than the referenced article.

 

[speedstream5621]

It is shocking that he would sooner pursue MS rather than the people who intentionally exploit and pirate MS's products.

With his logic, he will lose his election. That is good news.

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: speedstream5621
It is shocking that he would sooner pursue MS rather than the people who intentionally exploit and pirate MS's products.

With his logic, he will lose his election. That is good news.

I don't think it makes any more sense to pursue the exploiters than to go after microsoft. As long as the flaws exist they will be exploited. When compared to improving software quality, legal enforcement is less effective, more expensive and will lead to more leaky software because the vendors will start to rely on the legal threat for their security.