Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Adds Risky System-Wide Undelete to Vista
douder writes "Windows Vista will have a new 'previous versions' feature when it ships next year. According to Ars Technica, the
feature is built off of the volume shadow copy technology from Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Now turned on by default, the service stores the modified versions of a user's documents, even after they are deleted. They also report that you can browse folders from within Explorer to see snapshots of what they contained over time. It can be disabled, but this seems like a privacy concern." From the article: "Some users will find the feature objectionable because it could give the bossman a new way to check up on employees, or perhaps it could be exploited in some nefarious way by some nefarious person. Previous versions of Windows were still susceptible to undelete utilities, of course, but this new functionality makes browsing quite, quite simple. On the other hand, it should be noted that 'Previous Versions' does not store its data in the files themselves. That is, unlike Microsoft Office's 'track changes,' files protected with 'Previous Versions' will not carry their documentary history with them."
Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all...
If I get my hands on a beta of vista I can undelete things that I won't create for years?
/I for one welcome the Previous Versions of our new Overlords.
[Fuck Beta]
o0t!
Ever hear someone think they deleted or crashed the internet? I have.
God spoke to me.
There is a great extension for firefox called Nuke Anything which allows you to remove sections from pages.
My missus had a great time deleting all the geeky stuff from slashdot.
You should have seen her face drop though when I told her she had actually removed it from the internet.
liqbase
Amazing that a Good Thing gets turned into a big-brother or privacy issue just because it's Microsoft.
This just in... It appears there is a nefarious "feature" in several versions of Windows which can allow a nefarious person to nefariously see all those files you thought you deleted. It's called the "Recycle Bin" and many people are sure that it's the NSA ('N' for Nefarious?) that's behind the addition of the feature.
"What do you despise? By this are you truly known." --Princess Irulan, Manual of Muad'Dib
/)
They had done a quoted search for the title of a particular book. Unfortunately, several porn sites included that title in the meta tags for their home page.
So when they did the search, and it popped up the porn sites, they were quite offended and were absolutely sure that "Google is broken" and that I could "fix it."
I explained the situation to them (but there was a language barrier, not to mention a lack of the capability to understand much) and then reported it to my supervisor. When he encountered the person later (as they took an opportunity to attempt to complain about it), he explained to them the situation again, and said that if they didn't understand the simple concepts or could develop basic computer and internet skills and understanding, he had no position that they could fill.
I talk about stuff.
Yes, an additional feature that COULD be used by some evil genius who has your computer anyway to see some of the files you deleted is a good reason not to upgrade. I agree!
Sure, some people don't buy into this, they say things like "but it can easily be disabled, and your casual computer users would only benefit from this kind of feature". These people are obviously missing the large scale point. Microsoft has been making windows for a long time, and every time they do it, they add more features. If we keep buying new versions of windows, inevitably they will continue to add features untill all they can add is BAD, DANGEROUS, EXPLOITABLE SECURITY HOLES!
If you buy Vista, within years they will have features that send your porn to your parents. Send your AIM conversations to your boss. They will probably have a start option "Open Computer To Random Hacker".
Microsoft is obviously adding this feature because all of their engineers are evil. They have been for years! You and I will not stand for this. I am sending my 50 page word document, which proves my case to congress... it is right in this folder... hm.... where the fuck did I put it?! FUCK! I deleted it!!! If only I could recover my deleted file, I COULD END VISTA AND ITS PLAGUE OF EVIL FEATURES FOR GOOD!!!
You take it, I don't want it...
Strongly recommended before submitting a resume... I can just picture where this could go: "Seeking a position as a full-time BDSM instructor" in one copy, "Seeing a position as full-time kindergarten teacher," in another.
This was an awesome feature in VMS,
and a privacy concern in Vista.
You guys **really** don't like MS do you?
(I must be new here)
I'm sorry. You're allowed 5 punctuation errors and capitalization mistakes per post submitted to this website.
You are quite over that limited, and your spelling is atrocious. Please, leave and don't come back. Thanks.
THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
"You guys **really** don't like MS do you?"
Try imagining Slashdot's response to Apple announcing this feature. The one guy who claims 'privacy concern' gets modded down as Troll. Heh.
"I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
In other news, Kenneth Lay's heart attack confirmed by new autopsy, found to be caused by shock from leaked secret Microsoft "undelete-feature" memo.
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
I miss my VAX. :cry:
DCL pwns.
Anonymous Cowards are at -6...
As an NSA employee I find this highly offensive. Also, that e-mail you sent to your mom yesterday was very rude.
Oh my gods... somewhere an angel just shot an English teacher in the face.
My company only accepts resumes on paper in binary.
Stupidity is like nuclear power, it can be used for good or evil. And you don't want to get any on you.
You found the hidden spelling mistake!
You can stay.
THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
What's the problem there? Both jobs are about maintaining discipline over 'very, very bad boys'
.evom ton seod gis eht
Not an MS one, but in the same vein...
Gates Foundation Cures Cancer, AIDS, World Hunger
-becomes-
Gates Causes Population Crisis, Dooms World
It's official. Most of you are morons.
or perhaps it could be exploited in some nefarious way by some nefarious person.
... ... ... ... everything.
...
This is exactly why we NEED to outlaw
Someone might use it for
[mermaid man]
*EVIL*!!!!
[/mermaid man]
You're right-- this problem exists in other formats. Like, say, Photoshop.
I have a friend who decided to make a major career change from being a network administrator for a university to... a porn photographer. At the time, I was the resident Photoshop whiz around, so he asked me if I would help him make his business cards. I said I would, but I never got around to it, so he sat down and tried to figure the program out himself. After adding various nude models to his card to come up with a template for a silhouette (want to be tasteful here, right?), he submitted the card to the offset printer.
Unfortunately for him, the printer was not amused. Apparently, due to his unfamiliarity with Photoshop, he left all of those nude photos in there-- in hidden layers. When the printer output the file, out came these prinouts covered in naked women. The printer refused to print the cards, and he eventually had to find another printer. Oops.
Combining this with Speech Recognition:
user:"Undelete this file"
vista:"unknown command undulate, no wi in fi"
user:"restore old version"
vista:"Going to MS online store. No new olsen twins tracks"
user:"fucking dammit, give me the file from yesterday"
vista:"This system has parental controls enabled. Please contact your parents"
user:"@#ç$!&%".....
Seriously, though, this is a nice feature, but I can see it chomping through users' 250GB disks like a hummer goes through gas.