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Microsoft Denies Call-in 'Save XP' Petition
CWmike writes "Gregg Keizer digs deeper on a report that said Microsoft was logging calls from customers who requested that the company extend the retail availability of Windows XP to find that some users claimed that they couldn't get through to the support lines. Microsoft denies that it organized any kind of call-in petition and pleaded with users not to dial its technical support numbers to ask for an XP extension. 'As a courtesy to customers in need of technical assistance, we ask callers not to call Microsoft Customer Support Services to request an extension for Windows XP,' a company representative said. Microsoft declined to comment on whether its support lines had experienced a call-volume spike starting last Friday, when the Neowin notice first appeared."
Full story.
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
Vast majority, sure it's gotten better over the past decade, but it only takes one or two 'critical' packages and you're back to running as admin. Even after you've twiddled permissions in the registry and file system you still have software that won't run as a normal user. Don't get me started on how badly written apps handle the profile switch when someone tries to use RunAs.
Not necessarily quirks. I've used XP, 2000, 98, 95, 3.1, and Vista, and I dislike Vista from a non-performance stance (as well as performance). And I've used Linux and Mac OS (and dislike Mac from a non-performance stance as well).
But it IS true that people jump on the bandwagon of hate (tm), and true that the hardware thing is ... annoying. Install KDE 4 on bad hardware and then complain about the performance of KDE... heh.
A slightly outdated, moderately insecure operating system with support through the end of 2014.
Most desktop apps for Ubuntu do not need sudo privileges. In fact, the only ones that I have seen need it for normal use has been network analysis tools (wireshark, etherape...)
So obviously the solution is to teach users to click on Accept every time a box comes up. Because that's all that the Vista UAC has done, is train hundreds of thousands of users that when a box pops up, you hit accept to do what you were trying to do.
Oh I hate to write this post on SlashDot, but here goes...
Despite the ignorance or inherent hate around the UAC, it works well, and does what it is supposed to do. Sure users are still allowed to run as administrators, but with Vista the administrator level is no longer equivalent with root as it was in previous versions of Windows. Administrator is a power user that doesn't have to type root password for elevation, but doesn't inherently get upper level rights.
In Vista, root is a non-user level of security, which is a far more secure and elegant than good old root in *nix. Something with complete control should not be a user-wide available level of security in a modern OS. (This is an argument that needs to be taken to heart by *nix OS developers as well more far than it is.)
Note: In Vista, administrators can obtain root level elevation, and can do anything they want; however, it is conditional based on process or need and is also something that is controlled and logged by the OS. Users could also boot into WinPE 2.0 on Vista, which is a full NT CLI without the Win32/64 subsystems running and screw with whatever they want if they have physical access to the machine a install DVD.
Now...
The whole psychological argument is NO different than an OS X user saying, "Ya, I have to type in a password every time I do this or run this application." And then you watch them do this mindlessly while watching them authorize a piece of spyware. And then of course they then tell you how much more secure and cool OS X is because they had to type in a password. (And this is a freaking elevation to let OS X run the spyware they are having problems with, none the less.) Then comes when you are uncontrollably doing the obligatory *smacking head on table* and considering how to explain 'security' to them all the while have to de-program from the Apple commercials on TV and be the horrible person that tells them their beloved Apple tends to lie a little bit. Ok, recent incident, went a bit cathartic.)
Anyway, clicking 'Allow' and mindlessly typing in root are NO different in psychological terms of redundancy. OS X users are just as open to user engineered security problems. (I could say the same of other *nixes, but most of them get the important of root elevation.)
The argument could also be made that Vista does a better job with elevation prompts than OS X, as Vista doesn't allow the privilege to propagate or remain open as OS X does. OS X instead of just flat out allowing the process to do what it needs, goes the extra (lazy) step and leaves elevation open for a period of time past the required need. Which is a horribly bad idea.
Besides, there is no way to win on this if you are Microsoft.
Microsoft could have locked the UAC down harder, but enough people turn it off already, and people would bitch. Just like they bitch when NT security wasn't enforced for applications like in XP, compromising security, and now are bitching because their application was written by an idiot and never even looked at or consider the OS had security APIs.
With XP they considered locking down the applications, but in getting consumers to migrate from the Win9X world would have failed, as Win9x software was security ignorant. They made a 'bad' decision to allow the migration to be easier and push developers to start writing with Security in mind. The second part of this didn't happen, developers don't do crap if they don't have to.
The UAC:
1) Does force developers to FINALLY realize there is a security model to NT applications and code for them.
2) Is able to not only handle elevates, but is able to detect the request for elevation, which is far more important, not only for noticing security compromise a
InfoWorld are running an online petition to extend the life of XP, with (at the time of writing) several hundred thousand signatures. Sign the petition here
Actually you don't need MSFT to make it,you can make it yourself! Just go here and download the driver packs. Then use your favorite unattended cd maker(I personally prefer this one and follow the steps. This ISO builder is so simple anyone can do it. It also allows you to add extra drivers in addition to the driverpacks so you can add the latest for your hardware. When the ISO is created just burn to DVD and voila! A Windows XP DVD that has drivers for every piece of hardware you can throw at it! Enjoy!
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.