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True, users actually installing software on their computers is extremely rare and well outside the scope of intended use for windows. It’s surprising even that
by talltimtom 8y ago
True, users actually installing software on their computers is extremely rare and well outside the scope of intended use for windows. It’s surprising even that Microsoft made it possible at all to do such a poweruser task on a regular computer.
- chii 8y agoIf you invited a stranger into your home, is it any surprise that they might steal and burgle? The user has to have some level of technical knowledge and personal responsibility in keeping their machines clean. Downloading random VPN software that is free seems like such a dangerous thing to do. If the user doesn't understand this, they haven't really learnt how to computer properly.
- lakechfoma 8y agoWhen large populations can't figure out really basic UI navigation do you expect everyone to understand security? Our operating systems should protect us more from this kind of stuff.
- JeanMarcS 8y agoAt least warn the user explicitly
- mrguyorama 8y agoWhen's the last time you used a computer? Windows since at least Vista explicitly pops up "This program from the internet could very well damage your computer, are you sure?" dialogs, as well as a dialog for permission escalation if required and another dialog for some internet connections (via Windows Firewall). That's not even getting into things like smartscreen in newer versions of Windows. Meanwhile Mac will go so far as to completely deny you the right to run code it can't identify the developer of, until you go into the settings and temporarily grant yourself the permission to do so. It is fundamentally impossible to prevent a user from doing bad things to their systems unless you are willing to 100% prevent the running of code that you can't identify with 100% certainty.
- mulletbum 8y agoakin to setting a fire in your trash can to burn paper within your home, but being upset it burned your home down when you left it to make dinner.
- adrianN 8y agoDevelopers curl | bash all the time to install stuff without first checking that what they download is what they want. Why should we demand more care from less technical users?
- smichel17 8y agocurl | bash can't install something that persists across reinstalls (unless I've sudo'd recently, which I admit is possible). The problem with the desktop security model is the controls are ridiculously course-grained.
- adrianN 8y agoEven if the script doesn't just contain a sudo (which they often do), you're still just one local exploit away from installing a rootkit. I don't think they're that hard to come by.
- chii 8y ago> desktop security model is the controls are ridiculously course-grained. it'd be really nice if it was more efficient to run an OS like https://www.qubes-os.org/ https://www.qubes-os.org/. I think only true security model that works is the sandbox isolation model of virtual machines.
- Senderman 8y agoDemand it from both.
- morogop 8y agoIf you think that this is a reasonable position to take, then you haven't really learnt how to computer properly. Not joking, the fact that your attitude is common is a major reason that bad tech decisions ossify.
- gruez 8y agoHow’s this any different on Linux/Mac where you need root to install programs? Also, on a home pc, the user is typically also the admin/root
- p3llin0r3 8y agoOn Mac you need to explicitly enable the feature that allows one to install unsigned programs, which I think is a really healthy feature for the average user. It will also warn you that you are installing unsigned software in scary language.
- akx 8y agoOn Mac, you don't need administrative access to install programs. You download a .dmg, you drag the app to /Applications, you're done.
- greesil 8y agoI can't tell if this is sarcasm. This is sarcasm, right?
- lainga 8y agoI don't see why users can't be content with Windows downloading programs without telling or asking them, the way it was intended to work.