5 ms·

Why does an installer need admin rights though

wetbaby 3y ago
I don't think he's saying it requires elevated privileges. When binaries aren't signed Windows will throw up a warning that it isn't signed which makes users hesitant to install.
system2 3y ago
Unrecognized publisher warning in blue box (not UAC) comes up no matter what the software is when trying to install or run.
- Rodeoclash 3y ago
  This is correct and it usually takes some combination of right clicking the installer or holding shortcuts to bypass. It's not obvious how to do so without Googling around.
  - Kwpolska 3y ago
    Right clicking is a Mac thing. On Windows, most of the warnings can be bypassed without any special actions (there are two buttons), the SmartScreen warning requires clicking on "More info".
- oefrha 3y ago
  Moreover, a warning pops up even for signed binaries, until that binary has been installed enough times (?) and Microsoft is satisfied.
  - mike_hearn 3y ago
    Not if you buy an EV certificate. Then you have positive reputation from the start.
tsimionescu 3y ago
How could it not? It is adding software to the system software set, accessible by all users of the system. And many programs require some kind of integration into the OS, such as file type associations or context menu entries, which even a single user shouldn't have access to do.
- doophus 3y ago
  Most software installers on Windows offer the user a "Install for this user"/"Install for all users" option, or will just install to the current user's appdata, which doesn't require admin rights.
  - pjmlp 3y ago
    Not the case for ImageMagick, there are some things that cannot be installed for current user, like Windows services or specific kinds of shell extensions.
  - tsimionescu 3y ago
    It's definitely not "most". It does happen, but it's actually very rare. Most people nowadays who go to the trouble of making a native installer do so because they want some kind of OS integration, so it's a nonstarter anyway.
- Too 3y ago
  This way of working should have been left behind in the previous century. Sandboxing should be default. Associating file endings should be a suggestion to the OS, accepted by the user, not something only configurable by delegating full super admin to third party app. Slow loading context menus where every app tries to claim its presence. Thank you for reminding me why I don’t use Windows since years ago. A image editor should only need to load and save images I ask it to, no other system integration. iOS, Android and the browser has proven it is possible. Now the desktop needs a similar journey.
  - withinboredom 3y ago
    > Sandboxing should be default. Please no. There are valid reasons to NOT sandbox, and in Windows there is sandboxing in default (windows store apps) and there are often issues with those versions of the software. For example, Slack downloaded from the windows store uses 30-40% of your CPU while idle, but not when installed from their website. Even in Linux and using the Snap sandbox (ubuntu), there are significant issues when trying to access globally available software, which can be extremely hard to support and diagnose.

I don't think he's saying it requires elevated privileges. When binaries aren't signed Windows will throw up a warning that it isn't signed which makes users hesitant to install.

system2 3y ago

Unrecognized publisher warning in blue box (not UAC) comes up no matter what the software is when trying to install or run.

Rodeoclash 3y ago
This is correct and it usually takes some combination of right clicking the installer or holding shortcuts to bypass. It's not obvious how to do so without Googling around.
- Kwpolska 3y ago
  Right clicking is a Mac thing. On Windows, most of the warnings can be bypassed without any special actions (there are two buttons), the SmartScreen warning requires clicking on "More info".
oefrha 3y ago
Moreover, a warning pops up even for signed binaries, until that binary has been installed enough times (?) and Microsoft is satisfied.
- mike_hearn 3y ago
  Not if you buy an EV certificate. Then you have positive reputation from the start.

tsimionescu 3y ago

How could it not? It is adding software to the system software set, accessible by all users of the system. And many programs require some kind of integration into the OS, such as file type associations or context menu entries, which even a single user shouldn't have access to do.

doophus 3y ago
Most software installers on Windows offer the user a "Install for this user"/"Install for all users" option, or will just install to the current user's appdata, which doesn't require admin rights.
- pjmlp 3y ago
  Not the case for ImageMagick, there are some things that cannot be installed for current user, like Windows services or specific kinds of shell extensions.
- tsimionescu 3y ago
  It's definitely not "most". It does happen, but it's actually very rare. Most people nowadays who go to the trouble of making a native installer do so because they want some kind of OS integration, so it's a nonstarter anyway.
Too 3y ago
This way of working should have been left behind in the previous century. Sandboxing should be default. Associating file endings should be a suggestion to the OS, accepted by the user, not something only configurable by delegating full super admin to third party app. Slow loading context menus where every app tries to claim its presence. Thank you for reminding me why I don’t use Windows since years ago. A image editor should only need to load and save images I ask it to, no other system integration. iOS, Android and the browser has proven it is possible. Now the desktop needs a similar journey.
- withinboredom 3y ago
  > Sandboxing should be default. Please no. There are valid reasons to NOT sandbox, and in Windows there is sandboxing in default (windows store apps) and there are often issues with those versions of the software. For example, Slack downloaded from the windows store uses 30-40% of your CPU while idle, but not when installed from their website. Even in Linux and using the Snap sandbox (ubuntu), there are significant issues when trying to access globally available software, which can be extremely hard to support and diagnose.