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How-To Geek Forums » Windows Vista

Windows Vista User Account Control (UAC) - Why it's useful

(20 posts)
  • Started 5 months ago by jd2066
  • Latest reply from tmonkey2394
  • Topic Viewed 2902 times


jd2066
Posts: 2639

-- Introduction --
I've seen many people just assume UAC is nothing more then annoying prompts (Even an Apple advertisement did so and they should know better) and a roadblock to them doing things.
I'm going to explain in this post why it is more then that.
Read Full Article at Tech Oddity

-- History of post --
Revision 4 - 2008-03-24 - Updated post to point to article on Tech Oddity
Revision 3 - 2008-03-19 - Update FAQ
Revision 2 - 2008-01-29 - Explain in more detail, update formatting
Revision 1 - 2008-01-27 - First published

Posted 5 months ago #
 
whs
whs
Posts: 4311

Very good jd. I suggest the Geek make a daily newsletter of that. Maybe you can put it into the format that he likes. This is useful as a reference. On your point 5. I like to add that at least Spybot can keep an eye on your registry. That is helpful.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

Thanks. I think a sticky topic or article would be better as there isn't an HTG daily newsletter.
First though I probably need some better examples, a more helpful number 5 as I know people don't just randomly download stuff as there is usually a good reason for it and maybe some reference links to other articles online.
This is just a first draft post to try and explain that UAC isn't totally useless as a lot of people seem to think so and want to disable it.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
whs
whs
Posts: 4311

Of course there is a HTG daily newsletter. At least I get one every day - you should subscribe.
For the rest I understand. There is no particular urgency. You can leasurely work it out.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

@whs: Do you mean the "Email Subscription" link on the HTG home page? If so I thought that was just to email you when a new article appeared and not a newsletter. If not then I've missed something.

@mod with sticky powers: Thanks for making the topic sticky.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
whs
whs
Posts: 4311

jd, Yes, that's it. Just click and you'll see.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

@whs: I subscribed. It is just emails when a new article comes out plus a list of related ones. Still useful but not something I would call a "Daily Newsletter". I guess The Geek thinks differently as it's called that.

@The Geek: Is there a way the first post in this topic can be made editable for me again?

Posted 5 months ago #
 
thegeek
The Geek
Posts: 1264

@jd2066

I changed the edit interval... finally found it. Let me know if that makes it editable for you.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
Smashpmk712
Smashpmk712
Posts: 299

@jd2066, Thank you for posting this. I personally think that no one should disable the UAC ... if you do you might as well use XP.

@ the geek, What is the new edit window?

Posted 5 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

@The Geek: Yep, I can edit it now. Thanks for changing that.
@Smashpmk712: You're Welcome.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
Starlionblue
Posts: 3

Great post.

I must say that even a "power user" (and I use the term loosely), UAC is not really annoying. In the first few weeks, I got prompts all the time, but now I will go days without any. UAC won't bug you during "normal use". It only pops up for configuration changes mostly.

It must be remembered that MS put UAC in place because so many people were screwing up their installations. Most of those people were then helped by us geeks. Wouldn't you rather your parents/siblings/friends didn't ask you for help quite so often? ;) At least now UAC gives them a warning.

I dare any "power user" to say he or she has never done anything stupid while fiddling with Windows. Ever deleted a system file by mistake? Ever made your machine unbootable? Ever uninstalled the wrong device? Ever installed the wrong driver? If you answered yes to even one of those, UAC is a neat extra safety feature. I for one won't be turning it off.

Of course, if anyone not a "power user" is using the machine, UAC is a very good idea.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

Thanks.
Unfortunately with warnings like UAC shows, there is still the Dancing Pigs problem.
No matter what warnings you display if someone really wants to see Dancing Pigs they will just click though any warnings displayed.

Posted 5 months ago #
 
del
Posts: 1

i can't use my microphone in yahoo

Posted 4 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

@del: I would recommend starting a new topic. You won't get many replies posting in this one.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 4428

jd2066 why are you so hot on UAC. Did you write it?

Posted 4 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

If by "write it" you mean write and design UAC then no. I don't know enough about programming to write an Operating System feature like UAC nor do I work at Microsoft.
If by "why are you so hot" you mean why I mention it when someone wants to disable it for something like annoying prompts then I do so because from what I've read and understand about UAC it is a good security feature and you shouldn't turn off good security features because of a little annoyance.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
whs
whs
Posts: 4311

Interesting article regarding the subject. http://news.zdnet.com/2424-3515_22-197089.html

Posted 3 months ago #
 
GaardCeteru
GaardCeteru
Posts: 110

Any time I get annoyed by UAC I remember the time I had a virus in my old XP computer and thought "why isn't there a feature to alert you if something may be wrong?!!"

Thus even though it bothers me I dont disable it u.u

Posted 3 months ago #
 
jd2066
Posts: 2639

@GaardCeteru: True but there is one flaw with the UAC prompt and that idea. Like listed on Tweak UI the UAC prompt only appears once to give a program Administrator privilages and after that the program can do whatever it wants.
On the alert feature the reason there isn't an alert is the many ways to integrate into Windows. All the ways have good uses and alerts for each of them would be annoying.
Many of the features viruses and spyware use were originally designed for good things and built to trust the program using that as no one thought about the bad uses.
Like for instance any program can integrate with the system Favorites folder to let the user manage them from another program. No one thought at the time the feature would be abused by so many programs to add their own links to favorites without the user's permission.
It's the same with Junk email, the email system was designed to be open and flexible. No one originally thought that trusting system would be abused to send junk.

Posted 3 months ago #
 
tmonkey2394
Posts: 37

I had to disable my UAC because one of my programs Trend Micro Antivirus 2008 because of Vista they are having problems with the UAC it wont scan my computer it says restart my computer I do and it wont work still so I contacted them and they said need to turn off the UAC. I really didnt want to but I did but I can tell you it doesnt like Vista because it wont scan. But I am just waiting untill they have a update on where I can turn it back on I dont like having it off but I just have to deal with it.

Posted 1 month ago #
 

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