Text 22641, 70 rader
Skriven 2006-10-16 16:51:53 av Gerald Miller (1:342/512)
  Kommentar till text 22507 av Jeff Guerdat (1:275/311)
Ärende: Vista RC2
=================
Hello Jeff,

    Jeff Guerdat [1:275/311] wrote to Gerald Miller,
    about: Re: Vista RC2

 GM>> As I stated to Alan, I don't like the prospect of M$ tossing the
 GM>> "Improved" firewall to XP users as a security update.

 JG> Actually, it would be an improvement for maybe 95% of the population.

Do you really believe that 95% of the population is ignorant (about
firewalls)?

 JG> Having a firewall that blocks only incoming packets is pretty
 JG> half-assed which is why ZA, etc. exist.  Most folks don't know about
 JG> the 3rd party firewalls, however, which is exactly why MS required the
 JG> firewall to be activated by default in XP SP2.

Maybe it is a good thing that the M$ firewall in XP SP2 was on by default
because I had to run XP for two weeks before I could afford to purchase my
license for the ZoneLabs Internet Security Suite -- some protection is
probably better than no protection.  I was constantly getting a balloon
telling me that the computer was possibly at risk because an anti virus
application was not detected...

 JG> Additionally, based on what I've read and what I *think* I understand,
 JG> the Vista firewall runs at a very low level, making it much more
 JG> difficult to bypass it. That would be a Good Thing to incorporate in
 JG> the older OSes although it has the side effect of making it much more
 JG> difficult for 3rd party vendors to develop and implement their
 JG> products...

Microsoft _SHOULD_ give the user the option of turning on (or OFF) the
firewall and also, state in clear language, the consequences of either
option.

If you want to take this a step further, Microsoft _SHOULD_ give the user
the options of which applications to install at setup (I don't anticipate
ever having a use for their Movie Making application, for example).  It
could improve the "bloat" factor that a lot of people complain about when
using Windows...

In regards to third party vendors and their software development /
implementation of such on a Windows based OS: "This is our product and WE
tell everyone what they can do with it!"  Of course, I'm being facetious,
but the point that I wish to make is, very seldom does M$ take advice or
solicit recommendations from outside of its organization.  If Microsoft
can't develop a product / application internally, they go outside and buy
one and then "improve" it (until it doesn't work as expected).  Or, they
change the inner workings of their products until the third party
applications ceases to operate.

With the majority of world businesses using Microsoft products, Microsoft
has the "power" to tell people where they can go today... ("Where would you
like to go, today?" was part of their public relation / propaganda campaign
at the release of one of their OSes).

 GM>> Hackers will always be around!

 JG> Which is why we need MORE protection that doesn't require the typical
 JG> user to even know about it...

It may come as a surprise to you, but I've never considered myself to be a
typical user (of course, I'm prejudicial)!  <g>

           Cheers ... Gerald

... Hell must be full, the damned are working tech support.
--- GoldED+/DPMI32 v1.1.5-b20060121 [msg of Monday October 16 2006]
 * Origin: Atheists haven't got an answer for prayer. (1:342/512)