Windows 7: Sudo for Windows.

I am not using Windows 7 lately, and nobody in my firm uses it anymore. I don't know what to do. For instance, I decided to unisntall an old version of calibre, and install the new one. Windows takes more than one hour to do such a simple task. A dialog with a message "Wait while Windows configures Calibre" popped up and there it is forever blinking.

Then there are viruses, and antiviruses. I don't know which is worse, an eventual virus, or the Panda antivirus with the false positives, that prevents me to use even a hardware simulator from a Intellasys. Where I wrote Panda, you can read Avast, Avira, McAfee, etc.

I would like to use Windows the same way I use Linux. I don't mind if I need to type a password for everything I need to install, uninstall or purge. But I don't want to use antivirus, that makes my machine slow, and I don't want virus either. As in Linux. I want to have a large selection of programs to install, easily, with a click of the mouse, and a password. I want the system to go down immediately, instead of staying forever doing updates.



By the way, Windows didn't finish to uninstall calibre. It says: Gathering required infomation. Now, a novelty: Installer is no longer responding! Retry! Anyway, I guess that there are so many people using Windows, instead of McOS-x or Linux, because they learned how to make Windows run fast, with a small footprint, and free from virus, and antivirus. Could you people share the secret with me?

My boss decided that at least one of us must stay with Windows. I agree with him. It is not possible to have everybody using Linux, Zorin, Ubuntu, McOs-X, iPads, Android, etc. At least two or three persons should stay with Windows. However, I don't know how to do it. Is there a way to install sudo in Windows, so I don't need an antivirus? I guess that sudo would prevent the virus from damaging parts of the system. It should work for Windows, the same way that it works for Linux or McIntosh. Am I right?

Yes, Windows has 'sudo' built in as UAC (User Account Control). Anything that requires admin privileges to do will prompt you for the password of an admin's account, or, if you're already an admin, a simple Yes/No dialogue indicating that a program is trying to modify system files.

Secondly, Windows only 'stays forever doing updates' when it has updates to install, which is more like once a month. And even then, only a few require restarts.

Virus infections are usually the result of carelessness and/or a general lack of knowledge; something that can happen on Mac or Linux, too. The secret to a fast machine is not to install boat-loads of 'crapware' - read installers carefully and make sure you un-check useless things (hint: no, you don't want a free Google toolbar). Windows is very fast already; no tweaks required.

Finally, something is clearly wrong with the Calibre uninstaller.

If you want "password protection", you can create a "Standard" user account and use that.

I would also suggest Microsoft Security Essentials for AV/AM. It has a small footprint and is very unintrusive, and it's free.

If Windows is healthy and properly set up, there are no such freezing issues and antivirus never gets in the way installing or uninstalling safe software. It sounds like the foundation of this install is the issue (or something nasty acquired since install) that is causing all of these problems. Do a fresh reinstall, making sure you install antivirus as soon as it's up and running and I think you might have a better experience with Windows 7.

You can also "sudo" any program including running a console by right clicking the program icon or file entry and selecting "Run as Administrator".

Look into LUA...limited user account.

@Edu - are you the unlucky one who has been picked to use windows. ?

Ugh in MY case I am the unlucky one that is forced to use Linux. It's all rocks and sticks compared to Windows. Especially with the development tools, holy 1970's batcoder!