UAC and You

I've seen a lot of messages on this forum suggesting that people turn off UAC, calling it "useless" and "annoying". While if that's really what you want to do, then so be it... but I believe most people that advocate this don't really understand the ramifications of what they're doing.

Disabling UAC doesn't simply make the dialog go away. It completely changes the way Vista and 7 operate. Important security features like Internet Explorer Protected Mode no longer function (this is a mode in which even if there is a vulnerability found in IE, no external program will be able alter your system).

Another feature that's disabled is called folder virtualization. This is what allows programs that assume they have administrative permissions to write to protected areas (like Program Files) to continue to function. If you turn off UAC you will find a LOT more problems with older software compatibility.

Finally, turning off UAC rips the wings off angels, endangers kittens, and creates an unhealthy work environment for your puppies.

Learn to live with UAC. Once your system is setup, you will almost never see it (especially on 7). You will be safer, your system will have fewer problems, and you'll learn to love the atomic bomb.

And please, for the love your dear and fluffy lord, do NOT tell people to disable UAC if you really don't fully understand what doing that does.

Never seen any need to turn UAC off. Thankfully in Seven, the notifications aren't as frequent as in vista (accessing Device Manager is just 1 example)

UAC would work a lot better with 3rd party applications if their developers were not lazy and learned to program for a standard user. This has been a requirement for windows applications since the introduction of windows NT.

The visualization feature of UAC is another attempt to ensure that applications work OOB even when developers insist in storing data in inappropriate system areas

One of the major reasons for Microsoft introducing UAC in vista was to give these developers a nudge in the right direction. It is not a security device as such but a convenience to users.

The accepted method of operation for many years on professional systems is to run as a standard user at all times and to log in as an administrator only when performing system maintenance. The provision of the RUN-as mechanism and now the automatic RUN-as provided by UAC is a great step forward in usability for anyone who learned their trade on secure systems.

I like it - I have it turned down (don't dim) - after reading all the complaints since Vista - I'm surprised.
Happy not to be running a firewall tho!

I would like to run UAC in 7 but cannot b/c I'm running programs that have unsigned drivers, that have to be signed by me using a special app and that requires the system to be run in test mode and also that UAC be turned off.

I have good security apps installed, use common sense, and haven't experienced any problems running w/o UAC, however.