Windows 7, not enough.

[preiius]

Anyone read the Mac OS Lion review over at Ars? Apple is trying to make Mac OS more like iOS, for better or worse. What I find fascinating in it's conclusion:

The Mac will always be more capable than its mobile brethren, but that doesn't mean that simple tasks must also be harder on the Mac. Imagine being able to stick a computer neophyte in front of an iMac with the same confidence that you might hand that neophyte an iPad today.

...

Over the past decade, better technology has simply reduced the number of things that we need to care about. Lion is better technology. It marks the point where Mac OS X releases stop being defined by what's been added. From now on, Mac OS X should be judged by what's been removed.

In this forum and elsewhere, I still see same questions asked 10 yrs ago. What files to backup? What is the best defrag tool? What to tweak for better performance? Maybe I'm getting old, but I feel why are we wasting brain cells on these questions in 2011.

Windows 7 is a big improvement over previous versions of Windows. It is snappy, secure, doesn't slow down after months of use. Scheduled defrag is good enough. Free MSE is good enough. But at the back of my mind, i think these features should have been included long ago.

Now I want Auto Save, App Store, Time Machine. What's the point of running quad-core machine w/ 8GB ram if you lose your last hour's work? I want to be able to install & update software as easily as in iPhone & Android. I want simple & fool-proof method to backup my machine, and to be able to restore to working machine if hd stops working in mins. I don't think this is too much to ask.

 

[pparks1]

Now I want Auto Save, App Store, Time Machine. What's the point of running quad-core machine w/ 8GB ram if you lose your last hour's work? I want to be able to install & update software as easily as in iPhone & Android. I want simple & fool-proof method to backup my machine, and to be able to restore to working machine if hd stops working in mins. I don't think this is too much to ask.

Well, you can always buy a Mac...i think they generally tout those things. Of course, you are also likely going to pay more for it. And I live close to a few apple stores and people bring in their broken, non-working, crashed Apples regularly..so I'm not sure if the "it always works" argument really holds any water.

My foolproof method of machine backup is to make a second copy of actual "data" on an external drive, and image the OS regularly...personally I find these steps very easy.

There really isn't much more ongoing maintenance that I really do on my PC to keep it working just fine...I simply just use it.

 

[Digerati]

But at the back of my mind, i think these features should have been included long ago.

So did Microsoft! But 10 - 15 years ago when they tried to include all these features in Windows, Norton, McAfee and a host of other "3rd party" software makers went whining and crying to Congress and the EU claiming Microsoft was trying to run them out of business and rule the world. Microsoft was, but that is not the point. Congress and the EU agreed, and ordered Microsoft to back off including everything but the kitchen sink, or risk being forced to split up the company.

So don't blame Microsoft. And besides, those "extras" you want are NOT "operating system" functions. The OS is just supposed to facilitate all the parts working together.

As a side note, Norton, McAfee, CA, and a host other anti-malware providers were lead whiners and crybabies on Capitol Hill and the EU claiming it was their job to rid the world of malware, not Windows. Microsoft wanted to include anti-virus code in Windows XP, but was ordered not to by our IGNORANT lawmakers.

Why ignorant? Because they failed to see the obvious. What incentive does the anti-malware industry have to rid the world of malware? ABSOLUTELY NONE!!!!! No malware and they go out of business. How hard is that to see???

So what happened? Norton, McAfee, CA, TrendMicro and all the others FAILED to rid the world of malware. In fact, malware thrived under their watch. But who got blamed by the anti-malware industry, Microsoft bashers, and by biased IT [so called] journalists? Microsoft, Bill Gates, and even America!

So no more. Microsoft now puts security first, and the proof is in Windows 7, IE9, and MSE.

PS - Note that basic backup, defrag, and other utilities have been in Windows going many versions back. I emphasis "basic" - basic in the sense, they were fully capable, but none of the fancy bells and whistle (Read: fluff and bloat) of the alternative offerings.

 

[Golden]

So no more. Microsoft now puts security first, and the proof is in Windows 7, IE9, and MSE.

+1. Well said.

 

[pparks1]

So no more. Microsoft now puts security first, and the proof is in Windows 7, IE9, and MSE.

Microsoft is doing what they can, given the constraints that they have been given. Things like MSE are good steps and have to be downloaded separately, but that's how they have to legally play the game..so I'm fine with that.

 

[James Colbert]

Now I want Auto Save, App Store, Time Machine. What's the point of running quad-core machine w/ 8GB ram if you lose your last hour's work? I want to be able to install & update software as easily as in iPhone & Android. I want simple & fool-proof method to backup my machine, and to be able to restore to working machine if hd stops working in mins. I don't think this is too much to ask.

I myself prefer to have the control available to me via Windows. Mac has always been an OS for those who either don't have the know-how or desire to do much beyond just using the machine. I like being able to customize to my tastes. I like having the option of most any hardware or software to get the job done. I also like the challenge of building a machine from the ground up and installing whatever is necessary to deignate that machine for a certain purpose (or any purpose, for that matter).

What you ask is not too much, and can be found in Mac. There's nothing wrong with Mac, if you are one of those people who just want to sit in front of a machine and take what you're given.

What I like about Windows is that I retain control. All of what you state above can be had in Windows, either through software or customization.

If you want a Mac-like experience and automation, you should use a Mac. But let's not change the essence of Windows simply because you want a Mac.

 

[DeaconFrost]

The moment Microsoft builds in ALL the necessary apps a person would want, they'd be forced to stop selling the OS after many lengthy lawsuits.

I agree with you completely, that it would be nice to have some added functionality right away, but Microsoft isn't the one to blame here. They just aren't allowed to build in everything we would want. Look at the N versions of Windows 7 that don't even include Windows Media Player.

 

[legacy7955]

What I like about Windows is that I retain control.

I agree.

 

[Windows i7 920]

I see it this way. There are three OSes that really matter: Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. Linux gives a large degree of control (open source kernel... Can't get much more control than that!) Mac OS doesn't give as much control so there is less for the end user to get confused/mess up. Then there is the OS in the middle, Windows.

 

[seekermeister]

Digerati,

Why ignorant? Because they failed to see the obvious. What incentive does the anti-malware industry have to rid the world of malware? ABSOLUTELY NONE!!!!! No malware and they go out of business. How hard is that to see???

So what happened? Norton, McAfee, CA, TrendMicro and all the others FAILED to rid the world of malware. In fact, malware thrived under their watch. But who got blamed by the anti-malware industry, Microsoft bashers, and by biased IT [so called] journalists? Microsoft, Bill Gates, and even America!

Call me paranoid, but I sometimes think that some AV/malware companies write and distribute viruses and malware. I can't remember which one, but several years ago, there was a scare about some major virus, that was thought to be destined to do some major damage, and the very next morning after it was announce, Norton made it own announcement about having a fix for it. If that virus was so bad that the it merited such a scare tactic, I fail to understand how Norton could come up with a fix overnight...unless they designed it in the first place. I find it difficult to believe that all of the thousands of viruses have been created by ego-maniacs, hackers, etc. as we have been lead to believe.

 

[preiius]

I knew I would be called an apple fanboy somewhere! Don't get me wrong, I cannot stand apple and it's fanboys for their elitist views. I truly believe if not for intel/microsoft, there would not be an affordable computer in every home and on every desktop.

I love to try out new software. Launchy, Explorer++, FF/Chrome, Notepad++, FreeFileSync, Cobian, they are just a few I'm using right now.

What I wanted to say was what some called extras, imho, should come with the os. Again, my spanking new i5-2400 w/ 8GB ram is not going to save my previous hour of work if I forgot to save. Does having a package management system stops you from retaining control? Without these, what is win7 but nt w/ better caching

 

[Stratos]

Mac users on some forums tend to take a lot of anything negative about Windows to heart and really don't appear to understand the impact of those statements. Here's a link to Macrumours.com on a forum I stumbled upon and it seems there's a heated discussion between a user named "munkery" who seems to think Windows and IE9 are the world's worst products whereas a user "Hyper-X" appears to bring into light the reality of the issues.

OS X Lion Raises Bar on Security, But Battery Firmware Vulnerability Surfaces - MacRumors Forums

 

[Maguscreed]

I've not encountered a virus on a machine I personally owned since xp, so I think all of this is nonsense personally.
That's just me though I use something called commonsense and a handy browser plugin called noscript.
Which is a pain to set up right for your favorite sites, but I did that ages ago and the settings migrate to new installations, or even other computers in the house without problem.

I can't understand how people get viruses so readily, it's always amazed me.

As for hacking, I don't know why every tom, dick, and harry seems to believe that the most skillful hacker in the world has targeted their personal computer.
The entire concept is laughable to me.

 

[Digerati]

No legitimate anti-malware maker creates malware they can then "discover" and fix to look good. But there are MANY rogue anti-spyware and anti-malware solutions that are anything BUT anti! So choosing a legitimate one is essential.

Call me paranoid, but I sometimes think that some AV/malware companies write and distribute viruses and malware. I can't remember which one, but several years ago, there was a scare about some major virus, that was thought to be destined to do some major damage, and the very next morning after it was announce, Norton made it own announcement about having a fix for it. If that virus was so bad that the it merited such a scare tactic, I fail to understand how Norton could come up with a fix overnight...unless they designed it in the first place.

There have been instances in the past where installation disks were infected at the factory - perhaps by a disgruntled employee. That threat has pretty much been eliminated by the eliminating disks and using strictly downloaded installation files. Of course that means the user must make sure he is downloading from a legitimate source, and AS ALWAYS, scan the download before opening.

You must remember that many viruses are out in the wild for some time before their existence becomes publicized - giving anti-malware providers time to create a signature/definition for it before it can be used to exploit the vulnerability.

I find it difficult to believe that all of the thousands of viruses have been created by ego-maniacs, hackers, etc. as we have been lead to believe.

I don't find this hard to believe at all. The anti-malware providers are constantly seeking out vulnerabilities, and they may create code to learn how to exploit those vulnerabilities, but they do not release that code into the wild.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I can't understand how people get viruses so readily, it's always amazed me.

I can, after watching my father-in-law read his e-mail a few years ago. He will click on anything and everything if it is in his e-mail, because "it's definitely meant for him". Windows 7 has helped quite a bit by prompting him before he installs anything, but even the best OS and best AV software will not stop someone who's hell bent on clicking to see how much money he's won, or the next celebrity sex tape, etc.

 

[pparks1]

I've not encountered a virus on a machine I personally owned since xp, so I think all of this is nonsense personally.

I've not had a single virus problem on one of my own PC's for over 8 years. I attribute most of this to the time when I gave up on peer to peer software, stopped downloading music, stopped pirating software of any kind and quit look looking for serial numbers and password generators.

However, I have had to clean many a PC from friends, family and coworkers who just got hit with a drive by download of a "fake AV" application. In fact, i just did one last week for a friend who was searching google for "empty wine barrels" for a craft project she was considering. Another friend at work, got hit with a "fake AV" searching for sunglasses online.

That's just me though I use something called commonsense and a handy browser plugin called noscript.

Well, in my above examples, I don't think a lack of common sense would have prevented the search for "empty wine barrels" or "sun glasses" from happening.

I will say that in both cases, the users were using Internet Explorer to surf the web. Both of them have AV products installed (she had AVG and he had Trend Micro), and both are savvy enough to have malware bytes installed on their computers. She didn't really know that using IE could be considered by some to be a security risk...and he uses IE because we have a few in house corporate websites which unfortunately only work with IE...so he doesn't usually flip flop back and forth between other browsers all day long..he just uses the one that he has to use for other things.

Personally, I haven't used IE for years. I used to use Firefox for years and years and years. I use spyware blaster on my machines....although not sure if it has really prevented anything, or if I have simply been lucky and not hit anything. I use sandboxie when doing any type of web surfing that might be questionable (like when work bought an iPAD and that wanted me to research how to jailbreak the thing because they needed Flash support).

I can't understand how people get viruses so readily, it's always amazed me.

Neither can I, but I have worked on 4 different machines just this year alone that were all torqued up mostly due to drive by downloads and fake AV malware apps. It certainly does happen. And not everybody is searching porn and clicking on warez links either.

As for hacking, I don't know why every tom, dick, and harry seems to believe that the most skillful hacker in the world has targeted their personal computer.
The entire concept is laughable to me.

Well, a drive by fake AV isn't exactly hacking...but once it gets on your computer, it starts asking for money and wants you to buy software to fix these "so called problems" that it discovers. That's not really laughable and makes total sense.

Once those things get on your machine, your machine is almost unusable. Cannot open a command prompt, cannot open the control panel, cannot get into task manager, cannot start malware bytes, cannot get into msconfig. Pretty much cannot get rid of the thing.

These things often take "me" 2-3 hours to identify and figure out how to shut down. Most are engrained enough that safe mode usually doesn't fix it. Typically, it's a matter of finding whatever .exe is running (which is hard when task manager and process manager won't start) and then either deleting it (usually cannot when it's in use) or renaming it (works more often than not).

So, the money grab makes total sense. If the average person is willing to pay $30, or $50 or $75 for the software to make their newly discovered computer issues go away...some might actually pay to get their computer back.

 

[Digerati]

It always boils down to the weakest link - the human. Though it is paramount to keep our systems patched, updated, scanned and blocked, if the user opens the door and lets the bad guy in, there's not much we can do.

So "practicing safe computing" is not just about keeping our systems buttoned up, we as users must be "security aware" too - which means, don't be click happy.

 

[Maguscreed]

What I think they really need to do is make noscript available for all browsers, and issue it with a set of allowances for commonly visited sites so people that don't know what to allow and what not to allow can use it.
It's the greatest thing I can intentionally navigate to a website I know is loaded with driveby viruses and all I get is a message telling all the nasty stuff noscript is blocking for me. Antivirus never even comes into play.

As I said above though, setting it up initially and using it takes a bit of know how.
It also never hurts to use the spyboy search and destroy immunization.
It does keep the browser from being redirected to thousands of known injection sites and addresses and has no effect at all on normal surfing or performance.
I've actually installed spybot and used the feature then uninstalled spybot (because I like mbam better for scanning) and it leaves the settings in the browser when removed.

It's a step that may be a good idea for those couple of friends of yours that keep hitting bad sites.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Website Design

Websites also need to be designed properly!

There is an excessive amount of useless JS and Flash on most websites now.
When a site needs 100+ scripts running (just so you can attach a file to an email) there is something wrong.
Yahoo mail requires you to activate Flash, before you can attach anything to an email!

The ridiculous number of garbage routines make it easy for bad guys to hide their own malicious ones on the page.

 

[Digerati]

What I think they really need to do is make noscript available for all browsers

Scripts can be disabled on most (if not all) browsers - though some users may not like the results. For IE users, AdblockIE works very well.

SimpleAdBlock for IE is also available but the free version only has a 200/day block limit, which I think is ridiculous, and they know I think that too! While 200 may be plenty for most people, there were many days when I hit my limit before the morning had run out.