SP2 and Spyware > Ho Hum

Ho Hum

said by linicx:

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Much ado about nothing.

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Who cares how improved this is? So MS incorporated something that you can get off the internet for free. And they did it two years too late. No thanks, I'll trust Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, and 12-Ghosts. They've been doing it longer, and are already installed on my system. Combine those with a hardware firewall, and the obligatory lame MS firewall, and I'm pretty secure.

puritan

reply to Steve
I read your analysis a month or so ago, Steve, and I must say I like what's ahead for MS and Windows. I never knew that the NT security model was so complex, knowing that really brings light to the problems we all run into when trying to run programs as a non-administrator. With some of the features software developers will now be forced to use, hopefully we'll see better implementation on the part of software developers, rather than having to be an administrator to run everything.

Somewhat akin to all of those *nix docs telling you to 'chmod 777'

reply to wentlanc
The main problem here is that most users are dumb and that they need to have everything spoonfed to them.

said by wentlanc:

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I'll trust Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, and 12-Ghosts. Combine those with a hardware firewall, and the obligatory lame MS firewall, and I'm pretty secure.

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Not even just the stupid. Why should I download 3 programs that do something my OS should be protecting me from? Simplicity is devine...

reply to Steve
"XP/SP2 is an enormous improvement"

I hope so because I did not like the original. However, this bypasses the original comment. What has this MS version done about the trojans and worms it attracts in email that is different from. or an improvement over, any other version of software that MS has released ... say .. in the last six years?

A computer, imho, was meant to turn on and use. It should not have to be jury rigged into a miniature Fort Knox so the user can surf and get email. When MS meets and beats this challenge then they will have a fine product. Until then ... caveat emptor: Let the buyer beware.
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Macintosh: no windows, no gates and the Apple inside

reply to trparky
And these same dumb users are going to manage to patch their OS also, huh? It is too little too late. Most people who would do it, already have software loaded to eliminate popups, spyware, and other regular nuisances.

puritan

said by :

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What the hell Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, and 12-Ghosts have to do with security fixes and google like pop up blocker minus all bullshit it comes with and better activex options? Not everyone can afford or configure hardware firewall my freind.

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According to the article, only 50% of internet users run XP. So even if they got 60% saturation for SP2, they would only cover 30% of the web users at the most.

Too little, too late.

puritan

NAT Firewalls come configured, with fairly decent security settings, out of the box. Change the password and put it online. I have not gotten a single virus or worm on an unpatched Windows 98 installation that has been up for months as a test with a simple firewall. $20

puritan

Never seen ppoe before. I have seen PPPOE though.

Like I said. Minimal configuration, $20. What is your point exactly?

Your average user does not even know that they are a problem. They run Win98, which is unpatched, on DSL or cable connections. I have fixed plenty of them, and when I install their firewalls, or tell them what to run to prevent their slowness and problems, they always say, ,"That's it!?"

puritan

My point is, and always has been, that Microsoft is 2 years too late with their deep concerns of spyware, popups, etc.

This is just another attempt, by Microsoft, to save face on their lack of security. It is also an attempt to remain a monopoly, by including more additional software, which they can claim is a functional part of the OS. Then they can charge more for the OS whether you use it or not.

They should spend more of their time fixing their OS, not branching into new arenas. They should work more with 3rd party software developers to ensure better functionality between the kernel and 3rd party software.

But hey, you can't get richer, and further lock in your monopoly, by helping someone else sell apps, can you?

I bet MS virus scan is next.

puritan

reply to linicx

said by linicx:

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What has this MS version done about the trojans and worms it attracts in email that is different from. or an improvement over, any other version of software that MS has released ... say .. in the last six years?

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