Main -- Main Archive Page -- March 2004 -- Windows is a black fuzzy sweater | « Life found on Mars! - Living in the future »
March 01, 2004
Windows is a black fuzzy sweater
A Windows computer connected to the Internet is like a back fuzzy sweater. No matter how careful you are you pick up little evil bits of lint.
You can run the most fascistic, evil AV software on the planet and still have your computer infested with tons of productivity sapping advertising popping programs. So, in addition to religiously updating your AV software, you also have to download, run and update anti-adware software as well.
Which, by the way, also saps your productivity.
And then you run into programs that resist un-install attempts. The owner of a computer should not have to go through a captcha test or a web survey to be able to un-install software.
I've recently had a two-day argument with a computer that had software that even interfered with Google to the extent that I couldn't find LavaSoft's website. I just gave up and went to my Mac, downloaded the Windows-only installer, burned it to a CD, and took it to that poor screwed up Windows computer.
And that, I suppose, is the point of this rant. Not only is the shareware/freeware software market for the Mac mostly free of malignant parasites — but the operating system makes malware easier to combat. Everything is visible to the user and reasonably easy to change — from the browser tool bar to system startup items.
I don't have and I haven't heard of the same kinds of problems that Windows users face on Macs (or, for that matter, Solaris, Linux, etc.).
I'm not talking Enterprise security here people — I'm talking normal workday productivity down the drain, just because some user pushed the wrong button while visiting a website. You either have to severely restrict user's use of the Internet, which costs money and time, or you run around un-installing things, which costs money and time.
Oh yeah — all that spam I get? It is coming from compromised Windows computers. Thanks, guys.
(I understand that this rant isn't valid for everyone. There are people who understand these issues and take great care to keep their machines clean. But you shouldn't have to take great care. Also, fascistic and evil though it may be, Invercible is a great product — MS should buy it and make it part of Windows)
Comments
Thanks, I was still a little steamed when I wrote the thing, and it shows. I've cleaned up the wording a bit.
And yes, I've been asking for similar wording in our employee handbook. But I also have to think about parents with kids (that don't know any better). Many of them end up taking their computers to $100/hr computer shops just so they can log into Windows XP and not have the whole system lock up for five minutes while the crap-ware loads.
And yes, I guess I'm still mad.
Sorry about the job, would you be interested in teaching a few MS Office (especially Outlook) classes to some management types?
Hi
Thank you very much for suggessting me an idea !
[grin]
Well you might want to re-read the sentences; there's a few wording mistakes - overall a fairly accurate article. (I still can't select text from this web page, re-read 2nd sentence, 1st paragraph).
2 things I'll note as mitigating factors (to Microsoft). The first is that the next major service pack to windows will include a feature which disables pop-up windows from IE. This was annouced a month or so ago. (It is expected early this summer - translating that from the M$ calendar to my calendar means I expect it August-ish).
The second point is that the users are installing this stuff themselves. I understand that they say it is accidental.
To continue the second point; where I'm a contractor now, it is against the rules to install your own software - and by that I mean *so* against the rules that the std punishment for the offense is a written warning, and may also be punishable by termination. The Internet policy here states that, plus it explains the *official* reason - which is that if you install it and it is found and there is not license for it then the company can be sued.
The computers and Internet service are work resources and are supposed to be used for work. If you don't have a direct work related reason for visiting a site - you shouldn't have visited it. Is this enforced? I don't know for sure - but I do know it isn't enforced 100%, becuase I've seen people on MSN, WRAL, etc.
I imagine the main reason for this draconian policy is the problems you are experiencing.
I'll have to finish this another time... my company comp cigaretts are here, got`a go pick `em up from the receptionist.
-Gates
P.S.
I'm laid off effective April 2.
P.P.S.
Don't use that email address, use my other one.
Posted by: Tom "Darlof" Gates | March 2, 2004 11:01 AM