What would you like to see in Windows?

[Michael Morris]

Microsoft has this new "Wishlist" thing up. I can't submit anything to it since it requires an email proggy and my email is browser based.

Anyway, the one feature I want in windows is very simple - a never trust list. Y'know, when a program starts an install through an active X control and the security certificate comes up with a checkbox - "Always trust content from X corporation"

Well, I want a "Never trust content from X" for all the spyware brokers of the world.

It's not asking too much is it?

 

[cybertalus]

I'd want that too if I used IE for anything besides Windows Updates.

I want to be able to drag programs on the taskbar into any order I want them, so that my browser can always be in the first slot, even if it's the third program I started.

I also want a universal setting that forces all programs to always run maximized.

 

[Ranger REG]

Microsoft has this new "Wishlist" thing up. I can't submit anything to it since it requires an email proggy and my email is browser based.

Anyway, the one feature I want in windows is very simple - a never trust list. Y'know, when a program starts an install through an active X control and the security certificate comes up with a checkbox - "Always trust content from X corporation"

Well, I want a "Never trust content from X" for all the spyware brokers of the world.

It's not asking too much is it?

I wish for better, more improved System Restore. If there is a new version, I'd like to know where I can download and install over my defective version which I cannot fully access.

I wish for longer filepath names ("C:\document and setting\my documents\..."). 256 characters is not enough.

 

[Psionicist]

There are a few things I want to see in windows:

* No Registry. Applications cannot write to the registry, they should store data in configuration files.
* No concept of application "installation". You just have to copy/unpack all the files from a CD/DVD or ZIP/RAR-file to a folder and the program should work.
* Better supports for standards (www.w3c.org).
* Ability to monitor hooks and their assorted processes, named and unnamed mutexes, a kernel level process viewer.
* Advanced process-/modulenuke.
* Better file permissions support.
* Ability to remove all preinstalled applications like Outlook Express.
* Sandbox environment where you can try out unsecure programs. The sandbox will disable all the file/registry/system modification API:s
* No "my documents"-folder.
* Built-in packet sniffer.
* A "temporarily disable PE-support" button. If you press it, no applications can nor will be loaded.
* The built-in debugger should run backtraces and dump memory data as default. dbghlp.dll rocks, use it more frequently.

These suggestions alone will minimize the impact of spyware and viruses, me thinks.

I want to be able to drag programs on the taskbar into any order I want them, so that my browser can always be in the first slot, even if it's the third program I started.

I coded a program a while ago to do that.
Program: http://psionicist.online.fr/tsu.exe
Screenshot: http://psionicist.online.fr/tsu.gif

 

[IronWolf]

* Better file permissions support.

Out of curiosity, what would you like to see file permissions wise?

* No "my documents"-folder.

Is their a reason for not wanting this? (I rarely use mine either, but never considered it detrimental)

* Built-in packet sniffer.

While it may be nice for the power user, not sure how this would minimize the impact of viruses or spyware? If anything the spyware and viruses now have a tool they can hook into, snatch some packets and report the interesting information to some email or irc chat room.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Ditch the registry (or at least convert it to XML instead of binary so you can recover with a text editor if you really, really need to)

All apps use local configuration files, never touch the registry

Biggest feature request - "live query folders". BeOS used this all the time, the latest version of Outlook allows it for live email folders. I want it on the desktop. (Naturally I was horrified when WinFS was removed from the Longhorn plans...)

Cheers

 

[Nifft]

Linux.

It only makes sense -- after all, Apple went to BSD, so MS has to go to Linux to beat them.

-- N

 

[Psionicist]

Hi there!

Out of curiosity, what would you like to see file permissions wise?

Most importantly: If I create a file and set the permission to read-only with some sort of root-account, software should'nt be able to modify the contents of the file.

Is their a reason for not wanting this? (I rarely use mine either, but never considered it detrimental)

It will teach users the concept of files. Most users just dump everything into My Documents because it's the default folder for most programs.

While it may be nice for the power user, not sure how this would minimize the impact of viruses or spyware? If anything the spyware and viruses now have a tool they can hook into, snatch some packets and report the interesting information to some email or irc chat room.

It's a double-edged sword alright. But I am pretty tired of having to download Ethereal when "I Fix Your Computer" though. I think you understand what I mean.

 

[IronWolf]

Most importantly: If I create a file and set the permission to read-only with some sort of root-account, software should'nt be able to modify the contents of the file.

I don't think I have seen this. Or at the very least if it has happened I didn't put two and two together!

It will teach users the concept of files. Most users just dump everything into My Documents because it's the default folder for most programs.

Maybe, but I think if they can't figure out the concept of files even under My Documents they probably won't get it otherwise. And it does make it nice if I have to backup someone's PC before working on it, generally I can grab their data from My Documents and move on.

It's a double-edged sword alright. But I am pretty tired of having to download Ethereal when "I Fix Your Computer" though. I think you understand what I mean.

<grin> Yeah, I know what you mean there. Maybe compromise, the tool is there but you have to install it from Add/Remove programs.

Thanks for the responses, not looking to pick away at what you would have liked to see improved, just curious what the thought had been behind some of them!

 

[pdkoning]

Windows users should not use an root/admin account by default. I like the way my OS X box handles this: it prompts for the superuser password if needed. This will improve security, because if the system is going through important changes, the user will at least notify this because he is promted to enter a password.

I did a similar thing with the PC that the rest of my family uses at home. My sister likes to install creepy spy/adware emotions addons trough activeX controls I changed her account settings and security, so now she just can't install them unless she knows the admin password. This saves me huge amounts of time removing spyware and other crap.