To mention that if your FFN (Friends, Family or Neighbours) logged on as a standard user, a lot of the problems that they would be see now, would disappear.
On the positive side, these are all good pieces of advice.
Of course I’m talking about surfer dude*, and Microsoft Senior Security Strategist, Steve Riley
Supporting your family, friends, and neighbours
* I’ve met him and he looks like a surfer, not that there is anything wrong with that.
I did mention that, in the last paragraph of the “Four steps to protect your computer” section. I discussed the trade-off that running as standard user might create. In general, I agree that standard user is best, and that’s how my family operates. Here’s what I wrote:
“What about ensuring that your FFN runs as non-admin? That would be an excellent step, but a lot of software written for the home market still requires being an admin to install and run (yeah, not everyone realizes the Earth is round). Such software should be tossed in the junk bin—yet if you need to manage some knitting projects, and there’s only one program you can find that works for you, sigh… Non-admin is a tough call. Perhaps you can enforce it on the home network in your own house, since you’re right there. Enforcing it on the computers in your FFN, though, might end up creating more work for you.”
“I did mention that, in the last paragraph of the “Four steps to protect your computer” section.”
Gawd, you’re right, I’m a goose.
“What about ensuring that your FFN runs as non-admin? That would be an excellent step, but a lot of software written for the home market still requires being an admin to install and run … ”
The Magic Schoolbus problem as one (Microsoft?) person described it. The trick is to have an “”Admin”" account that your FFN use to install software with, and a “regular” standard user account for day to day stuff. Not that this always works, you would think that application packagers would have got it right by now. But no.
I did mention that, in the last paragraph of the “Four steps to protect your computer” section. I discussed the trade-off that running as standard user might create. In general, I agree that standard user is best, and that's how my family operates. Here's what I wrote:
“What about ensuring that your FFN runs as non-admin? That would be an excellent step, but a lot of software written for the home market still requires being an admin to install and run (yeah, not everyone realizes the Earth is round). Such software should be tossed in the junk bin—yet if you need to manage some knitting projects, and there’s only one program you can find that works for you, sigh… Non-admin is a tough call. Perhaps you can enforce it on the home network in your own house, since you’re right there. Enforcing it on the computers in your FFN, though, might end up creating more work for you.”
“I did mention that, in the last paragraph of the “Four steps to protect your computer” section.”
Gawd, you're right, I'm a goose.
“What about ensuring that your FFN runs as non-admin? That would be an excellent step, but a lot of software written for the home market still requires being an admin to install and run … “
The Magic Schoolbus problem as one (Microsoft?) person described it. The trick is to have an “”Admin”" account that your FFN use to install software with, and a “regular” standard user account for day to day stuff. Not that this always works, you would think that application packagers would have got it right by now. But no.
Speaking as an application packager, Not enough of us push back when we encounter badly written software, and there are times when application packagers don’t get the support to allow them to push back to get software fixed
Speaking as an application packager, Not enough of us push back when we encounter badly written software, and there are times when application packagers don't get the support to allow them to push back to get software fixed