Re: Run As Adminstrator - why hasn't it saved us?

In message <e100bf9a5d61a24164a35762cccd0b06@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> riix
<guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

To all that replied - thanks for your comments and no disrespect
intended please, but seems we missed the issues:

1) when attempting to run as a Power User, the "RunAs Administrator"
seems to be completely wrong in concept, yet has been around since ..
NT3? Can this really be? Or am I totally not understanding how its
supposed to work?

First, there is no such thing as a power user in Vista. If the group
exists from an AD context, it has no particular rights on the desktop.

Second, if you're running as a standard user, "Run As Administrator"
hasn't changed, it still allows the user to run a program under a
different security context.

If you're running as an administrator already, then the UAC popup by
default doesn't require credentials (it already knows who you are, and
that you are authorized), so this is technically a regression as you
used to be able to run programs as any user. Luckily you can use group
policies to change this, if you need to be able to launch programs in a
different user context.

2) Why does disabling UAC also disable "RunAs.." - again: these are
totally different concepts, why are they coupled?

UAC controls the elevation process, and is largely what allows processes
from two different security contexts to interact on the same console.

3) UAC is _not_ a minor inconvenience, it is a *major* hassle for
members of a development shop. Its not just a click. Its the constant
jarring effect of the screen going dim (or even black) for a second or
two, the box, the click, the blink back to reality, then a few seconds
later .. Event Viewer, IIS Admin, SQL studio, etc.

Doing this, maybe 30-40 times a day? When XP just worked?

If XP "just worked" then you were running with administrative access
already, or you're using a program that requests administrative access
but doesn't need it.

And all this because the Vista product, and Microsoft narrow-mindness,
won't allow me to work in a more intelligent fashion - which is: as a
Power User and *not* as an Administrator?

A Power User is just an administrator who hasn't promoted themselves
yet.

4) and maybe that's a bottom line - why does Vista install and create
its users as Administrators? A while ago my son bought a new Acer
computer with Vista Home Exceptional (or whatever its called). First
thing I did was create an Adminstrator id, write the password on his
monitor, then downgraded his ID to Normal User. He's now been using it
for over a month and HAS NOT EVEN NOTICED he's not an Administrator,
that is, it hasn't affected him at all.

Why doesn't Vista do this by default ?

Because the majority of users actually use their computers. They
install software (Flash come to mind anyone?), upgrade software, stuff
like that.

iTunes, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash have all had security updates
recently, so either your son is horribly insecure, or uses the
administrator password. If he users the administrator password when
doing these activities then he's doing what UAC would have done for him.

UAC doesn't pop up randomly, it only happens when Vista detects an
activity happening that requires administrative privileges, or an
application or user specifically requests administrative privileges.
.

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