Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why Windows XP sucks.

Yotabyte

Yotabyte

macrumors member
Original poster
Norton antivirus found 4 viruses on my PC today and was only able to fix 2. It's amazing what actually manages to slip through my blackice firewall and norton auto-protect-itself and onto my system and then dig in like a tick before Norton can tell me how screwed I am. All I have to say is dam you, Bill Gates and damn you Chin Ing-Hau!
 
Try being the Network Administrator for a company that has a boss that just wont switch to anything but MS. We have gone to weekly virus, and spyware checks on the clients by the users, and they have to email me their troubles or what viruses were found. Lovely.
 
I don't understand why Apple doesn't have a whole marketing campaign about this.

You just need a windows user saying: "I split my computer time between three important tasks: fighting viruses, fighting spyware, and fighting spam. On the rare instances that I'm not doing one of those, I spend the rest of my time fighting the stupid Windows operating system."

--
http://www.wanderingphilosopher.com/
 
While a true assessment of Windows' vulnerabilities, you have to take on some level of responsibility. These viruses don't just automatically appear for no reason.

You need to keep your system up-to-date with service packs and be responsible with opening of email attachments. Even further, you shouldn't use the preview window in Outlook (if possible, don't use Outlook or OE at all) and you should disable opening of HTML based emails. You should double check your virus scanning settings. Does it scan all incoming emails? Are you sure? Most of today's viruses spread using known (and patched) exploits.

I agree that Microsoft is partly to blame with all the holes left in their software programs, but if you are going to be a Windows user, you need to know how to change your ways. Running a virus scanner and firewall doesn't make any system invincible. It sort of like blaming a car manufacturer for your dead car at 80,000 miles when you don't do any preventative maintenance.

For kicks, I am curious which 4 viruses turned up on your system? A quick lookup on your favorite virus defs website will show how you transmitted it and where you are lacking protection.

With all that said, I am still a happy Mac user 😀
 
kingjr3 said:
You need to keep your system up-to-date with service packs and be responsible with opening of email attachments.
Click to expand...
Running the Windows update utility does not keep your system completely up to date. Running most virus programs' update utilities does not necessarily keep one's virus defs totally up to date.

In both cases, to truly get all the updates, you have to run through several horrendous extra processes, often hacking URLs and other fun stuff to get the right files. In Windows, there's a whole application (separate from the update util) for auditing one's update level, and applying special patches.

It's a friggin' nightmare over there on the dark side. Any user who can keep their system and virus util 100% up to date must be a complete nerd who works on nothing else all day.

And even so... having all the updates only keeps you protected from known viruses. New ones can still find their way in. And god help you if you accidentally click the wrong button when you get a virus/spyware/etc. warning. A friend (who is total Windows expert) spent two days trying to remove one spyware app after such an incident. I think he ended up reformatting his drive and starting over from scratch.
 
Toe said:
Any user who can keep their system and virus util 100% up to date must be a complete nerd who works on nothing else all day.
Click to expand...
I have no viruses, and no ad/spy/mal-ware. Why? I use Firefox, install my windows updates, and run NAV Corp. It's not rocket science.
 
edesignuk said:
I have no viruses, and no ad/spy/mal-ware. Why? I use Firefox, install my windows updates, and run NAV Corp. It's not rocket science.
Click to expand...
I'll bet that according to NAV Corporate and Windows Update, you are 100% up to date.

I'll also bet that neither is actually up to date.
 
kingjr3 said:
And this is Microsoft's fault?
Click to expand...
One-click, passwordless install of severe system-compromising software? Yes, that's Microsoft's fault. They could at least ask for a password after confirming that you want to install spyware on your computer.
 
Toe said:
One-click, passwordless install of severe system-compromising software? Yes, that's Microsoft's fault. They could at least ask for a password after confirming that you want to install spyware on your computer.
Click to expand...

Wow 🙄 You can't be serious? Reread your statement. So the confirmation isn't enough now when installing software. What do you think a CONFIRMATION is?

If you really want, setup so your everday account such that you can't install software, and when you have to - login as an admin and install away.

Everyone to blame except themselves... 🙄 🙄 🙄
 
varmit said:
Try being the Network Administrator for a company that has a boss that just wont switch to anything but MS. We have gone to weekly virus, and spyware checks on the clients by the users, and they have to email me their troubles or what viruses were found. Lovely.
Click to expand...


hehe...our win2k systems are scanned daily at noon.

And since we are connected to an always-on network, its like an open road for spyware/virii/etc.

Pretty much the computers here are barely usable. That is, unless numerous popups dont annoy you.
 
Toe said:
I'll bet that according to NAV Corporate and Windows Update, you are 100% up to date.

I'll also bet that neither is actually up to date.
Click to expand...
Whatever you think, there is no arguing that I have no problems what so ever.

...still love my iMac though 😀
 
kingjr3 said:
Wow 🙄 You can't be serious? Reread your statement. So the confirmation isn't enough now when installing software. What do you think a CONFIRMATION is?
Click to expand...
Macs ask for confirmation... then ask for a password. 😉

When clicking "OK" might result in destruction of all your data, irreperable damage of system resources, completely compromising your privacy, and/or a flood of spam spewing out of your computer... yes, I think more than one confirmation might be worthwhile.

Asking for a password before installing is just a no-brainer. It ensures that the person sitting in front of the computer right now knows the admin password, and it warns you that an installation is about to take place (which a spyware-generated dialog might not necessarily indicate).

As for it never being the users' fault... what does Microsoft think its users are? Unix geeks? The vast majority of Windows users think their monitor is their computer, and their computer is their hard drive.
 
My reasons it sucks...

It takes too long to startup after you get past the initial login screen. Installing and uninstalling programs is slow. People tend to place an icon of every program they ever run on the desktop because running programs from the Start menu is a pain. It makes it a confusing mess. The dock is a better solution. Control panel icons are inconsistent with the Administration icons.
The online help isn't very helpful. The control panel isn't as organized as the System Preferences on the Mac. Random problems for the life of your machine. It reminds me of just another Linux distribution than a really successful and commerical O/S from a company the size of Microsoft.
 
My biggest beef with Windows XP is the horrid networking. Often, Windows takes about 2 minutes after starting up before it'll see my iMac and connect to it. Also, I have to log out and back in or even restart Windows because it refuses to connect.

As far as Mac OS X goes...selecting text in Safari is extremely unpredictable if done in anything other than a text box. The selection seemingly jumps around and won't go where I want it to go. It's difficult to tell what will be selected if I click and drag over some text on a web site, especially if images are mixed in with the text.
 
Toe said:
As for it never being the users' fault... what does Microsoft think its users are? Unix geeks? The vast majority of Windows users think their monitor is their computer, and their computer is their hard drive.
Click to expand...

I guess our philosophies differ, that's the beauty of being human. 😉

I just don't automatically blame a company becuase I had no idea what I was doing. Like confirming that you would like to install spyware. You believe that they should ask you more than once, sort of like the Verizon guy but instead of "Can you hear me now" you get "Are you still sure you want to install?"

My feelings are you can't hold the company (MS in this case) entirely liable for spyware and viruses. Granted they're OS is porous, but its not that bad if you know how to use it and protect yourself. Crap I have to use it everyday and I can't say it's ruined my life - most likely because I come home to my happy mac 🙂

Think of an auto maker, they safely assume that anyone who is going to operate one of their vehicles knows how to. Imagine if every 8 year old who throws a running car into drive and runs through the back of the garage was able to blame GM/Chrysler/etc that it is the manufacturers fault for not confirming that you know what you are doing before putting a car into drive. Why must a software company be 100% liable for something the user did? Would you hold Apple *GASP* responsible once viruses and spyware creep into the picture? Seems bass ackwards to me.
 
edesignuk said:
Whatever you think, there is no arguing that I have no problems what so ever.
Click to expand...
Then you're lucky.

Unless you run Security Analyzer, you aren't really secure according to Microsoft. And that is one F-U-N tool to use!

Also, sometimes NAV/Windows will download the "latest" update; yet there are several more, more recent updates on the NAV website. Go figure.
 
Toe said:
Then you're lucky.
Click to expand...
Lucky? Or maybe just cautious enough not to open attachments from people I don't know, not to say yes to anything, and to not install various shareware/freeware all the time.
 
edesignuk said:
...It's not rocket science.
Click to expand...

-edesignuk

To you and we perhaps, but there's something called the 80/20 rule.

No matter how hard you scream, how well you articulate, how many times you manipulated their very own hand, and despite your extremely best efforts to the point of a level of exhaustion so deep your great-great-great-grandkids will be winded - 20% of the informed will still have the blinking clock on their VCR's.

What really saddens me, is that few are informed.

For this reason, and making screwing up so damn easy, and maintenance an actual chore despite knowing that I have to and how to - I personally blame MS.
 
- patrick0brien 😉

Absolutely agree. Most people can't seem to grasp simple things to keep your computer free of all the crap that is out there, no matter how many times they are told how.

I think that MS and these users should hold an equal share of the blame, MS should tighten things up, and users should make as much effort to learn how to secure their machine as they do bugger around with formulas in excel 🙄
 
kingjr3 said:
Think of an auto maker, they safely assume that anyone who is going to operate one of their vehicles knows how to. Imagine if every 8 year old who throws a running car into drive and runs through the back of the garage was able to blame GM/Chrysler/etc that it is the manufacturers fault for not confirming that you know what you are doing before putting a car into drive. Why must a software company be 100% liable for something the user did? Would you hold Apple *GASP* responsible once viruses and spyware creep into the picture? Seems bass ackwards to me.
Click to expand...
I think for that analogy to hold, the car manufacturer would have to put a big sign on the side of the car saying: "Kids! try driving this in the garage! It's easy!" And then they'd put blocks on the gas pedal to make it easier for kids to reach. And they'd set the transmission to lurch the car forward five feet on ignition. And they'd replace the key-ignition with a big button saying "Kids, press here!"
 
Toe said:
Any user who can keep their system and virus util 100% up to date must be a complete nerd who works on nothing else all day.
Click to expand...


Dude it is easy to keep a windows computer 100% to date with in 24 hours of an update being released. My XP computer is on the next 24/7 100% uptoday and virus and spyware free (minus a few cookies which dont count any ways since all computer including your so high and mightly macs get those). The family computer as home is 100% upto date and virus free. It is not spyware free since I have not been home ot run adware on it.

Default setting on XP SP2 computer automaticly download updates and installs them. Nortain defeult setting is to check for updates every 5 mins (I change it to onces ever 24 hours.

Switching off IE prevents all automaticly installing spyware. It is not microsoft fault that people are idoits and click and tell the computer it is ok to install a lot of stuff that is bloated with spyware
 
Timelessblur said:
Dude it is easy to keep a windows computer 100% to date with in 24 hours of an update being released.
Click to expand...
See above... MS software update and NAV update DO NOT give you all the latest updates. They just make you think you have them. Nice, eh?

Also, 24 hours is an awfully long time. I had a friend deploy a MS-based web server, with a complete lock-down on all security holes and totally updated virus defs (he is a MS security expert). As he deployed the server, a new virus came out and immediately infected it. It took down his entire ISP for a couple hours, and his server for a couple of days.
 
hmmm looks like we have a Mac zelot who refuses to believe that it the user fault. For a HOME computer 24 hours is not a very long time. a week is starting to push it. That being said you acting like Apple is perfic. I think Zelots are worse than the trolls. most of the time trolls at least know somewhatly what they are talking about Zelots well they are idoits who know noughting
 
I think that the main problem with XP is that the average computer user doesn't know how to use their computer.
My old XP computer didn't have a problem with spyware or adware but that was because I knew how to take care of it.

I found this screenshot from the New Posts page a little funny.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 1.png
    Picture 1.png
    21.3 KB · Views: 485
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back