30 Jun
2004
30 Jun
'04
1:30 p.m.
Patrick Kaell wrote:
Don't think so. Windows is much easier. Under
Windows users usually have
full administrator rights. Additionally they just have to follow the
camera's manual and insert the driver CD. That's all. Here is another
anectotical story: Before going to Englang for studying my sister needed
a laptop. I recommended an iBook. Very easy to use. Several month later
she wanted to connect a the neighbor's USB printer to her laptop.
Basically, it was very easy. MacOSX recognizes everything automatically,
the driver CD wasn't even needed. For security reasons (MacOS X is Unix
based!), there was a popup window asking the administrator's password,
before installing the printer automatically. Guess what: They waited 6
hours before deciding to call me to ask the password! They thought it
would be an error, because on the neighbors Windows machine something
like this was not needed. It wasn't even mentioned in the printers
operating manual!
What I want to add:
It is easy to explain to a user why one needs to enter a password to
login or to access protected data. But try to explain why there appears
a popup window asking a password by connecting a hotpuggable device. You
would immediately get the counterquestion: But if I connect my monitor I
do not need a password. We all know why: To install a new driver you
need administrator rights. For monitors you do not need a new driver. I
even told that Apple would do this to protect the OS against worms. In
such a situation you easily get the answer: But to protect against worms
you need a antivirus software, not a password for a printer!!!!
Remember: We are not simple users, we don't know how a user thinks!
Having priviledge separation means more security. But it may touble users.
Should we now really bash Lindows/Linspire because everythings runs
under 'root'????
Unix was designed as a multiuser OS, where you had a clued admin which
did the administration. Windows is a PC OS! This is a basic fact. I
could now continue with drive letters and so on....
I remember reading an article in 1994 about Linux. It said: You can't
expect to install and master Linux in a day like DOS, Windows and OS/2.
Would it happen, than it would mean that you mananged to become a Unix
administrator overnight. This is not possible for most people!
Greetings, Patrick Kaell