UAC in Windows 7

From what I know about Windows Vista, you can only turn the UAC (User Access Control) either on or off.  I definitely believe most of the developers and advance user would have turn it off completely. Now I am thinking about this Apple commercial…

Fortunately, Windows 7 has fine tuned the option in UAC. There are now 4 levels of UAC you can set.

1. Always notify me when:

• Programs try to install software or make changes to my computer
• I make changes to Windows settings

2. Default - Notify me only when program try to make changes to my computer:

• Don’t notify me when I make changes to Windows settings

3. Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop):

• Don’t notify me when I make changes to Windows settings
• Not diming the desktop might allow programs to interfere with the User (i.e. automatically click Yes for your dialogue box)

4. Never notify me when:

• Programs try to install software or make changes to my computer
• I make changes to Windows settings

After using Windows 7 for a couple of days, the default settings feel like the security set up in Mac OS X.

Administrative Account Changes

In the past, we all NEED to be in the Administrative group to do pretty the simplest task in Windows. Now, it is a bit different.

When you are in Administrative group, you run as Standard User.

The idea is that administrator should not need administrative right during normal use of Windows. So what’s the different if you are in Administrative group?

1. Standard User – when you need to administrative right, you will required to type in an admin password.
2. Administrative User – You just need to click Yes/No to confirm that you want to get your administrative right.

This is probably more security than simply having administrative right all the time. You will be more conscience when the program asks you for administrative right. Saying that, us developers will need to more work. Our software should requires the minimal right to run your program, unless your program needs administrative right.