UAC Prompt Conditions On EXE Launch

[the_randomizer]

UAC is the same concept as sudo on Linux. Go to a Linux forum and say you run everything logged in as root, and see how few people agree with that idea.

UAC is to protect users against programs, it was never meant as a child-limiting device or anything. The reason lots of programs pop up the UAC prompt (outside of machine-wide installs) is because a lot of programs are written to ass-old Windows 98 standards.

That explains a lot actually, I just found it to be annoying getting those prompts, but to each his own I guess. Too bad the way they're written aren't better than Windows 98-style.

 

[Rydian]

They lock the screen by default to prevent programs from tricking you into clicking "allow" and giving them admin rights to your files and junk.

 

[Fishaman P]

How are you going to run a program that never got to extract itself, for example?

I don't quite get what you mean. Most programs let you select where to extract themselves, and if not, you can usually open them up with 7zip.

 

[Rydian]

I don't quite get what you mean. Most programs let you select where to extract themselves, and if not, you can usually open them up with 7zip.

I'm talking about compressed installers. If a program is going to install itself into %programfiles% but has no admin rights, it can't write the extracted files to that folder, so it can't install.

 

[The Milkman]

What are you going at Rydain? That you shouldn't install programs to program files, or am I missing your point completely?

 

[Rydian]

I'm saying that the majority of programs install themselves to Program Files, and so need admin rights. If you refuse them admin rights, they will not be able to install, and thus will not run properly. Even then, there's programs that need admin rights for other reasons such as gaining thw ability to access the memory (and threads) of other running processes, such as Cheat Engine and FRAPS. If you remove the manifests of those programs and rename them so they no longer request admin rights, they will not get it on startup (assuming UAC hasn't been turned off) and will fail to run.

Again, use Linux as a parallel. Running everything as Root (Windows, Admin account, UAC off) is going to get your intelligence insulted worldwide, but use of the sudo command to grant programs temporary admin/root rights is something every Linux user knows, because there are some tasks that do actually need admin/root rights.

 

[Fishaman P]

I'm saying that the majority of programs install themselves to Program Files, and so need admin rights. If you refuse them admin rights, they will not be able to install, and thus will not run properly. Even then, there's programs that need admin rights for other reasons such as gaining thw ability to access the memory (and threads) of other running processes, such as Cheat Engine and FRAPS. If you remove the manifests of those programs and rename them so they no longer request admin rights, they will not get it on startup (assuming UAC hasn't been turned off) and will fail to run.

Again, use Linux as a parallel. Running everything as Root (Windows, Admin account, UAC off) is going to get your intelligence insulted worldwide, but use of the sudo command to grant programs temporary admin/root rights is something every Linux user knows, because there are some tasks that do actually need admin/root rights.

Now the analogy goes as follows: say echo "required" root. Any sane person could tell that it doesn't. Now expand that echo example to 90% of everything on the Internet.

 

[Rydian]

Now the analogy goes as follows: say echo "required" root. Any sane person could tell that it doesn't. Now expand that echo example to 90% of everything on the Internet.

Skype, Chrome, Firefox, Fiddler2, HxD, Pidgin, Warframe, Steam, Notepad++, Irfanview, Paint, Calculator, Photoshop, WinSCP, Stepmania, Warsow, Minecraft, Avidemux, Blender, Handbrake, IcoFX, Inkscape, Paint.NET, Virtualdub, WinFF... don't need admin rights.

The only programs I use on even a semi-regular basis that do are OBS, FRAPS, and Cheat Engine. Mabinogi, which I used to play, needs admin rights as well because of it's install location and DRM only.

So that's 12% that pop up UAC and need it, and 3% that pop it up and really don't (wouldn't if they lacked restrictive DRM and installed right).

And that's without throwing my Steam game list into the mix, of which I have over 150, and none of which require UAC at all.



So. What the fuck kind of drugs you on?

 

[Fishaman P]

Skype, Chrome, Firefox, Fiddler2, HxD, Pidgin, Warframe, Steam, Notepad++, Irfanview, Paint, Calculator, Photoshop, WinSCP, Stepmania, Warsow, Minecraft, Avidemux, Blender, Handbrake, IcoFX, Inkscape, Paint.NET, Virtualdub, WinFF... don't need admin rights.

The only programs I use on even a semi-regular basis that do are OBS, FRAPS, and Cheat Engine. Mabinogi, which I used to play, needs admin rights as well because of it's install location and DRM only.

So that's 12% that pop up UAC and need it, and 3% that pop it up and really don't (wouldn't if they lacked restrictive DRM and installed right).

And that's without throwing my Steam game list into the mix, of which I have over 150, and none of which require UAC at all.



So. What the fuck kind of drugs you on?

Nearly all of the installers you listed ask for admin rights, to my knowledge.

 

[Rydian]

Nearly all of the installers you listed ask for admin rights, to my knowledge.

You said programs, not installers. I already noted that installers need admin rights for a legit reason, because they try to install to a system directory. I also noted that if you refuse to allow them this right and let them try to install there anyways, they'll fail because they actually need that right to install there.

 

[Fishaman P]

You said programs, not installers. I already noted that installers need admin rights for a legit reason, because they try to install to a system directory. I also noted that if you refuse to allow them this right and let them try to install there anyways, they'll fail because they actually need that right to install there.

That about sums up the pointless misunderstandings.