Vista's security chain works as designed and intended, preventing from you to inject an untrusted bootloader into the bootstrap. Isn't that what we -want- from our security systems? This isnt' a case of "Microsoft" holding our data hostage, this is a case of our own security policies WORKING.
If I were to be running Linux, with equivalent protection, I'd be right pissed if it could be trivially rootkitted/bypassed by swapping in a malicious bootloader.
The ONLY flaw I see in the entire Vista/TPM system is that users don't seem to have a way of manually trusting things they genuinely want to trust. If it hasn't been blessed by MS its not trusted -- that's a fine policy for general users, but if I, as the hardware want to trust a specific bit of code (e.g. the linux boot loader) then I should be able to manually sign it somehow, and add my personal key to my personal install of Vista. And then the grub bootloader I signed will be trusted on my (and only my) PC.
All the 'chatter on the internets' is currently centered around how to disable UAC, how to disable driver signing, how to go back to running windows as insecurely as possible. i would prefer to see the discussion take a more intelligent direction -- how to obtain keys/certificates, how to add them to Vista's chain of trust on a per PC or per domain basis, and how how sign code with them.
Signed drivers are a FANTASTIC idea. not being able to sign drivers myself for my own hardware is EVIL. But MS --does-- have programs in place to let you sign code with 'development drivers' which are designed to only be valid on your PC... its just that most of the discussion surround the issue is how to disable it, and how evil MS for deciding what is blessed and what is not.
I mean, take Stallman, even -he- who wrote the GPLv3 in part to counter DRM isn't against code signing. He just requires that the keys necessary to sign code be included, so the owner of the hardware and user of GPLv3 code can sign it, and thereby be free to make modifications and excercise all the freedoms intended by the gpl.
Don't forget, the Democrats (and Republicans) in the House and Senate are just as complacent in whatever damage has been done, by allowing it to continue and contributing their own malfeasance.
If the Ds really didn't want a war in Iraq, they shouldn't have given Bush the piece of paper authorizing military action.
GWB isn't any more evil than Pelosi and crew! The whole bunch is corrupt! So until you stop voting for the Republicrats, you get what you deserve.
And Opera is feeling so pressured by Firefox that it is systematically forced to copy Firefox's features months and even years before Firefox releases them... ^_^
You hit the nail on the head here. They really need to rethink the OS before they move on. Most of the features they add are pointless memory suckers that most of the world will never use. The OS needs to be a memory lean, small footprint, stable system. I know they're in business to make money, but coming out with another OS just because they think it's time isn't really the answer. Some could argue Vista is a big flop. I for one, have been running it for a year with zero problems. I will say UAC isn't their best idea, but once you get up and running you don't really see it on a day to day basis. As far as memory, it's no worse than XP was on this box and seems to run faster and with much less issues (probably because it can use all the 64bit drivers and such, where as the bastard stepchild XP64 could barely stand up half the time). Uptime I've actually been impressed with (well, for Windows. It was up for 4 months, best I could manage with XP was 3 weeks). (/me looks at his linux box up 395 days...) Disk space, again, it's not as bad as the rumors, a full install on here was 2.5GB. Still, A similarly capable linux distro could have done it in under a gig (and does on my second PC). Though in all honesty, does it really matter that much? I mean even if it was a 10GB install, it'd still be a small percentage of a 320GB-1TB drive.
Sure there are some cool things that'd be nice. Built in Snapshots and Thin provisioning, De-duplication, Remote Replication, a good full 3d interface, ability to swap drivers on the fly, ability to trim the kernel or compile in commonly used drivers directly to the kernel as modules, a GOOD media player (10 and 11 are massive steps backwards), a real contender for the browser wars... one that follows INDUSTRY Standards. etc...
But IMLTHO, what I think they should do is JUST STOP. Vista's really fine, and I don't want them to try to fix what ain't broke, that's what got us Windows ME. Sure Vista may not run on older hardware well (though my Athlon XP2500+ with 512MB RAM and a 15GB drive runs pretty well with it), but that just means it needs polish, not replacement.
And BTW, WTH ever happened to personal responsibility? And don't give me that crap about hurting others. That would be true in some place where you had no choice but to go,but now the owner of the building can't even decide for himself if he wants to cater to smokers,WTF? And you can't tell me that even a dozen fattys or smokers is causing 1/10 the damage all these soccer moms are causing driving those huge SUVs that get squat to the gallon. If I want to have a cigarette or some fatty wants a donut,how about,oh,I don't know,leaving them the f*ck alone!
It isn't like EVERYONE hasn't heard about heart disease and cancer by now,if they are over 18 and choose to smoke or eat,let them be adults and do it. Of course,then we might actually have to cut spending,which would make both parties choke on their earmarks. It is a shame that Ron Paul or a Barry Goldwater type conservative doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell in this country,because then we might actually be treated as adults instead of having Nanny government trying to treat us all like we were too stupid to wipe our own noses! And I apologize if I came off a little ranty,but this kind of crap just really p*sses me off. But that is my 02c,YMMV
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