Re: VC9 + SP1 and manifests (broken)
SvenC wrote:
Hi Ben,
... different parts [manifest/virtualization...] of the Vista-and
beyond systems ... quickly become unmaintainable.
Unfortunately, the alternative is to break old programs, hence to
halt the operation of countless businesses and individuals. These
people are not guilty, they lawfully bought their software, they
use it on a daily basis and their businesses depend critically on
the proper functioning of this software.
But they need to set higher standards for "Windows Logo". If they
weren't so danged focused on the revenue the Windows Logo Program
generates, they could go a long way toward making sure these
redirection hacks are phased out (not to mention the software getting
the Vista version of the Logo would play nicer on non-Administrative
accounts of Win2000 and WinXP).
The cries of the semi technical people which feel the need to tell
their thoughts in blogs and elsewhere about *Vista being the problem*
that *many apps* are not working any more causes lots of people to
believe this "semi correct" view.
Microsoft knows about this problem and had to find comprimises to
make it work as much as possible. Compromises are never perfect
hence they are call compromise and not perfect.
Microsoft tried it the educational way with Win2000/WinXP and preached
to log on as standard user and not admin and us devs should develop
software that plays well in this scenarios. It simply didn't work. You
have to feel the pain of security or more clearly: you have to feel
the pain of your customers who are not able/allowed/interested to
tweak
I didn't suggest that Microsoft shouldn't have put in the compatibility
shim.
I said that any app caught using it should automatically be denied Windows
Logo (under the Vista edition of the rules). This will help consumers
differentiate between hacked-together software written (I'm loathe to use
the word 'design') in the Win95 days and software designed with
least-privilege and security in mind. Which in turn will push the pain of
assumed admin accounts back toward the developers.
The educational way didn't work because it had no teeth. Making it a
Windows Logo has some teeth just because in consumer's eyes it means
something.
the security settings to a lower level just to run your app.
This change is painful, agreed. But it is the only way which will
change us devs to build apps which play nicer according to the rules
(of Windows and security as designed by Windows designers).