UAC to return for Windows 7
In light of the insecurities that have plagued Windows XP, Microsoft was prompted to reveal the User Accounts Control (UAC) feature with Windows Vista. By providing alerts when potentially-risky operations were taken or done on the system, the user would be alerted to the dangers. Unfortunately, UAC did so much prompting that most users simply ignored the box or grew downright indignant with it. In response to user irritations, Microsoft has said that UAC will be returning with Windows 7 but improved based on user feedback.
In the E7 blog which covers the development of Windows 7, Microsoft covered UAC in astonishing detail. In addition to metrics related to the regularity of UAC popups, their triggers, and types, Microsoft pledged an improved UAC experience, saying:
Based on what we’ve learned from our data and feedback we need to address several key issues in Windows 7:
- Reduce unnecessary or duplicated prompts in Windows and the ecosystem, such that critical prompts can be more easily identified.
- Enable our customers to be more confident that they are in control of their systems.
- Make prompts informative such that people can make more confident choices.
- Provide better and more obvious control over the mechanism.
All of which is to say that Microsoft is listening and, while not preparing to ditch the feature, hopes its next iteration won’t be the most hated popup on the planet.
