Using WinXP as nothing else than administrator is a horrible experience; many programs simply refuse to work or throw errors all over the place.

Being logged in as limited-rights user *is* good for security though; for some reason the wireless configuration utility refuses to work; no internet as a result.

Though completely secure I opt for Admin + Dropmyrights instead. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/ security/securecode/columns/default.aspx? pull=/library/en-us/dncode/html/secure11152004.asp)

So, to help avoid catching anything nasty, don't run Windows as Administrator heh.

What about all the software that won't install or run unless you are:

1. The user who installed it.

2. Logged in as an Administrative account.

If only Windows came with the same option as KDE - if the software instalation requires it - bring up a box asking for the root / admin password?

Problem is, most Windoews software installs itself with files or registry settings that are tied to the user who is logged on to do the installation.

Sure, there's the utility to remove user rights from programs you run but surely the 'nix GUI has it the right way round.

It's the administrative privileges that are key here. One of the reasons Linux is typically a safer environment is that limited user accounts are the norm. This is largely attributable to more savvy users, but most Linux distros make a fuss if you run as root, whereas Windows does not. It is easier for Windows users to become oblivious to the bad habit of using an administrative account whether or not admin privileges are required for the task at hand.

This is exactly what is needed:

We are on the brink of a computer revolution!!!

Natural selection applied to computer software and operating systems where only the strong survive. If you build it cheaply, you disappear!

Imagine a day where know-nothing executives are no longer allowed to run free and make bad decisions with respect to choice of products for their infrastructure!

ahh to dream!