My wish list [for the forthcoming windows Vista] is a bit less “new stuff” and more “improve whats there now” (“Labs Windows Wishes,” Aug. 22).
Vista should allow me to more easily specify what programs are allowed to run on startup. In fact, I should be able to set a rule that would prevent any program or process from auto-loading on startup unless that program is registered with Microsoft.
Microsoft (or an industry consortium) should keep a database of all known programs and processes, and Vista should use that database to tell me as much as possible about any executable file or library it finds on my computer.
Vista should also allow me to specify that programs running at startup must run in a certain order. And Vista should be smarter about tracking everything installed and changed by new programs and about what files and registry entries are used by each program so that it can do a better job of deleting all of a program when it comes time to uninstall.
Tim Deaton
