Page 24 - Mindmail _June_2019
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what is being done to           has provided the example        other key changes as                           4       Microsoft
           keep it safe. Prior to the      of apps that use Drive          it seeks to avoid fines
           changes, only extensions        API for backup services.        from emergent consumer                              Wants to End
           that accessed user data         The company will also           protection regulations                                  Windows
           directly were required to       be turning its attention to     amid concerns about
           make those disclosures          digging in and verifying        privacy.                                                 Update
           but now that will apply to      those apps that need                                                                    Reboots
           extensions that access          broad access.                   Among the most
           user inputs or those                                            prominent examples                                Windows 10 is a pretty          same approach as they do       hassle of having to reboot
           handling communications.        Google is taking recent         of recent alterations                             great operating system.         with the Office 365 update.    the system every now and
                                           changes seriously               include those related to                          But one thing about it that     In Office 365, users are       then, they totally would do
           New policies for                                                ad-blocking extensions                            bugs most users are the         quietly reminded that the      it. Of course, you can’t turn
           extensions and apps that        From the start of               via the still-unreleased                          constant Updates, many          app cannot be updated          it off. But that just goes
           access Google Drive API         enforcement, any                “Manifest V3.” A significant                      of which require a system       while it is still open. This   to show how much of a
                                           extensions that use             portion of that is aimed                          reboot. But it looks as         means the user to free         nuisance this feature can
           Google isn’t shirking its       permissions that grant          at deprecating the API                            though Microsoft is well        to close the app at their      actually feel like.
           own responsibility on           more than what’s required       currently used by ad-                             aware of the hassle caused  own time, after which the
           those fronts either, with its   or that don’t adhere to         blocking extensions,                              by this. Which is why           updates will promptly be       And Microsoft has been
           Google Drive API getting        disclosure guidelines           shifting the burden to                            they’re reportedly working      installed.                     working through the
           some changes that should        will be removed from            DeclarativeNetRequest                             on making updates more                                         years in making the
           make apps that access the       the Chrome Web Store,           API from webRequest                               seamless and remove the         If Microsoft can do            update process more of
           API easier to trust.            pending changes and             API. That will change how                         requirement of reboots          something similar with         a “background” thing.
                                           resubmission. Once              network requests can                              altogether.                     Windows Updates, it will       You can now postpone
           Subsequently, starting          removed, Google will            be made and give users                                                            be a big deal for a lot of     the update installation
           sometime near the               be disabling apps that          more control over what the                        Nick Parker, the Corporate      users. And not just that,      by a few days. This can
           beginning of next year,         have been deemed                extensions do and where.                          Vice President of               but Microsoft could also       be helpful when you’re
           Google plans to ensure          untrustworthy on end-                                                             Consumer and Device             send patches and updates       in the middle of doing
           that third-party apps           user devices and will only                                                        Sales at Microsoft,             more frequently if they’re     something and wouldn’t
           will generally no longer        reinstate the extensions                                                          revealed the plans at           done in the background         like to be bothered for a
           have broad access to            once policies are met and                                                         Computex 2019 in                and are sure not to bother     few days. And you can
           what users are storing in       the extension is uploaded                                                         Taipei. He published a          the users.                     also setup “quiet hours”.
           their Google Drive cloud        again to the store.                                                               corresponding blog post                                        This will prevent Windows
           storage. Instead, most                                                                                            updating on the latest from     Is It Necessary?               from notifying you about
           apps will be severely           That aggressive approach                                                          Microsoft. In the blog post,                                   updates during set hours.
           limited and only have           to protecting user trust                                                          he wrote the following          As annoying as they may
           access to specific files,       stems from its Project                                                            about Microsoft’s plans         be, Windows Updates            But no matter what you
           with previous guidelines        Strobe -- the very same                                                           to make updates more            are great. Windows 10 is       do, you will eventually
           and restrictions pertaining     endeavor that was                                                                 “seamless”:                     perhaps the most secure        have to give permission
           to user control and             responsible for the death                                                                                         and advanced operating         for the update and the
           transparency remaining in       of Google’s social media                                                          How It Could Work               system by Microsoft. And       subsequent reboot. We too
           place.                          bid last year after it                                                                                            the updates help keep it       have our fingers crossed
                                           discovered vulnerabilities                                                        The blog post doesn’t           that way.                      for this “end of the reboot”
           The only apps that will         in the associated API.                                                            explicitly mention how          But truth be told, if the      promise by Windows.
           continue having wider           It also mirrors the                                                               Microsoft will achieve the      average user had the
           access are those that           seriousness with which                                                            no reboot update. But they      option to turn this feature
           genuinely require it. Google  Google is implementing                                                              could possibly apply the        off and just avoid the


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           Mindmail - June 2019                                                                                                                                                                   Mindmail - June  2019
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