SmartStart - How to Disable? Security Concern

Pretty ugly "feature"

mikemike said:
Andrew: you stated that "Automatically assigned only those documents which didn't associated with any Mac applications. Such as XLS (if Office for Mac is not installed)."

I wonder if there is a bug in the implementation. I have Office 2004 for Mac installed, including Microsoft Word. Then I installed Parallels. Parallels now opens as the default application for all my Word documents, to the contrary of your assertion above.

But never mind. And let's forget for a moment about a Windows app that launches a shell script that deletes my home directory. Let's talk about pretty icons instead. As per your recommendation, I right-clicked and turned the SmartWhateverSomething feature off. What happens now is that even though my Word documents are back to Mac Word 2004 as the default application, the icons are blank. Can you let us know if there is a workaround or a fix to get the Mac Office icons back?

I'd just like to add that I am gobsmacked at the degree of arrogance to assume that Macintosh users with Mac Office installed might wish to have Parallels open as the default for these documents. It's a great feature, I agree, but offer it as an option that is turned off by default and that users can choose to turn on. People enjoy the Macintosh platform and are passionate about it precisely because there is a culture of respect by Macintosh developers both for user's intelligence and their preferences that is often lacking on Windows - where applications just take things over and do as they wish.
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I concur with this. My Word files (yes installed on OSX) are suddenly associated with wordpad... What's the logic in that??? This is absulutely stupid and to get this fixed on my machines costst me more (productivity loss * hourly rate) than purchasing Parallels. The assumption should be that users see and use Windows as a Sandbox unless a specific choice is made (and explained first!) before you blur the bounderies and start integrating things. Even reading trough all these posts is getting confusing (what works and what not and where are thes buttons?) and too time consuming. I demand from Parallels a "how to" or "walk through" that solves all these sharing "features" and restores it the way things were before the upgrade. Step by step, with clear indications on what buttuns to press and where to find them. Should be easy for you and solves us a lot of trouble.

I like Parallels so far and won't complain about paying for the software. For the basic functions it is worth it but this sharing aps stuf is a disaster.
 
Andrew @ Parallels said:
Sir Atilla,

1. Automatically assigned only those documents which didn't associated with any Mac applications. Such as XLS (if Office for Mac is not installed).

2. Even if you don't like it you can right click on running application in Dock, click SmartSelect and switch all assosiations with Windows applications off.
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Andrew--

The opening of Parrellels and Windows when I go to open an excel file (for some reason it only happens to me on excel, not on word files) is a big pain. Appreciate your comment #2, but I do not find Smart Select when i right clivk excel in my dock (when excel is open). How do i do this? thanks

Paul
 
rudovskypaul,

You should right click on Excel icon in dock (Show application in dock option in Preferences should be on) and click on SmartSelect in dock menu.

PS: We got a lot of feedback on SmartSelect feature and now working very hard on improving its usability. Update with redesigned SmartSelect will be released very soon. Possibility to switch SmartSelect off and undo all associations also will be included into this update.
 
Andrew @ Parallels said:
Sir Atilla,

1. Automatically assigned only those documents which didn't associated with any Mac applications. Such as XLS (if Office for Mac is not installed).

2. Even if you don't like it you can right click on running application in Dock, click SmartSelect and switch all assosiations with Windows applications off.
Click to expand...

Not true completely. With PD 3 stopped I tried to edit a Word file and it went to Word 2003. I've since changes that by file assns.

PowerPoint and Excel files open the Mac apps.

Phil
 
Andrew @ Parallels said:
rudovskypaul,

You should right click on Excel icon in dock (Show application in dock option in Preferences should be on) and click on SmartSelect in dock menu.

PS: We got a lot of feedback on SmartSelect feature and now working very hard on improving its usability. Update with redesigned SmartSelect will be released very soon. Possibility to switch SmartSelect off and undo all associations also will be included into this update.
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Good idea, Andrew.

Phil
 
Sir Atilla said:
The easiest way to shut it off is to do a manual install of Parallels tools and de-select that functionality. Parallels won't do it then. At that point it is totally off but I would prefer that until some fine grain control can be created.
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This is a valuable information. Thanks for not indulging in the Parallels-bashing and posting a useful hint instead.
 
kion said:
This is a valuable information. hanks for not indulging in the flame war and posting a useful hint.
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That doesn't actually shut it off - that only prevents the installation of the Mac application stub files. Those can still be installed from a command line option, and the pathway for executing them is still open.
 
dkp said:
Here's what I did that seemed to work:

1. Uninstall Parallels 3.0.
2. Install Fusion Beta 4
3. Migrate Parallels VM to Fusion

No more SmartStart.
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Hi dkp,

I've been using parallels for a few months and just recently upgraded to 3.0 4128. I'am very concerned with the features they have added including the smartselect and how my mac and windows OS's are no longer isolated from each other. Of course I want to be able to share files between the two and go online in both, but windows is windows and unfortunately I have to use it for online banking and my CAD app. These are the only two things I have windows for and I want to maintain the integrity of my mac os. I haven't used VMware Fusion beta 4 or any of their other versions, but it seems as if Parallels might be the popular option at the moment since it is no longer beta.

I read that you removed parallels and decided to use VMware Fusion. I'm thinking of doing the same and would like to ask you what your experience has been so far with regards to stability, usability etc.

Sorry for my long message. Thank you.
 
Pervasive/invasive features need to be opt-in ONLY (SmartSelect)

Andrew @ Parallels said:
rudovskypaul,

You should right click on Excel icon in dock (Show application in dock option in Preferences should be on) and click on SmartSelect in dock menu.

PS: We got a lot of feedback on SmartSelect feature and now working very hard on improving its usability. Update with redesigned SmartSelect will be released very soon. Possibility to switch SmartSelect off and undo all associations also will be included into this update.
Click to expand...


Two points:

I should be able to undo an action that any feature creates unless it is fully disclaimed and in my face otherwise. In this case, SmartSelect is not able to be undone without dark magic under the hood. Very bad form.

Pervasive features added to a successful package need to tread lightly. SmartSelect is one of those useless Marketing gimicks that some folks may want but others hate. My suggestion would be for this type of 'feature' is to have the user pro-actively opt-in to this behavior instead of assuming it. As with the earlier point, make sure users can reverse it.

I grew comfortable with 2.5. 3D support was a benefit. Do not mess up a good thing by getting cute with the feature set.

Companies that do not heed this product management advice will find their base wane.
 
cookieme said:
Hi dkp,

I've been using parallels for a few months and just recently upgraded to 3.0 4128. I'am very concerned with the features they have added including the smartselect and how my mac and windows OS's are no longer isolated from each other. Of course I want to be able to share files between the two and go online in both, but windows is windows and unfortunately I have to use it for online banking and my CAD app. These are the only two things I have windows for and I want to maintain the integrity of my mac os. I haven't used VMware Fusion beta 4 or any of their other versions, but it seems as if Parallels might be the popular option at the moment since it is no longer beta.

I read that you removed parallels and decided to use VMware Fusion. I'm thinking of doing the same and would like to ask you what your experience has been so far with regards to stability, usability etc.

Sorry for my long message. Thank you.
Click to expand...
cookieme,

Please do remember that this is Parallels forums. Please do not use it to discuss VMware features. VMware has its own forums for such things. Thank you in advance.
 
garden gnome said:
Two points:

I should be able to undo an action that any feature creates unless it is fully disclaimed and in my face otherwise. In this case, SmartSelect is not able to be undone without dark magic under the hood. Very bad form.

Pervasive features added to a successful package need to tread lightly. SmartSelect is one of those useless Marketing gimicks that some folks may want but others hate. My suggestion would be for this type of 'feature' is to have the user pro-actively opt-in to this behavior instead of assuming it. As with the earlier point, make sure users can reverse it.

I grew comfortable with 2.5. 3D support was a benefit. Do not mess up a good thing by getting cute with the feature set.

Companies that do not heed this product management advice will find their base wane.
Click to expand...
garden gnome,

All your requests about SmartSelect feature is already implemented in upcoming update which will be released soon.
 
Andrew @ Parallels said:
kay,
Can't give you exact date, but it will be very soon.
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I hope that it's VERY VERY SOON. I hate to say this but, the more that I work with build 4128 the more I dislike it. The DirectX IS VERY INCOMPATIBLE with other just the basic Windows features. Like watching DVDs or playing simple games.

Also like I said before in other threads in Vista, the video quality is plain crap except in QuickTime for some reason. It's more like watching slideshows instead of videos. Also I have the Vista's memory to 1GB where it's recommended by Microsoft.
 
Andrew @ Parallels said:
kay,
Can't give you exact date, but it will be very soon.
Click to expand...
Thank you for addressing these security concerns quickly. I need //s to access Windows applications to work on some network files, I don't need it to muck about with my Mac files at all. I never enabled the sharing, either local or global, and always told //s "no" when it "offered" to let Windows run freely through my Mac files!

Windows plays far too fast and loose with security, it makes me very nervous that Windows might be able to mess up or delete any of my Mac files.
 
Gwizz said:
I concur with this. My Word files (yes installed on OSX) are suddenly associated with wordpad... What's the logic in that??? .
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Odder still, I was in OS X and had a Word file open in Acrobat (installed in the WinXP OS): Most odd.

I like my OS X and WinXP stuff decoupled, too; I only want Windows to run for specific needs I have .. and none of those relate to Office. I've taken my best shot by running the security slider all the way up and still occasionally do Reset Windows Applications in Parallels.

It will be good to have the promised change to let us control this feature directly.

Phil
 
ANDREW

Would it be possible to have smartslect/cohearance without global sharing in your Internet connection? Just have the Internet accessible from osx on all windows applications? I would like to use this feature. I like to be able to use certain applications cross platform.
 
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thanks - fix works

Andrew,

Your advice,

"Reset Windows Applications" from the Applications menu in Parallels.​

worked great. Thank you! I too was put off initially by this behavior, but thanks for making an easy way to reverse it.
 
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