Yet another reason for showing filename extensions

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I take flak, from time to time, from well-intentioned folks who say my insistence on having Windows show filename extensions is archaic. Take a look a
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Well intentioned they may be, knowledgeable they are not.

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😉

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It should be Automatic to show the Extension by Default. In short, have the option to HIDE the Extension.

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Can this (display file extensions) be ‘forced’ with GPOs in a Windows domain?

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I would rather think Microsoft’s approach is archaic dating from the old times when they were trying to compete with the old Apple MacIntosh computers on the GUI level.
While there may be a justification to hide certain things by default for the regular end-users to “protect” them, although as we know in the modern times viruses can disguise easier in this way, why is this the default configuration on server operating systems which are normally used only by technical people, sysadmin type?

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Amen.

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I’m pretty sure it can.

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W7 Home SP1, Office 2010
Sounds like a good idea – how do you ensure Windows shows filename extensions? Thanks.

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I don’t think there are predefined Group Policies for that purpose, but there are likely registry keys which can be set globally on a Windows AD Domain with Group Policy Preferences.

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I happen to agree. Showing file extensions is prudent.

Filename extensions seem to fall under the saying:

“Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.”

-Noel

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The option is there in the Folder Settings.
Problem is, it’s set to hide by default.

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From page 3 of “Windows 7 All-In-One For Dummies” –

Click Start and pick Documents. Press the Alt key on your keyboard. Choose Tools > Folder options, then click to select the View tab. At the bottom of the Advanced Settings box, deselect the option marked “Hide Extensions for Known File Types.” Click OK.

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I think MS hid the file extension to keep people from renaming a file without adding the extension. Not having an extension leaves the file unusable for the average user because, without the extension, Windows doesn’t “know” what software to use to open/access the file. Even when you show extensions, the extension is not highlighted when you rename a file so it doesn’t get changed.

But it cripples the user. I often get “I can’t open the file.” If I ask what kind of file it is, the users have no clue. They don’t know .PDF from .docx from .exe – this is one reason why they get in trouble with e-mail attachments. “Alice.jpg.exe” may be malware, but it looks like an innocent picture if you can’t see the extension.

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Done. Thanks.

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