In creating a session, Pro Tools sets the permissions for the session root folder and any of its sub-folders such that 'Everyone' (on Windows) or 'everyone' (on Mac) is a user and may read/write the session contents. This causes usability and privacy issues.
Usability issues:
Windows requires confirmation of permission mask changes when transferring or modifying these session folders. Such a common task therefore
...more »
In creating a session, Pro Tools sets the permissions for the session root folder and any of its sub-folders such that 'Everyone' (on Windows) or 'everyone' (on Mac) is a user and may read/write the session contents. This causes usability and privacy issues.
Usability issues:
Windows requires confirmation of permission mask changes when transferring or modifying these session folders. Such a common task therefore becomes one that can cause significant delays or concerns, especially when applied across many sessions. Additionally, the permission mask changes that are applied through this confirmation process result in a mismatch with the standard permissions normally applied across new folders created in the OS, as the changes tend to restrict permission to the account owner without giving access to the root admin, although the latter should also have access. Furthermore, Mac users who wish to revert the permissions back to normal are also met with a time-consuming manual process.
Privacy issues:
Users may be largely unaware of the unusual permissions of these session folders, expecting that they exhibit the permissions that folders on the operating system are normally attributed. They may not realize that anyone using the device through an alternative account can access the files and use them for potentially malicious purposes.
Universal files should be permitted access by anyone, and private files only by the relevant accounts, as is the case with virtually all other software. For some reason Pro Tools goes out of the way to set unusual permissions on folders containing private files (sessions), resulting in the aforementioned usability and privacy issues, without any apparent benefit.
Concerns about this have been expressed throughout the user base. Here are several examples:
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=246273
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=247402
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=329481
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=338548
At the very least, there should be an option to disable this unusual behavior.
« less
full details »
Social Web