Linux does this better by defaulting to files not being executable, versus Windows needing the downloading software to apply a specific "downloaded file" flag to trigger a notice about potentially unsafe files.

You could make a lot of the commands available by default much less dangerous. Stuff like requiring using protected screens more (like UAC and ctrl+alt+del) for enabling the risky stuff.

Also, sandboxing by default would do even more to prevent the worst dangers.

Disagree, mostly because half the time I WinR is when I'm trying to fix someone else's PC, and getting to the settings is half the problem.