does windows vista firewall prompt outgoing connections

I have read this article http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0106.mspx and it's not clear this statements: "The default behavior of the new Windows Firewall is to: - Block all incoming traffic unless it is solicited or it matches a configured exception. - Allow all outgoing traffic unless it matches a configured exception." My question is this: Does Windows Vista Firewall prompt you for outgoing connections if no rules are created? if no, why?

A rule in a Firewall is something that you've set - so if "dialer.exe" asks for permission to use the Internet, you'd see that as a virus and therefore click No. That's the rule.
Every time a program will want to use the Internet, for the first time it'll ask you to define a rule, and this works as in Windows OneCare Live quite well. So if the Vista firewall see's that Windows Mail would like to Send/Recieve, it'll be configured automatically to Allow it because it's a genuine part of Windows. Some third party programs will be allowed as well, it just depends on how friendly the third-party developers are with Microsoft ;o)
-- Zack Whittaker Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor) » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum » VistaBase: www.zacknet.co.uk/vistabase » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!

You didn't answer me. The cableguy wrote: "The default behavior of the new Windows Firewall is to: - Block all incoming traffic unless it is solicited or it matches a configured exception. - Allow all outgoing traffic unless it matches a configured exception."
So it seems there're only 2 options: block all outgoing and allow all for outgoing. But if it allows all the firewall it doesn't prompt you for yes/no? So you have to create a rule for each program? but if a program is a virus this is automatically permetted because no rules is configured?

OK lets go back at this one. The cableguy is right, however it's just slightly misleading. The firewall is pretty much the same in XP except it has more rules (or in this case we'll call Exceptions) and it covers more ground.
The "On" option which is set to default is defined as this: "This settings blocks all outside sources from connecting to this computer, with the exception of those selected on the Exceptions tab."
Now on the Exceptions tab, there are a whole load of rules or exceptions for pre-defined programs within Vista. If an application outside this Exceptions list needs to access the Internet, the firewall will popup and ask whether you should allow it or not. Then when you allow or deny it access, will it set it as a rule :o)

But if it allows all the firewall it doesn't prompt you for yes/no? The firewall won't allow all. It will prompt if it's not on the list, and it

HAS to be displayed on screen if the application needs to use the Internet and the firewall is on, and the application isn't on the list.

So you have to create a rule for each program? Nope, it'll prompt. If it's within Vista then it's deemed as acceptable. If

it's not, it'll prompt.

But if a program is a virus this is automatically permetted because no rules is configured? There are :o) and still, with Windows Defender there, it should detect it as

well as a lot of viruses have the same trends as spyware to some degree.
-- Zack Whittaker Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor) » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum » VistaBase: www.zacknet.co.uk/vistabase » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!