Tom

Obstacle 1

I am so angry with Microsoft.
It’s been literally one thing after another.

Tonight I wanted to use the ‘helper CD’ that came with my calculus text book. I downloaded whatever crap software it wanted (it’s uninstalling right now), and opened the excessive little splash screen with silly sounds and graphics. Whatever. I click through and find the thing I want, and I go to actually see it, and it opens up in Firefox with an error.

This program was created to work as a proprietary with Internet Explorer! And of course I can’t just tell it to open in IE, I’ve got to change IE to the default browser so the stupid CD knows to use that instead of Firefox. It doesn’t work. So I restart… and I was so proud! Even though I’d gone and told IE to be my default internet application, Firefox refused to yield that spot. It just wouldn’t give it up.

So I say to hell with the CD. I’m now just trying make sure IE wouldn’t constantly be trying to unseat Firefox for top browser. I go in to the settings to turn off the ‘default’ option, and I see something… it says “Manage IE Add-Ons”. Excuse me?

What’s new in IE7? Tabbed Browsing. Excuse me?
What’s new in IE7? RSS Feeds. Excuse Me!?

That has gone too far. I can’t believe they’d be so barefaced. IE7 basically took everything that was good and pure about Firefox, all the reasons it was kicking the pants of IE6 (believe me, there were plenty) and STOLE THEM. Outright, it just copied them and stuck ’em in IE7.

Come on. They don’t even try and put their own spin on it. Now the only difference between the two is IE7 just looks like a bad skin of Firefox that runs slower. This is absolutely pathetic. I have a really hard time believing that Microsoft, with all the money it makes, can’t pay their developers enough to actually motivate them to innovate.

At least Apple has the courtesy to rename the things it copies. (Finder, Safari, etc.)

So I’m all steamed up and I’m going to let the Big M know how I feel. I pull up microsoft.com and start looking around for a feedback form. There aren’t many. At all.

I FINALLY find one. I click it, and get ready to rant;

“Use Windows Live ID to sign in to MSN Messenger, MSN Hotmail, MSN Music, and other sites and services! Windows Live ID works with Passport Network sites.
It’s free to access Windows Live ID. After you sign up and create credentials, you can sign in on any site that displays Microsoft Passport Network or Windows Live ID.”

Screw that.
I’m done, Microsoft.

I was on the fence for a few reasons as to whether or not I’d ask for a MacBook for Christmas. This sealed the deal. I’m going to get a Mac, and I’m going to enjoy it. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: Windows makes for a pretty amazing OS. I like it a lot. I’m comfortable with it, and I know all the ins-and-outs for the most part. In that vein, the Office Suite isn’t bad either.

But every other Microsoft product I’ve EVER used has sucked to a nearly incomprehensible degree. Microsoft: please stop making dumpy software. Feel free to start any time… no one will complain. I promise.

Sidenote to Apple: Stop calling them MacBooks. Call them ‘MacTops’ instead. I like the sound of it better, and it seems like something you’d buy at a convenience store in either A) the future, or B) 1986.

6 comments

  1. Agreed on IE7.

    That CD that comes with the math book is fucking USELESS, however. It’s not meant for this edition of the book, when the sections were in different orders (and in some cases, didn’t even exist), and the numbers of the problems are also different.

    In other words, you’re not missing anything. The hints aren’t even that useful anyway.

  2. also, proof that my econ class was worth something: The reason Microsoft can do shit like that, chooses to do shit like that, and continues to be an industry leader is becaues of so mething called ‘network externalities.’ basically, the more people use microsoft products, the more valuable and useful microsoft products are to EVERYONE. If everyone uses microsoft products, then employers don’t have to worry about training you to use them, because you’ll have always used them. and this whole thing builds on itself, because it encourages software designers, for example, to design solely for windows. So that "Microsoft Live ID" shit is basically them trying to make it REALLY EASY to be part of the network wherever you use a computer.

    see, econ is good for something.

  4. I can’t believe you just heard about that! I (don’t hurt me) have been using it for a month or so now.
    As for the calculus, if you have the same book as Lizz and I have, then I’ve got a complete solution manual on my computer that you may be interested in. I got it from our school’s underground file-sharing site.
    Also if there’s any music you want, I could probably hook you up, sans legal issues. But that’s a different matter.

  5. damnit I could have used that solution manual. Too bad I’m done with math forever, and already sold the book for 57 dollars, bitches.

  6. i enjoy my mac, but i like having my old windows driven pc in alliance with my macbook.

    i do music and 3d art on my pc and adobe and papers and general 2d art stuff on my mac, but if i had maya for my mac i really would only use my old computer for a music machine.

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