[jasonsRX7]

Because it just pissed me off. Here's what happened.

I set up a laptop in the conference room for a powerpoint presentation, opened the file and had everything ready to go. In the 45 minutes between getting ready and the presentation starting, Windows decided it needed some updates (the laptop was connected wirelessly).

It downloaded and installed the updates, and then was nice enough to shut down automatically when it was done. Of course, it was one of the company owners doing the presentation who called me into the conference room in front of a room full of people to get it working again.

After powering back on, logging in, and waiting for the update finalizing to finish, I then had to deal with the IBM wireless connection manager which decided it was time to inform me that Windows was currently handling my wireless settings and wanted to know if I wanted the IBM manager to do it for me. I answered "Not at this time" and waited while Windows disconnected and reconnected to the WLAN 3 times.

Yes, I know it's my fault for forgetting to disable automatic updates, even though it shouldn't exist in the first place.

[The Godfather]

If you knew anything about Windows, you wouldn't get so pissed when this happened. Really, it is not worth to make a thread for it.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

If you knew anything about Windows, you wouldn't get so pissed when this happened. Really, it is not worth to make a thread for it.

It's always worth it making a thread to bitch about Windows!

[jasonsRX7]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

If you knew anything about Windows, you wouldn't get so pissed when this happened. Really, it is not worth to make a thread for it.

I know quite a bit about Windows, but that doesn't stop me from being annoyed about what happened. Worth a thread, maybe not... but I vented.

[BoomStick]

I have an XP machine that something has destroyed Macafee virus protection and locked the icons to the desktop.

[historylme]

Feel better

[typoon]

Actually what annoys me more about windows is when you have to re-isntall the OS. You can't do an install like on OS X. Either an Archive and install or just an upgrade type install. You HAVE to format the drive before re-installing. To me that is kind of dumb especially in a business environment.

[jasonsRX7]

Originally Posted by history1me

Feel better

Yes thanks, but The Godfather made me feel bad about wasting a thread. I hope MacNN doesn't run out.

Originally Posted by The Godfather

If you knew anything about Windows, you wouldn't get so pissed when this happened.

Maybe he's right though. I've started reading a book on arson. I thought maybe if I knew anything about arson I wouldn't be so upset if someone burns down my house.

Actually, if something had broken on the system I don't think it would have bothered me as much. What made it so annoying is that these were features that were working properly; their obtrusive traits are by design.

[Albert Pujols]

Argh! I feel your pain.

Some day last week, Windows automatically downloaded the new updates and restarted my computer without prompting me first! That would have been fine if I wasn't using my computer as my alarm clock. My TV program opens up at 6:00 AM to wake me up for school. Because Windows restarted and I didn't log back in, my alarm failed to launch and I was late for school.

F Windows.

[turtle777]

Great opportunity to call in the IT manager and talk to him about future hardware spendings...

-t

[typoon]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Great opportunity to call in the IT manager and talk to him about future hardware spendings...

-t

Doubt they'd listen.

[jasonsRX7]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Great opportunity to call in the IT manager and talk to him about future hardware spendings...

She's sitting right next to me and knows exactly how I feel Fortunatly guess who gets to make the decisions about hardware spendings? Yep, your's truly. While I won't be replacing Windows on the desktops any time soon, we've taken a hard look at Xserves. Our server environment consists of two SCO unix servers running Cobol apps custom written in-house, along with NT4 and Win2k servers delivering various apps and databases. We want to get rid of SCO for obvious reasons, but unfortunately there is no AcuCobol compiler or runtime versions for OS X. Red Hat or Suse enterprise linux will most likely replace SCO.

Replacing the NT4 and 2k boxes are a different story. I've already been given an eval copy of 10.3 server by a VAR to test out, and would really like to try out the NT migration tools in 10.4 when it's available. Either way, our NT domain will be upgraded to either 2k3 server or OS X server within a year. I'd prefer not to go 2k3, and if 10.4 delivers, I won't have to.

[nredman]

Originally Posted by jasonsRX7

Of course, it was one of the company owners doing the presentation who called me into the conference room in front of a room full of people to get it working again.

What are you and grandma doing at my girlfriends house! trying to make me look like a friggin idiot.

[DeathMan]

http://www.dailywav.com/0105/frigginidiot.wav

[MaxPower2k3]

Originally Posted by typoon

Actually what annoys me more about windows is when you have to re-isntall the OS. You can't do an install like on OS X. Either an Archive and install or just an upgrade type install. You HAVE to format the drive before re-installing. To me that is kind of dumb especially in a business environment.

That just isn't true. It's quite easy to upgrade from a previous version of windows or install on a drive with an existing windows installation (although i'm not condoning the use of Windows, nor am i saying that it works as well as Archive and Install in OS X, but it is there.)

[The Godfather]

Originally Posted by Albert Pujois

Because Windows restarted and I didn't log back in, my alarm failed to launch and I was late for school.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

A $10 alarm clock from Walmart does a better job than Windows in being alarm clock. I hope you get one instead of continuing to bellyache.

Originally Posted by jasonsRX7

We want to get rid of SCO for obvious political reasons, but unfortunately there is no AcuCobol compiler or runtime versions for OS X.

Fixed from someone who has never used SCO Unix, and knows nothing about its advantages/disadvantages.

[Will V.]

Originally Posted by jasonsRX7

What made it so annoying is that these were features that were working properly; their obtrusive traits are by design.

They have to do that, because Windows is so poorly designed, they need to be able to push updates on the desktop without waiting for users to initiate them.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Albert Pujols

F Windows.

Pfff, you should smack yourself for being so dumb to use a Windows box as an alarm.

-t

[King Bob On The Cob]

Originally Posted by Will V.

They have to do that, because Windows is so poorly designed, they need to be able to push updates on the desktop without waiting for users to initiate them.

Put one of those "YOUR COMPUTER COULD BE INFECTED!" pop-up buttons to install the software. People all seem to click them anyways.

[Albert Pujols]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

A $10 alarm clock from Walmart does a better job than Windows in being alarm clock. I hope you get one instead of continuing to bellyache.

Oh, I don't care about being late for school...or having my alarm clock not go off, I have Intro. to Art my first block. I'm just mad that Windows restarted with out asking me.

[MrForgetable]

i don't know why everyone has such bad experiences with windows. yes i get the blue screen once in a while but that's about it... i haven't lost any info, spyware hasn't killed my computer, the daylight saving changes are always nicely put in front of me when I log on for the first time, plus I run the "worst OS ever made" in Windows ME? I guess I'm good luck!!!

edit: :knocks on wood:

[macaddict0001]

I personally don't use windows but I know what you mean. I have used it in the past. windows 2000 is definitely the worst. I know someone that has a 2000 box and a password is set up but you can click the close button on the login window to log into an administrator account.

[Link]

Wow, that's contrary to almost every windows geek I've ever heard talk about w2k.. It lacks multithreading and a few other tidbits XP has, but is basically the same without activation. Here's a hint for you though, at that login screen, hit ctrl alt del and it should allow you to. (I think)

This is why you NEVER set windows to auto-install updates.. ever... auto-download maybe, but not auto-install

[jasonsRX7]

Originally Posted by MrForgetable

i don't know why everyone has such bad experiences with windows

You really don't know why? I can give you a few reasons.

1. They install software like Kazaa and Weatherbug without realizing that it installs loads of spyware that eventually will consume your system. In many ways spyware is worse than viruses. Most viruses are designed to be stealthy, so you don't notice them and keep working while the virus does its thing. Spyware is the opposite. It's designed to be in your face for the most exposure possible. Thus, popups.

2. Many users can't look at a webpage and differentiate between a graphic that is designed to look like a Windows dialog box and the real thing. They click 'OK' on links that ask if they want to improve their systems performance or scan for spyware. Internet Explorer (especially prior to XP SP2) only requires you to answer "yes" after giving vague information about what it's about to install, before it allows who-knows-what to do whatever it wants to your system. If that wasn't bad enough, unpatched versions of IE don't require you to do anything to install some spyware, just visiting a site is enough.

3. Most users don't have an understanding of file systems and how and where files exist on their computer. They access their Word documents by opening up Word, clicking the 'Open' icon at the top, and expecting to see their documents in the resulting window. If you ask them where they keep their documents, they'll answer "They're in Word". So they think their documents are actually inside the Word program itself.

4. They don't know the difference between downloading a program and installing it. I've heard people say, "I couldn't open that attachment so Jason had to download the Excel program to my hard drive." I've given instructions to people to go home and download and install AdAware for example, and had them come to work the next day and say they downloaded the program but it didn't do anything. That's because they didn't install it. When you tell them that they've downloaded the installer, and now they need to open/run the installer to actually make the program work you've probably lost them. Not that they would know how to get to the file they downloaded, anyway (see #3).

5. A lot of installers are clunky and confusing. Users don't know how to answer the questions, and just click next, next, next until they see Finish. This often means that settings are wrong, they've overwritten something, they've unassociated file types, that sort of thing. When I switched to Macs and saw the beauty that was .app, I fell in love. Some Mac installers can be just as bad (but most aren't), so that's not Windows specific.

6. Uninstalling is a bitch. Lots of programs uninstall just fine, but the ones that don't... oh boy. When a user tries to uninstall something, and it says "The file GTVL32.DLL is a shared resource. Removing it can cause unexpected results with applications that may use it. Are you sure you want to delete it?" They (rightfully) have no idea what to answer. And even if they do make a decision, that same message could pop up again for 1 or 100 more files! How on Earth can they expect people to know this?

7. 3rd party device drivers and applications routinely change the way Windows works and the way you interact with it. A good example is what I mentioned in my first post about the IBM wireless access manager. Microsoft has a built in wireless management system. Why IBM felt the need to add unnecessary junk on top of it, I don't know. When someone learns how to do something on one system, that knowledge doesn't necessarily transfer to the next system they buy.

8. Basic interaction with a PC is a big challenge for many. Mac or PC, just figuring out how to use a mouse, when to single or double click, how to drag and drop... These are things that just don't come easy to a lot of people. And really, how do you explain the difference between single clicking a button and double clicking a file to open it (unless it's in the dock, then you single click), to someone who doesn't even know what a file is?

These are just a few examples of why people run into so many problems. Spend a week in an office helping dozens of regular people and you'll see what I mean, and come up with many more. I'm not saying these people are stupid, far far from it. Some of them are experts in their field, but their field just doesn't happen to be computers. It's easy to get frustrated sometimes with people who just don't want to learn, but they're not to blame. They shouldn't have to know all the inner workings just to keep Viagra ads from popping up in their face.

And if you read all that, treat yourself to a cheeseburger and pretend like it was from me. You're welcome!

[The Godfather]

Fixing others' PCs is a nightmare. You just need more experience and go there hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.

[MilkmanDan]

Do you need a hug?

When fixing peoples computers, I always reserve the right to make fun of them for using windows. Ahhh... I love college.