Cnet Votes Vista as the worst technology of the last 21 years!

[jxzk]

Cnet Votes Vista as the worst technology of the last 21 years!

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/0,39029552,49293700-10,00.htm

C|Net posted a top 10 list of worst technological products. The list
apparantly spans 21 years of technology (1985-2006) and the winner of them
all? Yup. Everyone's favorite disaster. Vista.

"Any operating system that provokes a campaign for its predecessor's
reintroduction deserves to be classed as terrible technology. Any operating
system that quietly has a downgrade-to- previous-edition option introduced
for PC makers deserves to be classed as terrible technology. Any operating
system that takes six years of development but is instantly hated by hordes
of PC professionals and enthusiasts deserves to be classed as terrible
technology.

Windows Vista conforms to all of the above. Its incompatibility with
hardware, its obsessive requirement of human interaction to clear security
dialogue box warnings and its abusive use of hated DRM, not to mention its
general pointlessness as an upgrade, are just some examples of why this
expensive operating system earns the final place in our terrible tech list."
Read the full top 10 list on CNet.Co.Uk

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

I find it interesting that their link from "its abusive use of hated DRM" is
to a Nov 16 2006 piece complaining that the Zune player wasn't supported on
Vista yet (which was rectified on Dec 15th 2006, if I recall correctly). To
quote a friend: O_o

 

[Guest]

Might not be the worst product in 21 years, but it is pretty sad when
Microsoft puts out such a bug-ridden piece of software. There is no excuse
except greed.

 

[Guest]

Go Away Imposter, Just FYI. I Have Windows Vista Service Pack One RTM, And
All Of It's Problems Are Fixed Now, Just FYI.

"(e-mail address removed)"

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

Bugs are generally addressable over time when given specifics and ways to
reproduce issues at hand. If every system hit a certain crash, for example,
that's easy to fix. Usually when you hit some specific issue/bug, there's
probably something unique about what's going on on your system, and knowing
that unique permutation can be of high value.

Since you don't specify what bugs you're referring to, I don't believe
anyone would be able to concretely understand your criticism. I probably
work with more bugs/issues than any of y'all, and most of what I see is
third-party induced. I like being proved wrong, because that means there's
a direct opportunity for MS to solve the problem directly, as opposed to
adding in some check to not load XXX in situation YYY because it's going to
corrupt memory and blow up.

*shrug* I like understanding technical issues. I've used most every OS under
the sun, and my sole interest is in making things work better for all
involved. Right now, given the signal to noise ratio, it seems that hating
Vista is simply the new hating Microsoft. If your point is that Boy Howdy I
Generically Hate XXX, I'm glad that you have passion and a stance, but I'm
not really interested in advocacy in any direction, just understanding and
solving problems. If your point is that Gee I Can Reproduce This Particular
Problem That Might Be Of Interest, then I'd generally love to know the
specifics since those can be of great value.

Speaking of which, if anybody has a piece of content that uses the (newer)
SCM codec, I'd love to take a look at it.

 

[Not Me]

I have used nearly every OS since HP Basic in 1969.
I have used Vista since mid Beta. It hasn't grown on me at all.
I understand there is a learning curve to every new version, but this is one
that I find personally distasteful.
I CAN make it work, I just don't like the way it works. It FEELS like a step
backwards from XP.
Many of the changes made 'in the name of security' don't increase security
at all, they just make it harder to use.
UAC will just condition people to click through to get 'that damn screen'
out of their way.
Rearranging things so beginners can find them more easily (focus
groups>>software design by committee) doesn't impress me at all.
Too many cooks spoil the broth, and this broth is nasty tasting to me.
If not likeing it makes me a moron or a whiner in some peoples eyes, so be
it.
That doesn't change the fact that I think it could and should have been much
better.
When I formatted the wife's Core 2/2GB/17" Vista laptop (after 3 full months
of letting her try to get used to it) and installed XP, she couldn't have
been happier.
Those that like Vista are entitled to their opinion, but that doesn't make
the rest of us stupid.

 

[xfile]

Bugs are generally addressable over time when given specifics and ways to

reproduce issues at hand. If every system hit a certain crash, for
example, that's easy to fix. Usually when you hit some specific
issue/bug, there's probably something unique about what's going on on your
system, and knowing that unique permutation can be of high value.

That is your job not ours and make sure that you have done your job.

Since you don't specify what bugs you're referring to [...]

Again, that is your job not ours.

I probably work with more bugs/issues than any of y'all, and most of what
I see is third-party induced.

Who cares? A chef can work in the kitchen for 20 years but still cannot
make a good steak. Have been to any restaurant?

I like being proved wrong[...]

Again, who cares?

*shrug* I like understanding technical issues. I've used most every OS under
the sun, and my sole interest is in making things work better for all
involved.

Then just do it and stop talking about it.

Right now, given the signal to noise ratio, it seems that hating Vista is
simply the new hating Microsoft.

Why would we need to hate Microsoft? You think too much.

If your point is that Boy Howdy I Generically Hate XXX, I'm glad that you
have passion and a stance, but I'm not really interested in advocacy in any
direction, just understanding and solving problems. If your point is that
Gee I Can Reproduce This Particular Problem That Might Be Of Interest, then
I'd generally love to know the specifics since those can be of great value.

I failed to see your post has anything to do with providing help.

Speaking of which, if anybody has a piece of content that uses the (newer)
SCM codec, I'd love to take a look at it.

Again, please do your own homework.

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

Thanks for the feedback.

UAC will just condition people to click through to get 'that damn screen'
out of their way.

You shouldn't be seeing that screen in normal usage after the system has
been configured. I would expect that there would be an initial flurry of
those screens at system acquisition time and then it goes away, since the
standard applications shouldn't be requiring administrative privileges. If
they still are, that *should be* unusual.

There are a lot of bad designs (in part helped by limitations in XP's
architecture) where applications were using privileges that they didn't
need. If you ever ran as a non-admin user on XP, you probably know what I'm
talking about. =\

Rearranging things so beginners can find them more easily (focus
groups>>software design by committee) doesn't impress me at all.

Focus groups, usability testing, etc. Most every important venue of
feedback tends to get looked at - if you can mine data/value - why not?
That's not to say that any input is definitive, of course - things are
always looked at for betterment.

Those that like Vista are entitled to their opinion, but that doesn't make
the rest of us stupid.

I don't know of anyone who would call anyone stupid, and I apologize if
someone most definitely speaking from their own opinions made you think
that. It's just not an effective communication method. There's lots of
information to be gleaned by any and all, regardless of whether they like
your product or not. People with passion are *good*, regardless of the
direction of their passion.

Cheers,
-Zach

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

Since you don't specify what bugs you're referring to [...]

Again, that is your job not ours.

Sure, I'm not trying to be argumentative, just trying to help. I can't help
those who don't want to be helped. =)

Again, please do your own homework.

Of course. I always do, and you all benefit from it (since often what I
work on has ripple effects to other versions of Windows, other vendor's
applications/tools/etc.). I'm just not elitist/ignorant/arrogant enough to
think that I cannot benefit from the help and input of others. =)

Thanks for your feedback,
Respectfully,
-Zach