How do I install Photo Story 3

[Visitor]

Microsoft just released photo story 3 at.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/offers/default.aspx?displaylang=en

How the expletive am I supposed to get it?

When I do the link, it says it can't install the activeX control.

When I try the manual method of downloading the .hta file, that fails too.

I end up at the page that says "validation not complete"

So why the&^#!^! have they decided to do this?

After all, the warez people probably have already posted it on Kazaa.
And I'm sure it's already been posted on all the warez boards just 3
minutes after Microsoft released the product. (No, I'm not asking for a
warez link. I don't trust warez.)

The only people this is effecting are the people who actually own XP,
and happen to have the browser settings up high enough to safely surf
the web. And / or have activeX controls set in their firewall. (And
yes, I am positive I have a legit copy.)

So....

What settings do I have to lower to actually get this freaking thing,
and then how do I uninstall that damn activeX control afterwards?

I've already played around with a few browser settings. And yes, I did
turn off the activeX control filtering in ZoneAlarm Pro.

There isn't any complaint form or help link etc. on their darn
validation pages. (Frankly, at this point, I'd much rather complain to
them! And yes, I am aware they don't give a shit about my opinion.
They already have my money. They don't care about customers in the
slightest.)

Now they are validating our systems before we download stuff. What's
next, validating our systems when we go to the knowledge base? (Like
they tried to lock out Mozilla and Opera, a few times.) Start making us
validate our computers every day, to make sure we haven't cheated them
in the last 60 seconds?


I'm sure that the brainless newbies aren't having any problems at all.
After all, Microsoft ships IE with settings so low Microsoft can do
anything they want when the newbies visit Microsoft. (Right along with
any other site they visit that wants to install any spyware etc...)

 

[LVTravel]

Just downloaded it without any problem. What's yours.

There is a site that you can use to complain. Look at the FAQs listed.
Right there in plain sight.

 

[Guest]

Just downloaded it without any problem. What's yours.

You have your security settings very low. Unsafe low.

So for you, activeX controls automatically install and run without you even
knowing about it. A very unsafe thing on the net.

I have my security settings up a bit higher. Safe enough to actually
protect me on the net without activeX controls and spyware getting in
through that way.

But I can't get the settings down low enough for the activeX control to
install, let along run. Not without lowering them completely, which I
refuse to do.

(Considering you did the activeX control installation and running without
your knowledge, I *strongly* suggest you take another look at your browser
security settings. I suggest you do it right now, before you go any
further. And take a look to see what activeX controls have already managed
to sneak onto your system. And run a spyware scan with AdAware and/or
Spybot Search & Destroy.)

There is a site that you can use to complain. Look at the FAQs listed.
Right there in plain sight.

No on the web pages I'm visiting.

Oh sure, there's a generic 'contact us', but nothing about feedback on their
idiotic validation stuff. Nor complaints about it. Nor any support for
problems with it.

And no, they *don't* actually read the general feedback. What little does
get read, does so by some minimum wage flunky who doesn't care in the
slightest. At most, they just gather general stats etc.

 

[LVTravel]

Actually, I have my Internet settings set to Custom and do restrict Active X
controls download. With my security settings and firewall and router,etc I
have NEVER had any spyware, malware or virsu loaded onto my various systems.

Yes I do update and run Adaware, spybot, spysubtract regularly on the system
just to make sure. I am very cautious about the sites I go to and what I
download from various sites. If it is not a trusted source, I just don't go
there.

Maybe you need to adjust your knowledge and you security settings and
possibly your browsing habits a little to be more secure.