Windows Media Player BLINDSIDE update!

[D. W. K.]

I am furious with Microsoft!

For the second time now I have been blindsided by Microsoft with a
notification regarding an "update to Media Player 10" which turns out to be
a stealth installation of version 11! I DO NOT WANT VERSION
11!!!!!!!!

This is disgusting! It was billed as a "Version 10" update and there was no
opportunity to cancel this prior to discovering it was NOT an upgrade to 10
but a "forced down your throat" installation of 11!

I would like to hear from someone at Microsoft as to why they have decided
to do this in this way! This is infuriating to say the least! If you want to
offer an update to MP11 then come right out and say so! At least give
someone the opportunity to say NO!

I WILL NEVER TRUST ANY MICROSOFT UPDATES AGAIN!

DWK
Simi Valley, CA

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I am furious with Microsoft!

For the second time now I have been blindsided by Microsoft with a
notification regarding an "update to Media Player 10" which turns
out to be a stealth installation of version 11! I DO NOT
WANT VERSION 11!!!!!!!!

This is disgusting! It was billed as a "Version 10" update and
there was no opportunity to cancel this prior to discovering it was
NOT an upgrade to 10 but a "forced down your throat" installation
of 11!
I would like to hear from someone at Microsoft as to why they have
decided to do this in this way! This is infuriating to say the
least! If you want to offer an update to MP11 then come right out
and say so! At least give someone the opportunity to say NO!

I WILL NEVER TRUST ANY MICROSOFT UPDATES AGAIN!

Uhm... If you just changed the way you get updates to 'download and
notify' - you could choose what to install and read about each one -
research a little (you know - put a little effort into it) and never install
anything you do not want to...

 

[D. W. K.]

Thank you Shenan but... that IS exactly how my system IS set up right now!
That is exactly how every other update I get notifications about is treated.
The problem is with THIS particular Microsoft update! THEY have chosen, for
some reason, to send it out without ANY option to read anything about it
first. Also, why do they dishonestly disguise it as a "version 10" update?

DWK

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

For the second time now I have been blindsided by Microsoft with a
notification regarding an "update to Media Player 10" which turns out to be
a stealth installation of version 11! I DO NOT WANT VERSION
11!!!!!!!!

Then stop replying to notifications about "updates" of 10. There are
obviously NO such updates.

 

[GHalleck]

Thank you Shenan but... that IS exactly how my system IS set up right now!
That is exactly how every other update I get notifications about is treated.
The problem is with THIS particular Microsoft update! THEY have chosen, for
some reason, to send it out without ANY option to read anything about it
first. Also, why do they dishonestly disguise it as a "version 10" update?

DWK

Semantically, Media Player 11 is an "update" to Media Player 10 and
there is no disguising this fact. But Shenan is perfectly correct in
that one needs to take control of one's system and determine just what
update should be installed and which others, not. The first thing to
do is to turn off "automatic updates"

 

[D. W. K.]

I don't understand what you mean! Your response is rude! I was responding to
a previous response to my original message!

When Microsoft sends you a notification of updates to "Version 10" you have
a natural right and expectation to assume it is "Version 10"! Clearly by
this time I no longer believe them but I had to be blindsided twice to find
that out! THAT should not have had to happen! THAT is Microsoft's fault!
What Microsoft has now done to me is put me on notice that they cannot be
trusted... and I WILL NOT trust them again! That is the unfortunate result!

DWK
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Doug]

| > Uhm... If you just changed the way you get updates to 'download and
| > notify' - you could choose what to install and read about each one -
| > research a little (you know - put a little effort into it) and never
| > install anything you do not want to...
| >
| > --
| > Shenan Stanley
| > MS-MVP
| > --
| > How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
| >
| >
|
|

| Thank you Shenan but... that IS exactly how my system IS set up right now!
| That is exactly how every other update I get notifications about is
treated.
| The problem is with THIS particular Microsoft update! THEY have chosen,
for
| some reason, to send it out without ANY option to read anything about it
| first. Also, why do they dishonestly disguise it as a "version 10" update?
|
| DWK
|
| | >
| >


So, if I understand correctly *you* accepted an update to *your* computer
that *you* did not get "ANY option to read anything about" and now you're
mad because it wasn't what *you* imagined it might be? I can understand your
consternation, obviously this is someone else's fault.

In any event restoring from your most recent disk image or backup should put
the situation right.
--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

When Microsoft sends you a notification of updates to "Version 10" you have
a natural right and expectation to assume it is "Version 10"!

Keyword: assume.

Not smart.

 

[Alan]

Hello Shenan (and others),

To be fair to D. W. K. -- and others who might have inadvertently installed
WMP 11 -- there is NO indication of what the "update" to WMP 10 actually
involves.

If someone opens WMP 10 -- depending upon the Automatic updates settings,
which are accessed via Tools | Options and clicking on the Player tab, the
options presented are: "Check for Updates Once a Day, Once a week or Once a
month." (There is NO checkbox to NEVER check for updates.) -- the Windows
Media Configuration Manager will appear and the user sees a dialog box that
states: "A Windows Media Update is available. Do you want to update now?"
The options presented to the user are "Yes" or "Cancel".

If a user manually checks to see if there are any updates to WMP 10 by
clicking Help | Check for Player Updates, the user will see these
statements:
o - Windows Media Player 10 requires 1 megabytes (MB). Upgrading will take
approximately 0 minutes over a 28.8 KBps connection.
o - Click Next to begin the download and update or Click Cancel to postpone
the update.

There is NO indication anywhere that "updating" means an upgrade to WMP 11.

One can argue that "update" can be assumed to mean that WMP 10 will become
WMP 11.

However, I do think that Microsoft should be much more explicit and
transparent as to what a user is agreeing to if he or she decides to
"update" an application that is working perfectly as is.

Alan

 

[V Green]

Hello Shenan (and others),

To be fair to D. W. K. -- and others who might have inadvertently installed
WMP 11 -- there is NO indication of what the "update" to WMP 10 actually
involves.

If someone opens WMP 10 -- depending upon the Automatic updates settings,
which are accessed via Tools | Options and clicking on the Player tab, the
options presented are: "Check for Updates Once a Day, Once a week or Once a
month." (There is NO checkbox to NEVER check for updates.) -- the Windows
Media Configuration Manager will appear and the user sees a dialog box that
states: "A Windows Media Update is available. Do you want to update now?"
The options presented to the user are "Yes" or "Cancel".

If a user manually checks to see if there are any updates to WMP 10 by
clicking Help | Check for Player Updates, the user will see these
statements:
o - Windows Media Player 10 requires 1 megabytes (MB). Upgrading will take
approximately 0 minutes over a 28.8 KBps connection.
o - Click Next to begin the download and update or Click Cancel to postpone
the update.

There is NO indication anywhere that "updating" means an upgrade to WMP 11.

One can argue that "update" can be assumed to mean that WMP 10 will become
WMP 11.

However, I do think that Microsoft should be much more explicit and
transparent as to what a user is agreeing to if he or she decides to
"update" an application that is working perfectly as is.

Alan

Especially since the WMP 11 "upgrade" does nothing but
prettify the UI, remove lots of playlist organization stuff
that people liked, and shove more online stores down your
throat...

Upgrade, my a$$.

 

[Rock]

I am furious with Microsoft!

For the second time now I have been blindsided by Microsoft with a
notification regarding an "update to Media Player 10" which turns out to
be a stealth installation of version 11! I DO NOT WANT VERSION
11!!!!!!!!

This is disgusting! It was billed as a "Version 10" update and there was
no opportunity to cancel this prior to discovering it was NOT an upgrade
to 10 but a "forced down your throat" installation of 11!

I would like to hear from someone at Microsoft as to why they have decided
to do this in this way! This is infuriating to say the least! If you want
to offer an update to MP11 then come right out and say so! At least give
someone the opportunity to say NO!

I WILL NEVER TRUST ANY MICROSOFT UPDATES AGAIN!

If you want to hear from someone at Microsoft about this, you need to
contact them. This newsgroup, on the other hand, is a peer to peer support
group. All the folks who post here are volunteers. Occasionally an MS
employee will post here but on their own time, so I doubt you'll get a
response from MS here.

I stopped using automatic updates long ago. I go to the windows update site
manually, scan for updates, and review in detail what is offered before
installing them.

 

[GHalleck]

Hello Shenan (and others),

To be fair to D. W. K. -- and others who might have inadvertently installed
WMP 11 -- there is NO indication of what the "update" to WMP 10 actually
involves.

If someone opens WMP 10 -- depending upon the Automatic updates settings,
which are accessed via Tools | Options and clicking on the Player tab, the
options presented are: "Check for Updates Once a Day, Once a week or Once a
month." (There is NO checkbox to NEVER check for updates.) -- the Windows
Media Configuration Manager will appear and the user sees a dialog box that
states: "A Windows Media Update is available. Do you want to update now?"
The options presented to the user are "Yes" or "Cancel".

If a user manually checks to see if there are any updates to WMP 10 by
clicking Help | Check for Player Updates, the user will see these
statements:
o - Windows Media Player 10 requires 1 megabytes (MB). Upgrading will take
approximately 0 minutes over a 28.8 KBps connection.
o - Click Next to begin the download and update or Click Cancel to postpone
the update.

There is NO indication anywhere that "updating" means an upgrade to WMP 11.

One can argue that "update" can be assumed to mean that WMP 10 will become
WMP 11.

However, I do think that Microsoft should be much more explicit and
transparent as to what a user is agreeing to if he or she decides to
"update" an application that is working perfectly as is.

Alan

If fault is going to be assigned for updating to WMP 11, a significant
part must be given to the over-lulled, dumbed-down Windows users who
have become so dependent on Microsoft to dictate what software and apps
need to be installed into their computers, automatically and stupidly.
While Microsoft might not have given full disclosure to WMP 11, there
were sufficient doses of it on the web and in other newsgroups. These
write-ups were so ominous that upgrades from the basic WMP 9 that came
with Windows XP to either WMP 10 and WMP 11 were banned in our outfit.
Of course, one had to knew what was being said in the technical jargon
to issue such an order (and it wasn't just the cosmetic changes in
WMP 11 that lead to them).


As it always has been in the ancient past, the user should never proceed
so blindly. Sometimes the lesson gets forgotten but it only takes a mild
disaster to serve as a reminder.

 

[Alan]

I agree that users should be aware of what is about to be installed on their
PCs. It's for that reason that I have Auto-Updates turned off, so that *I*
may decide if I want to install any "update."

My point, however, is that in the case of the proposed update to WMP 10,
Microsoft does not indicate that it is about to install WMP 11 (maybe not
even then, as I've never given permission to proceed) until the user
actually begins the update process -- and by then it's too late.

Alan

 

[D. W. K.]

I DO NOT have automatic updates on!

Semantically, Media Player 11 is an "update" to Media Player 10 and
there is no disguising this fact. But Shenan is perfectly correct in
that one needs to take control of one's system and determine just what
update should be installed and which others, not. The first thing to
do is to turn off "automatic updates"

 

[D. W. K.]

It was not my "imagination"! They said (again) it was a "version 10" update!
Is this fact getting lost somewhere here?

 

[D. W. K.]

THANK YOU ALAN! You nailed it exactly!

DWK )

Hello Shenan (and others),

To be fair to D. W. K. -- and others who might have inadvertently
installed WMP 11 -- there is NO indication of what the "update" to WMP 10
actually involves.

If someone opens WMP 10 -- depending upon the Automatic updates settings,
which are accessed via Tools | Options and clicking on the Player tab, the
options presented are: "Check for Updates Once a Day, Once a week or Once
a month." (There is NO checkbox to NEVER check for updates.) -- the
Windows Media Configuration Manager will appear and the user sees a dialog
box that states: "A Windows Media Update is available. Do you want to
update now?" The options presented to the user are "Yes" or "Cancel".

If a user manually checks to see if there are any updates to WMP 10 by
clicking Help | Check for Player Updates, the user will see these
statements:
o - Windows Media Player 10 requires 1 megabytes (MB). Upgrading will take
approximately 0 minutes over a 28.8 KBps connection.
o - Click Next to begin the download and update or Click Cancel to
postpone the update.

There is NO indication anywhere that "updating" means an upgrade to WMP
11.

One can argue that "update" can be assumed to mean that WMP 10 will become
WMP 11.

However, I do think that Microsoft should be much more explicit and
transparent as to what a user is agreeing to if he or she decides to
"update" an application that is working perfectly as is.

Alan

 

[D. W. K.]

YES! This is why I do not want WMP11. Thank you!

Hello Shenan (and others),

To be fair to D. W. K. -- and others who might have inadvertently
installed
WMP 11 -- there is NO indication of what the "update" to WMP 10 actually
involves.

If someone opens WMP 10 -- depending upon the Automatic updates settings,
which are accessed via Tools | Options and clicking on the Player tab,
the
options presented are: "Check for Updates Once a Day, Once a week or Once
a
month." (There is NO checkbox to NEVER check for updates.) -- the Windows
Media Configuration Manager will appear and the user sees a dialog box
that
states: "A Windows Media Update is available. Do you want to update now?"
The options presented to the user are "Yes" or "Cancel".

If a user manually checks to see if there are any updates to WMP 10 by
clicking Help | Check for Player Updates, the user will see these
statements:
o - Windows Media Player 10 requires 1 megabytes (MB). Upgrading will
take
approximately 0 minutes over a 28.8 KBps connection.
o - Click Next to begin the download and update or Click Cancel to
postpone
the update.

There is NO indication anywhere that "updating" means an upgrade to WMP
11.

One can argue that "update" can be assumed to mean that WMP 10 will
become
WMP 11.

However, I do think that Microsoft should be much more explicit and
transparent as to what a user is agreeing to if he or she decides to
"update" an application that is working perfectly as is.

Alan

Especially since the WMP 11 "upgrade" does nothing but
prettify the UI, remove lots of playlist organization stuff
that people liked, and shove more online stores down your
throat...

Upgrade, my a$$.

 

[D. W. K.]

It is not possible to go through life without making at least SOME
assumptions! That includes you. Think about it!

 

[D. W. K.]

Contact Microsoft? You must be kidding! You would have better luck
"contacting" the Pope!

 

[Mistoffolees]

I am furious with Microsoft!

For the second time now I have been blindsided by Microsoft with a
notification regarding an "update to Media Player 10" which turns out to be
a stealth installation of version 11! I DO NOT WANT VERSION
11!!!!!!!!

This is disgusting! It was billed as a "Version 10" update and there was no
opportunity to cancel this prior to discovering it was NOT an upgrade to 10
but a "forced down your throat" installation of 11!

I would like to hear from someone at Microsoft as to why they have decided
to do this in this way! This is infuriating to say the least! If you want to
offer an update to MP11 then come right out and say so! At least give
someone the opportunity to say NO!

I WILL NEVER TRUST ANY MICROSOFT UPDATES AGAIN!

DWK
Simi Valley, CA

While your protests are noted, just what was the compelling reason
for going to Microsoft or Windows Updates, finding an update to WMP
10 and then deciding to proceed to update? Was there something wrong
with WMP 9 that came with Windows XP? Or were the enhancements to
WMP 10.X and WMP 11 just that tempting, specifically related to DRM,
copyright protection, piracy, etc.? IMO, WMP 9, out-of-the-box, is
just fine.