Windows makes you stupid

[john]

I've noticed, in my day to day interaction with 'regular' users, that
while they don't understand networking in any detail they do understand
the concept of shared files pretty well. If someone asks me, "How do I
share this folder?", it's normally painless to show them because they
already have a conceptual understanding of what they're trying to do.

Yet Microsoft, who seem to think that the typical computer user has the IQ
of a retarded baboon, decided to simplify the file sharing interface by
creating a feature called 'Simple file sharing' in Windows XP HE and --
bizarrely -- XP Pro as well.

In case you don't know, SFS allows you to share files by dropping them
into a special folder called 'Shared files', which then magically appear
on the network.

The problem is, anyone whose first exposure to file sharing is through
this pathetic interface, won't have the slightest idea that you can
control things such as access permissions, offline caching or how many
users can simultaneously connect to the share. As far as they're
concerned, sharing files will be nothing more than a drag n drop exercise.

SFS is, of course, on by default, and the setting to disable it is neatly
tucked away in 'advanced' folder properties.

Add to this the fact that the new XP networking wizards take the brain
completely out of setting up a home/SB network, and it's easy to see the
knowledge pool grow rather more murky on the subject in the near future.

This is why Windows makes you stupid.

And I bet you 50, that it's gonna get a whole lot worse with Longhorn.

 

[Me]

I've noticed, in my day to day interaction with 'regular' users, that
while they don't understand networking in any detail they do understand
the concept of shared files pretty well. If someone asks me, "How do I
share this folder?", it's normally painless to show them because they
already have a conceptual understanding of what they're trying to do.

Yet Microsoft, who seem to think that the typical computer user has the IQ
of a retarded baboon, decided to simplify the file sharing interface by
creating a feature called 'Simple file sharing' in Windows XP HE and --
bizarrely -- XP Pro as well.

In case you don't know, SFS allows you to share files by dropping them
into a special folder called 'Shared files', which then magically appear
on the network.

The problem is, anyone whose first exposure to file sharing is through
this pathetic interface, won't have the slightest idea that you can
control things such as access permissions, offline caching or how many
users can simultaneously connect to the share. As far as they're
concerned, sharing files will be nothing more than a drag n drop exercise.

SFS is, of course, on by default, and the setting to disable it is neatly
tucked away in 'advanced' folder properties.

Add to this the fact that the new XP networking wizards take the brain
completely out of setting up a home/SB network, and it's easy to see the
knowledge pool grow rather more murky on the subject in the near future.

This is why Windows makes you stupid.

And I bet you 50, that it's gonna get a whole lot worse with Longhorn.

And to make things worse, they have the Networking Wizard. And you get "I ran
the wizard several times, and it still won't network". Try and figure that one
out.

Guest account - what's that? What do you mean - equal passwords on each
computer? How do you set a password? And on and on...

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

SFS is one of the first things I turn off. I agree, it's annoying. And I
don't like having everything 'wizarded' - however, once you know how to
disable that stuff for people and set up your sharing/networking manually,
WinXP is fantastic.

 

[Guest]

John
Do you know if there's a way to disable SFS permanently? In the registry, maybe? It doesn't seem to stay turned off for users. I can turn it off when they're logged on but once they log off and back on again, its enabled again. I searched the knowledge base but they don't say too much about SFS other than how it works and how to disable it. If only it would stay disabled
Thanks
Mike

 

[XPUSER]

I've noticed, in my day to day interaction with 'regular' users, that
while they don't understand networking in any detail they do understand
the concept of shared files pretty well. If someone asks me, "How do I
share this folder?", it's normally painless to show them because they
already have a conceptual understanding of what they're trying to do.

Yet Microsoft, who seem to think that the typical computer user has the IQ
of a retarded baboon, decided to simplify the file sharing interface by
creating a feature called 'Simple file sharing' in Windows XP HE and --
bizarrely -- XP Pro as well.

In case you don't know, SFS allows you to share files by dropping them
into a special folder called 'Shared files', which then magically appear
on the network.

The problem is, anyone whose first exposure to file sharing is through
this pathetic interface, won't have the slightest idea that you can
control things such as access permissions, offline caching or how many
users can simultaneously connect to the share. As far as they're
concerned, sharing files will be nothing more than a drag n drop exercise.

SFS is, of course, on by default, and the setting to disable it is neatly
tucked away in 'advanced' folder properties.

Add to this the fact that the new XP networking wizards take the brain
completely out of setting up a home/SB network, and it's easy to see the
knowledge pool grow rather more murky on the subject in the near future.

This is why Windows makes you stupid.

And I bet you 50, that it's gonna get a whole lot worse with Longhorn.

===========================================
How to configure file sharing in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=304040

Windows XP Simple File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm
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