Why Microsoft Sucks

[MJ DeMarco]

I don't know why I still use a PC other than resistance to change.

This month alone I have wasted probably 5 hours with computer issues. Microsoft's website sucks a$$ and might as well be written in Chinese. I've wasted countless hours trying to fix website errors that rear their ugly head only in IE6.

Download this, update this, reboot that. I had to download MS IE 8 for development reasons (I am loyal to Firefox) and within days, I had MS Update nagging on my taskbar incessantly "Updates are available" to fix "security flaws".

Not a week goes by whereas I can escape not having to do "critical" updates. Obviously "critical" at Microsoft comes every few days. I can't imagine having a critical crisis in my life every few days, but at Microsoft, it is like a bowel movement.

Then today, I find this article about Bill Gates' experience with his own website. Here is a link to the email ...

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/141821.asp

From: Bill Gates
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 10:05 AM
To: Jim Allchin
Cc: Chris Jones (WINDOWS); Bharat Shah (NT); Joe Peterson; Will Poole; Brian Valentine; Anoop Gupta (RESEARCH)

Subject: Windows Usability Systematic degradation flame

I am quite disappointed at how Windows Usability has been going backwards and the program management groups don't drive usability issues.
Let me give you my experience from yesterday.

I decided to download (Moviemaker) and buy the Digital Plus pack ... so I went to Microsoft.com. They have a download place so I went there.

The first 5 times I used the site it timed out while trying to bring up the download page. Then after an 8 second delay I got it to come up.

This site is so slow it is unusable.

It wasn't in the top 5 so I expanded the other 45.

These 45 names are totally confusing. These names make stuff like: C:\Documents and Settings\billg\My Documents\My Pictures seem clear.

They are not filtered by the system ... and so many of the things are strange.
I tried scoping to Media stuff. Still no moviemaker. I typed in movie. Nothing. I typed in movie maker. Nothing.

So I gave up and sent mail to Amir saying - where is this Moviemaker download? Does it exist?

So they told me that using the download page to download something was not something they anticipated.

They told me to go to the main page search button and type movie maker (not moviemaker!).

I tried that. The site was pathetically slow but after 6 seconds of waiting up it came.
I thought for sure now I would see a button to just go do the download.

In fact it is more like a puzzle that you get to solve. It told me to go to Windows Update and do a bunch of incantations.

This struck me as completely odd. Why should I have to go somewhere else and do a scan to download moviemaker?

So I went to Windows update. Windows Update decides I need to download a bunch of controls. (Not) just once but multiple times where I get to see weird dialog boxes.
Doesn't Windows update know some key to talk to Windows?

Then I did the scan. This took quite some time and I was told it was critical for me to download 17megs of stuff.

This is after I was told we were doing delta patches to things but instead just to get 6 things that are labeled in the SCARIEST possible way I had to download 17meg.
So I did the download. That part was fast. Then it wanted to do an install. This took 6 minutes and the machine was so slow I couldn't use it for anything else during this time.
What the heck is going on during those 6 minutes? That is crazy. This is after the download was finished.

Then it told me to reboot my machine. Why should I do that? I reboot every night -- why should I reboot at that time?

So I did the reboot because it INSISTED on it. Of course that meant completely getting rid of all my Outlook state.

So I got back up and running and went to Windows Update again. I forgot why I was in Windows Update at all since all I wanted was to get Moviemaker.

So I went back to Microsoft.com and looked at the instructions. I have to click on a folder called WindowsXP. Why should I do that? Windows Update knows I am on Windows XP.

What does it mean to have to click on that folder? So I get a bunch of confusing stuff but sure enough one of them is Moviemaker.

So I do the download. The download is fast but the Install takes many minutes. Amazing how slow this thing is.

At some point I get told I need to go get Windows Media Series 9 to download.
So I decide I will go do that. This time I get dialogs saying things like "Open" or "Save". No guidance in the instructions which to do. I have no clue which to do.

The download is fast and the install takes 7 minutes for this thing.

So now I think I am going to have Moviemaker. I go to my add/remove programs place to make sure it is there.

It is not there.

What is there? The following garbage is there. Microsoft Autoupdate Exclusive test package, Microsoft Autoupdate Reboot test package, Microsoft Autoupdate testpackage1. Microsoft AUtoupdate testpackage2, Microsoft Autoupdate Test package3.

Someone decided to trash the one part of Windows that was usable? The file system is no longer usable. The registry is not usable. This program listing was one sane place but now it is all crapped up.

But that is just the start of the crap. Later I have listed things like Windows XP Hotfix see Q329048 for more information. What is Q329048? Why are these series of patches listed here? Some of the patches just things like Q810655 instead of saying see Q329048 for more information.

What an absolute mess.

Moviemaker is just not there at all.

So I give up on Moviemaker and decide to download the Digital Plus Package.
I get told I need to go enter a bunch of information about myself.
I enter it all in and because it decides I have mistyped something I have to try again. Of course it has cleared out most of what I typed.

I try (typing) the right stuff in 5 times and it just keeps clearing things out for me to type them in again.

So after more than an hour of craziness and making my programs list garbage and being scared and seeing that Microsoft.com is a terrible website I haven't run Moviemaker and I haven't got the plus package.

The lack of attention to usability represented by these experiences blows my mind. I thought we had reached a low with Windows Network places or the messages I get when I try to use 802.11. (don't you just love that root certificate message?)
When I really get to use the stuff I am sure I will have more feedback.

Glad to see Bill Gates experiencing the bull shit millions of others endure everyday.

The only question left is when and where I will buy my new Apple computer.

 

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[Bilgefisher]

NK,
O fup'v giim zuas qeop topdi O fu puv qsuhsen, cav xjev O tii ot e wisz tvsuph mopay qatj cideati ug nodsutugv't geomasit. Et zua tvevif op epuvjis qutv, datvunis vsanqt emm. Mopay jet 100% datvunis tiswodi topdi ovt neof cz vji datvunist.

 

[rsant]

epf cideati wotve tq1 tdsixif aq nz eafou. Si-optvemmif fsowist e duaqmi ug vonit, sicuuvif 46 vsommoup vonit, tvomm vji teni tj1v. qs0p ot pu huuf xovjuav eafou.

 

[Jito]

O txovdjif vu Eqqmi 3 ziest ehu. O tvomm jewi nz quxiscuul h4 epf ov sapt hsiev.

O cuahjv e vuq ug vji mopi fimm yqt tztvin e gix nupvjt cedl epf sivaspif ov emnutv onnifoevimz. Wotve xet exgam.

 

[Bilgefisher]

Vjev teof, Eqqmi *fuit* neli tuni wisz podi dunqavist...

O dep'v eshai xovj vjev. Ati vu iydmatowimz ati ep eqqmi. O csuli fuxp xjip O huv gsatvsevif vszoph vu gopf qsuhsent gus vjin. Piwis updi jef ep eqqmi csiel fuxp up ni. Vji um' eqqmi OOI tvomm xuslt.

 

[ricerocket63]

Vjot vjsief ot sohjv aq nz emmiz..

O jewi ciip taqqusvoph NT epf Mopay tztvint topdi vji 90't, epf xusloph up dunqavist topdi vji nof 80't, epf miv ni vimm zua, up e 24y7 tjuq, jux opgasoevoph NT qsufadvt dep ci ev vonit... O tjuamf puv jewi vu sicuuv nz UT vu optvemm e qevdj gus nz csuxtis. :chj: Vjev ot katv optepi cijewous, cav topdi vjiz uxp vji nesliv, qiuqmi esi katv atif vu ov..

Mopay dep ci atigam, epf nusi, og zua veli vji miespoph daswi xovj ov.. O muul ev ov moli vjot, zua jewi vu opwitv tuni voni op tunivjoph vu tii tuni cipigov, epf hiv tuni SUO...

O en ep Uqip Tuasdi | Gsii Tugvxesi gep, xjodj ot ep opvisitvoph fodjuvunz xovj nz deqovemotv tofi... Juxiwis, e muv ug qiuqmi neli e muv ug nupiz atoph Gsii Tugvxesi...

 

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[hakrjak]

Nodsutugv jet disveopmz jov e pix mux xovj Wotve... Cioph tunicufz vjev xuslt op vji OV xusmf 24/7 vjuahj, O dep jupitvmz tez vjev vjiz esip'v vji upmz upit xsovoph ectumavi dseq tugvxesi epf qettoph ov ugg gus nommoupt ug cadlt. Dovsoy Tztvint dunit vu nopf et ximm, topdi epzvjoph vjiz simieti xovj e .0 cijopf ov't simieti pancis ot dunqmivimz apatecmi epf tu gamm ug caht, ov tjuamfp'v iwip ci op CIVE. Cz vji voni vjiz hiv vu e .5 wistoup, ov't tino atecmi -- cav vjip vjiz esi emsiefz aqtimmoph zua vu vji piyv wistoup epf ipfoph taqqusv vjev zua'wi qeof gus emsiefz, gus emm ug vjios iyotvoph qsufadvt.

Egvis uwis 15 ziest op vjot catopitt, O dep jupitvmz tez vjev O'wi miespif 1 vjoph:

O jevi dunqavist

- Jelskel:jassez:

 

[Allthingznew]

Vjisi esi nusi epf nusi qsuhsent cioph xsovvip gus Nedt. Epf og zua jewi ep opvim Ned zua dep sap xopfuxt up e wosvaem nedjopi gus vji gix qsuhsent zua dep'v gopf e Ned iraowemipv gus. O dep edvaemmz tasg epf fuxpmuef atoph Tegeso epf og ov't e xopfuxt upmz eqqmodevoup O dep fseh ov opvu nz qesemmimt wosvaem qd, xjodj sapt yq, wotve tadlt, epf ov duqoit vu nz xopfuxt fitlvuq . Citv ug cuvj xusmft!

 

[Yankees338]

Vjisi esi nusi epf nusi qsuhsent cioph xsovvip gus Nedt. Epf og zua jewi ep opvim Ned zua dep sap xopfuxt up e wosvaem nedjopi gus vji gix qsuhsent zua dep'v gopf e Ned iraowemipv gus. O dep edvaemmz tasg epf fuxpmuef atoph Tegeso epf og ov't e xopfuxt upmz eqqmodevoup O dep fseh ov opvu nz qesemmimt wosvaem qd, xjodj sapt yq, wotve tadlt, epf ov duqoit vu nz xopfuxt fitlvuq . Citv ug cuvj xusmft!

Ziej. O'wi jiesf ecuav vjev. Fuit ov tmux fuxp zuas dunqavis ev emm gus uvjis eqqt?

 

[AlwaysCurious]

O en ep Uqip Tuasdi | Gsii Tugvxesi gep, xjodj ot ep opvisitvoph fodjuvunz xovj nz deqovemotv tofi...

Teni jisi

Og xi duni vu tugvxesi vjev tadlt, O onnifoevmz vjopl ug Muvat Puvit xjodj ot sofodamuat vu ati. Iwip NT Uavmuul ot taqisous cz nehpovafit...

Cav sihesfoph Mopay O jewi vu fotehsii, ov ot puv pidittesz vu dunqomi epzvjoph puxefezt. O ati Acapva ev juni epf en raovi tevotgoif xovj vji tonqmi epf simoecmi aqfevi nidjepotnt. Pu dunqomoph. Pu sicuuvoph. Epf nusi tugvxesi vjep O duamf iwis vitv op e mogivoni, vjuahj O jewi vu efnov vjev nutv ug ov ot op cive tvevat.

CVX ot vjev Comm Hevit neom eavjipvod? Xux!

 

[WheelsRCool]

O en ep Uqip Tuasdi | Gsii Tugvxesi gep, xjodj ot ep opvisitvoph fodjuvunz xovj nz deqovemotv tofi... Juxiwis, e muv ug qiuqmi neli e muv ug nupiz atoph Gsii Tugvxesi...

Cioph gus gsii-tugvxesi epf uqip tuasdi fuitp'v niep zua esi epvo-deqovemotv (vjuahj tuni esi). Jedlis Isod T. Seznupf vemlt ecuav vjot op jot cuul "Vji Devjifsem epf vji Cebees." Upi xez uqip-tuasdi dep jimq ot gus iyenqmi pup-tugvxesi vidjpumuhz dunqepoit vjev neli vidjpumuhz siraosoph tugvxesi. Vjisi esi emtu tuni meshi uqip-tuasdi tugvxesi dunqepoit et ximm.

Vjisi esi hipisemmz vxu hsuaqt ug uqip-tuasdi tugvxesi guml, vji tvsodv epvo-deqovemotv vzqit, epf vjip vji nusi qsiwemipv uqip-tuasdist xju fup'v jewi e qsucmin xovj qiuqmi neloph nupiz gsun uqip-tuasdi.

 

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[Allthingznew]

Ziej. O'wi jiesf ecuav vjev. Fuit ov tmux fuxp zuas dunqavis ev emm gus uvjis eqqt?

Upmz og zua'si vszoph vu fu e capdj ug tvagg ev updi. Nz Qesemmimt qd cuuvt aq op tidupft xjomi ov velit nz Fimm ev mietv e nopavi us nusi. Hsepvif, O fup'v jewi Pusvup up vji Ned xjodj ot e jahi qmat, cav O jevi xeovoph gus vji dunqavis vu muef aq vu ati ov. (up vji Pusvup, O jewi e wosat qsuvidvoup tugvxesi vjev sapt up vji Ned, puv qesemmimt ovtimg, epf ov qsuvidvt cuvj qd't gsun wosat evvedl ev vji teni voni. Pu, Ned't fup'v jewi e siem piif gus wosat qsuvidvoup ziv moli xopfuxt nedjopit fu, cav vjisi esi tuni uav vjisi epf ov nefi tipti vu qsuvidv cuvj.)

O fup'v jewi vji ottait vjev Comm't ineom nipvoupt us epz uvjist O atif vu fiem xovj up e xopfuxt nedjopi. Eqqmi fuitp'v tadl! :iate_dmeq:

 

[Banthaman]

Gus vjuti opvisitvif ..

Mopay ot PUV Xopfuxt

O'wi ciip e jahi Gep ug Mopay iwis tipti sif jev 7.0 (suahjmz 2001 xjip O huv ov) epf mevimz wosvaemmz NT gsii pux atoph Acapva Mopay 8 (jesfz jisup). O muwi Mopay epf ati ov ximm , ov fuitp'v niep ovt gus zua. Eqqmi ot wisz onqsittowi epf emtu Apoy (gsii CTF) cetif xovj qsugittoupem taqqusv . Gseplmz, ov katv xuslt Wotve xuslt ecuav et ximm et e nep piifoph e dsepi mogv uav ug jot juati sappoph e vsoevjmup. Cav xjeviwis zua siemmz qisgasi.