[72833]

ACTUALLY, THIS IS A "P.S." TO MY RECENT RESPONSE. AFTER GOING THROUGH MUCH OF THE AGGRAVATION WITH SYMANTEC-NORTON FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON ALL ANIT-VIRUS SOFTWARE AND CHOSE BIT DEFENDER WHICH HAS BEEN WORKING WELL FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. C. DWYER, MASSACHUSETTS

[vjromeo]

A refinement of #7--UI inconsistencies within a software suite like MS Office: With more than one document or presentation at a time, click the application close button (the top X in the upper-RH corner) in Word or Powerpoint, and the current document/presentation is closed; do the same in Excel, and all open spreadsheets are closed.

[Cernansky]

Firefox always asks me before downloading updates. Danny Allen should change his settings if he doesn't like them.
Also, the open source money program described earlier might be GnuCash ( www.gnucash.org/ ).

[FenderGuy2112]

The whole "registration key" thing is still so primative if you ask me. When I download/buy software I upload it to an online hard drive (like X drive and that kind of stuff) and soon after; make a document of the reg. key on google documents. It bothers me knowing that registration key can be invalid even with a legal copy of a software (product).

FenderGuy2112

[ggeeoo]

The pop-ups for registration or updates for Symantic is mondaine compared to what they do within 45 days of expiration of Norton Protection Center(NPC): "Warnings" that there is a "problem" with NPC is nothing more than an advisement that your subscription will soon run out. Then within 30 days the pop-ups to download a renewal begin. I could understand a new company trying this, but Symantic should not only be more professional, but realize that since they have the top software, license renewal from current customers is a given, and the constant barrage of pop-ups is an annoyance that could actually drive customers (me) away! GROW UP marketing department!

[velvetmoxie]

Just to perhaps clarify my original post about the new versions of software, I wasn't referring to things such as Norton's or any other "safety" type of software. Certainly I understand that what I pay for in these cases is a time-limited license. What I was referring to, to be a little more specific is programs such as WinZip. There was not a darned thing wrong with the original version I paid for; it worked fine. In order to re-download it, however, I must pay for the new and improved version. I don't WANT the new and improved version; only the one I paid for--but that is no longer available. There were others like that as well. It was those types of programs to which I was referring. Of course the obvious answer to this is to keep the original download file backed up on a CD and in this particular case I was remiss in not doing so. Still, however, it seems that if you paid for something you should be able to have it without having to purchase it again. Some of these places (for a FEE, of course) offer an extended download service that will allow you to download a second time for a given period of time--I just personally think that you should be able to get back what you paid for without an additional fee. It is for this reason that I am a good customer of Coffee Cup Software....You buy it and get free downloads and upgrades for life. Now that's how to keep a good customer coming back!

[mpleroy]

I agree with you, Velvet Moxie, and will be more careful about keeping the downloads for software I find helpful, simple and meeting my needs. For example, Quicken 7 Basic does what I need. I don't need more, yet I am encouraged by Intuit to get a new version which which will just complicate my life - I can tell that by looking at the directions for moving my data to the new software. If it's not broken.....

Not to speak of some of the "improvements" in Windows OSs that have given us less rather than more control of our systems. More time on SP's for Vista rather than developing the "next thing" would be appreciated by this consumer.

[mpleroy]

Just have to give one more example of an annoyance. I have been using Yahoo mail for years. Travelling for work I have always had easy access to my mail and calendar and have paid for Mail Plus and like their new formatting of the site. But a few months ago I upgraded my laptop and moved from XPsp2 to Vista Home Premium only to find that Yahoo calendar will not sync with my Outlook calendar because I have Vista. It took a long time to find a place to ask the question: will this be possible and when? and to get an answer. Months later the date is still unknown. Most companies have over the past months gradually integrated their drivers etc. Just another example of concern for customers being far down the list with "change for profit sake" seeming to be the highest priority.

[Digerati]

I second Photic - I hate having to clear a popup just to read this article. I already subscribe to the newsletter. Leave me alone!!!

ZoneAlarm also pesters you to upgrade, then foists a bunch of unwanted stuff, like MailFrontier, on your system - not to mention the upgrade is 90% bloat.

And while I agree wholeheartedly MS's demand to prove my Windows is genuine, over and over again, is exceedingly frustrating, it is the "badguys" that caused this problem and it is our lawmakers (in the US, UK, EU, China, RU, and UN) who must step up and do something about it.

[techie4fun]

Windows Genuine Advantage tool.




You get a new PC and activate Windows. Okay, the hardest part is now finished. But wait, there's more: For every time that you want to download something from Microsoft, you have to download the Windows Genuine Advantage tool, run it, copy and paste the code and then enter it into the URL on the microsoft page before you can download the file.



I've gone as far as not downloading stuff from the Microsoft website anymore because of WGA. I know Microsoft wants to keep their software secure and free from piracy. I would do the same thing for my company, however, we all have days where we just wish WGA did NOT exsist.

[SHogan]

To mpleroy:

Try this link for Open Source alternatives to Quicken.

http://www.fatwallet.com/t/52/432281/

[gosseyn]

Reply to rodent042:

I don't know about Norton A/V, but I have a multi-year licence for McAfee A/V, and it updates the A/V engine as well as the A/V definitions, so I always have the most recent version, just as if I bought a new boxed version each year.

[Sanjiv]

Microsoft wishes to hand out free copies of its software (by not insisting upon a hardware lock), yet follows obnoxious practices to get serious users to pay up.
This dual faced strategy has worked in the past: I bet it wont work now. Online applications are much simpler to use (read Goole Docs, Thikfree, eDeskOnline)

[SooHimself]

most annoying: Ring0 drivers to "protect" the game
most retarded: adware games. hello? malware launching platform waiting to happen... again

console games don't suffer this BS... and they have all the same piracy issues. RESPECT MY desktop and hardware or I'm not buying your damnable games