The fact I have to go out of my way to separate junkware from valid security downloads is disgusting. You can't remove it either, you have to remove the Acrobat update (which removes Yahoo) then re-add the Acrobat Update. Yahoo! Toolbar for Internet Explorer now automatically adds itself to the 'Critical Updates for Download' box beside the 'Security Update for Acrobat'. The auto-update mentioned in the previous paragraph is a classic example of the bloatware PC's face. Acrobat for example puts shortcuts everywhere, features a quick-launch and auto-updater (which I will go into in a minute) yet the only time Acrobat files are actually used is either integrated into the browser (so no launch button is required) or if you open a PDF (double clicking on it opens it in acrobat). If just one program does this it is not so bad but even things which dont even need an icon do it. I now have 3 icons taking up room on my start bar, some more on the desktop, a constantly running process (quick-launch and auto-update) and a mp3 player when all I needed was the ability to play QuickTime files. Its bundled with iTunes also (you dont get a choice in the matter you've got to download both) which also gives it a quick-launch icon. ![]() Not only that it also runs an updater in the background that'll alert you when new versions of the software come out. Quicktime, which isn't even the worst, and which 99% of people only have to use very occasionally watch a QuickTime file, installs a system tray stub (for settings and fast launch) a Quick-launch icon and an icon in your start menu. The problem with this is that programs think they are much more important than they actually are. The fact of the matter though is that programs can install themselves anywhere they want, add as many icons as they want to any place they want - and even delete anything that they want. If some software wants to install itself in the root of c: (an incredibly bad place to put it) - its allowed. Of course sometimes programs do what they want. The software also generally saves settings in the Windows Registry (a centralized point of failure) via Windows APIs. The installing software has complete access to all areas of the hard drive there are absolutely no limitations on what it can access and where it can put things. For the uninitiated Windows software installs via an executable file (setup.exe usually) that places the main program files in the directory program files and then places a shortcut, or a folder of shortcuts in documents and settings->all users->start menu. Its certainly miles ahead of the Open Source competition.īut Windows does suck, and the reason is the software. When you get over the rabid Microsoft hating fervor gripping most people youll come to realize that (although I dont know why they got a 8 year old to design the theme) its actually a very well thought out GUI and if looked at from a objective usability based point of view, you can see the time and effort that has gone in to trying to make it as easy to use as possible. Windows, from a usability point of view, has also come a long way. Most couldn't back this assertion up with concrete evidence though and most anti-Windows comments are actually blatantly wrong or refer to problems long fixed. Its a universally held opinion by most PC users on the planet that 'Windows Sucks'.
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