The Most Annoying Software Out There 885
superglaze writes "ZDNet UK has a very entertaining round-up of the most annoying software out there, and everything from RealPlayer and Adobe Reader to Java and Norton Antivirus gets a kicking. 'The internet has brought us many joys. It's rewritten the rules of business and pleasure. And pain. For it allows what may have seemed like bright ideas at the time ('let's use it to make sure our customers have the latest software', for example) to turn into a stinking pit of misery — usually, but by no means always, after marketing gets its fangs in.'"
Winamp becoming Damned Irritating (Score:5, Interesting)
Click on "omg! Update me!" big window.
Browse through newly openeded browser window.
No, just the free one, no shitty MP3's thanks.
Download. Click install.
No ffs, don't take control over all my media types.
No, keep your shitty ad-ware.
Die Winamp agent; if you're not the default for everything it's for a reason.
Yeah, same settings as last time (it's an update ffs).
Oh right, you changed a bunch of setting anyway, thanks.
There's just a tonne of questions that are so unnecessary for a minor update, which seem to come thick & fast these days. Thanks a bunch AOL; you've created the least smooth updating process i've seen in a while.
Re:Norton Products... (Score:5, Interesting)
What was the last good version? Norton Utilities for DOS 6.01?
Bloody Adobe Reader (Score:5, Interesting)
Storm
Article is a Troll (Score:3, Interesting)
Regards,
Most CD burning apps. (Score:2, Interesting)
A hearty welcome to our latest new member (Score:5, Interesting)
Here we will help you commiserate as you belch out the pains brought to you by software that is premised on the thought that ALL users would surely want this software until the day they die.
With the mentality (and social skills) of clippy, these coders work double time to ensure that your experience with their software will be never ending. What could possibly be worse than malware you might ask. How about software that has an uninstall feature but won't do so?
I'm wagging my finger at you AOL, Apple, MS... you, antivirus guy in the back snickering, you can STFU too.
We're glad to have you as a member, and look forward to your votes in the awards ceremonies next year. Note that Internet infamy is your for the taking if your right up for nominees is both exacting and excoriating.
I'm still investigating, but the OOo quickstart on XP may get a nomination. HP printer driver division has a place on my list too.
Anyway, mill around, meet the other members, enjoy....
Acrobat Reader on Linux (Score:5, Interesting)
It insisted upon putting a bunch of worthless crap in my ~/.kde and ~/.local directories, overriding my MIME types and replacing KDE's PDF icons (which looked consistent with all the other KDE icons) with its own icons, which clearly were out of place.
Of course, it also decided to set itself as the preferred reader for PDFs, contrary to my preference. It would have been annoying, but bearable, had it asked me about this before it made invasive changes, but simply running the program was enough to wreak havoc.
So fuck you Adobe, I'll continue to use kpdf, which doesn't feel the need to take over my desktop. As an added bonus, kpdf doesn't have a million worthless plugins that slow down application startup, either.
It's Not Always the Software Per Se (Score:5, Interesting)
Sometimes it's the exclusive distribution method or the update method that truly irks.
Google's Sketch-up Pro is available only by download. Not a problem in the US, but on a remote US base in Afghanistan? A CD/DVD option would have been most helpful.
As already pointed out above, updaters can be a significant issue even if the software itself is acceptable. The status quo should be maintained for settings, file associations and preferences, TYVM.
Advertise on the web and through the quality of your product, not via the update process.
Re:Windows woes (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Norton Products... (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm not renewing when the subscription expires.
Re:My vote: HP (Score:5, Interesting)
Marketing does it again... (Score:3, Interesting)
worse than annoying for someone like me (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Norton Products... (Score:5, Interesting)
Just an FYI
Right on the money (Score:5, Interesting)
Usually I disagree with these rather non-technical whiners, but I found this to be right on the money this time. Besides, there's some wonderful British humor there:
Acrobat Reader"a reputation for being as welcome as a flatulent camel in the kitchen"
Windows Update
We've been kind and not talked about Vista.
RealPlayer
"If this software turned up at your door, you'd call the police."
"... we were given software to install. 'Disable your firewall', it commanded. 'Drop dead', we replied."
Java
"Programming languages are like sewage plants: if the average user becomes aware of them, something's gone wrong."
Yahoo
"And yes, when I ask to exit the software, that's because I really want to, not because I'm having a crisis of doubt."
Flash
"There's nothing wrong with Flash, provided you don't use it to construct web sites where people want to find information..."
You haven't seen some of the alternatives (Score:5, Interesting)
Some years ago, for example, sick and tired of Norton, I went and bought McAffee's anti-virus. In fact, I figured I'd go for the full monte, including firewall, "privacy" stuff, you name it. I can't be arsed to dig up the CD and find out which year it was, and I wouldn't know if it got any better in the meantime. (Though I would be surprised.)
The first funny impression was when trying to update it. As is the craze in the last decade, it couldn't just have either a URL to their download page, or a neat little downloader program. It just had to launch an ActiveX control in a browser to do the actual download and install. It launched whatever browser you had configured as default. E.g., for me it was Mozilla. It only actually worked in IE.
But wait, the patcher was more stupid than that.
I didn't have too much space left on C:, but I had vast amounts of space on my slower D: drive. So I refuse to install it to the default location, and install it to D:.
Then I run the updater. It installs the updates to the default location on C:. Literally, it was too fucking stupid to either ask, or figure out where its own installer had put those programs.
It gets funnier. Presumably because it couldn't figure out where they were, it didn't uninstall or at least disable the origina, unpatched version on D:. It just let it run too.
If you think one anti-virus is a resource and CPU hog, now picture twice that. It felt like I had downgraded back to my trusty old 486.
Now I don't know how good their virus protection was, I didn't actually have a virus. Their privacy stuff, though, now that made most sites that required a login, no longer work. And it made some schizophrenic: they thought I was simultaneously logged in _and_ not logged in. It was giving me some insight into what Schroedinger's cat must have felt
To cut a long story short, and skip over a few more faults, after a few days I uninstalled it.
The uninstaller, though, only got rid of the new patched copy from C:. It left the one on D: as it was, and loading itself in memory anyway. Trying the uninstaller from D: didn't seem to work either. I had to manually mess with the registry to get rid of it.
On the whole, it left me the impression that it makes malware look good by comparison. Ok, so you have to mess with the registry in safe mode too, to get rid of it, so it's a tie there. Most viruses don't use as many resources or interfere with your daily use of the computer half as much, though.
Re:My vote: HP (Score:3, Interesting)
Adobe Reader - update is available! (Score:1, Interesting)
The first time the thing popped up I set it to "Never update", and yet it still nags me from time to time that it has updates it previously downloaded without my permission. There's no obvious option in Reader to turn it off. One time I had it pop up in the middle of a presentation -- thanks a lot, Adobe.
These background programs need to be explained at install-time and the user given the option to opt-out of them. And I mean *REALLY* opt-out, as in not running them at all, rather than lurking in the background doing almost nothing but still hogging resources.
Re:Windows woes (Score:3, Interesting)
No, if and when the time comes that we see a large quantity of commercial games for Linux, there will already be a system in place to handle this type of content, if a special system is needed to begin with. There's no reason whatsoever that a company that releases some commercial game for Linux can't make it so that a distribution has the right to spread it - just set the license appropriately and the distro makers will handle the rest, just like they always have. Just make your game work like Quake 3 did, where you need to have the CD/DVD handy to perform the final install (except have the package manager run a script to handle copying data from the CD/DVD, so as to avoid whatever installer the game maker might otherwise use, if possible).
If worst comes to worst, there's nothing physically stopping one or another non-US distribution from just blowing off whatever ridiculous license some game might have and just start distributing the program in question anyway.
Parent is a Troll? (Score:3, Interesting)
db
My vote: The Browser (Score:5, Interesting)
A good UI shouldn't have to have users embedding markup language manually. It shouldn't have to trouble you about fonts, re-sizing your window widths. It shouldn't have ways that browser makers can bugger up wysiwyg information in so many ingenious ways.
Mark me as flamebait if you want, but the browser is a disaster, years after its invention, and constant reinvention.
Re:Article is a Troll (Score:3, Interesting)
I believe the author was referring to threading as it relates to processes, not threaded views.
As for Outlook and it's threaded views, well, that's a funny one. IIRC, Microsoft discovered that old-as-dirt concept only a few years ago. A common whine on usenet was "Why doesn't Outlook Express support threading? Google has since implemented threaded views for their webmail, but decided to call it "Conversations". But what did Microsoft do? Microsoft being Microsoft couldn't use make use the 'Message-ID' header, like everyone else had been doing, but instead decided to add a new Microsoft-only header called 'Thread-Index' or some equally stupid name.
Call me impressed.
Re:Norton Products... (Score:3, Interesting)
ANY Enterprise AntiVirus (Score:3, Interesting)
I started by attempting to reconfigure the software to scan on write, but some dickhead in corporate IT had decided to disable all user-configuration. Next I searched the internet for helpful advice on how to change the permissions on the admin console. I found instructions on McAfees tech support site, and followed the instructions. I quickly found that the enterprise version of their product let me change the permissions, but then ignored any changes that I made. Next I had a look at the registry. I thought I might be able to tweak the settings by hand; but of course, the software went out of its way to obscure the registry settings. An internet search on specific registry keys yielded a handful of hits, but they were all in Chinese, so no luck there.
OK, so now I'm to the point where I've given up reconfiguring the software, and I just want to disable it. Easy enough, right? Well, not quite. I attempted to disable all the start-up processes, and this was partially successful, but I couldn't figure out how to stop the main scan process from starting. OK, no problem, I'll just kill the process. Well, what do you know, windows task manager doesn't allow me to kill the process. So I hit google again, and I find a third party kill application. This app advertises 16 different methods for killing a process. I boot up the app, and start firing, the first 5 kill methods fail, but number 6 does the trick. Yeah, it's dead. Rename the executable on the filesystem, and I'm done.
Thing is, I would have been happy to run the software if the settings were sane. But since the software sees me as the enemy, I now find myself not running the software at all. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.
I think the reason Sun does this... (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't know why Sun would go this route. *shrug*
SAP? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:5, Interesting)
Leopard I hate you!
I have ubuntu at home, I have Vista at home, they make me use a MBP with Leopard at work. Vista, most likely due to it no having to connect to any sort of server, works beautifully. It runs on a many year old Dell 8300 Dimension, streams netflix to the TV, acts as a home office computer and I re-boot it once every 3 weeks, not because it needs to, but because I feel like I should. Ubuntu is on an old Dell 1100 Inspiron upstairs, it acts as my streaming jukebox from my network drive and on-site webbrowser, so we don't have to go downstairs to the mancave or open the work laptops. My work laptop, with Leopard, is the most unstable, constantly updating, out of control, mind-of-it's-own POS that I've ever worked with. Now don't get me wrong, I love the interface, Apple got this OSX thing right, but the machinations underneath the surface just ruin the experience. Most times I 'sleep' the computer I need to restart. Multiple monitors at work? I need to restart. Two days of intense document construction? "Out of memory" and I need to restart. After 2 days the cursor becomes jumpy, I need to restart and the list goes on and on and on. I would like the OSX inteface on a computer that lets me work, using simple productivity packages, day after day after day with no failures - is that too much to ask Apple?
Re:Norton Products... (Score:3, Interesting)
Why?
Their software doesn't save settings or apply updates unless you're on NTFS (not a problem on new machines but many, many older machines shipped to businesses shipped with FAT - NTFS became the default from Dell only about a year ago! If you didn't specify they shipped their Optiplexes and Precisions on FAT).
Support takes three days to respond.
There is no phone number to contact them in the USA.
Their software works incredibly well (aside from the undocumented requirement for NTFS) but in a business you cannot afford a three-day turnaround time for support inquiries, and a game of email tag which takes hours to days.
Re:Java update process needs fixing (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:A hearty welcome to our latest new member (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Update apps... (Score:4, Interesting)
If you're away from your desk for a minute or two to go to the bathroom, and you didn't save your documents- shame on you, Microsoft decided that their software updates are more important than the productivity of the person using the software, which is absolute crap. It restarts without prompting for saving. It forces a shutdown. Does this on Server2003 too- REAAAAL good for production environments (and yes, automatic updates is off... not even sure how it got started )
Re:Bloody Adobe Reader (Score:5, Interesting)
The cool kids are using Sumatra [kowalczyk.info] now.
It's a little sparse on features (like remembering page view settings), but it makes even Foxit look slow.
Re:Norton Products... (Score:3, Interesting)
The corporate versions are still pretty usable (When people ask for AV suggestions for their home PC, I usually recommend getting a single Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition license - cheap and runs well)
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:5, Interesting)
Yes, I have to reboot a Unix box because I update a web browser. I don't know what came over Apple to make that decision; the only reason I can think of is that Safari hooks into the kernel - and quite seriously, a kext for a browser is a pretty bad design choice.
Windows USB 1.0 (Score:1, Interesting)
"This device coudl run faster if plugged into a USB 2.0 port, click here for a list of available ports"
Clicking leads to a dialog that says I don't have any USB 2.0 ports. Basically, everytime I plug in a USB device Windows taunts me and reminds me how much my work machin sucks.
Microsoft thanks for reminding me I code on a Pentium 3 with 512mb RAM, a 13 inch monitor, a battery that lasts 5 minutes and 1 USB 1.0 port. That really brightens my day every time you remind me...
Re:so-so (Score:3, Interesting)
Current Daily Headaches (Score:3, Interesting)
And we use only a tip of it, alot like Lotus Notes is used for email.
I suppose its the config, but here only ONE engineer can EDIT the DATABASE at a time.
WTF, are database tools supposed to be able to handle concurrency???
PVCS...yup they are still around, and still crappy as ever.
Pessimistic File Locking poster child.
I finally DID get a linux command line version installed, but the idiots overwite all your
iTunes...I have never understood WHY they have to reinvent the file browser, I mean, I guess most people DON'T oganize their files in folders with logical names, oh like Band/Album. Why do they insist on relisting all the files? Seems easier to let me grab files and drop them on the player? Oh that works, but it never remembers them. And people NEVER put their music on REMOVEABLE DISKS, like usb harddrives either...
Yahoo...not for this guys laments, but the fact that stuff like Fantasy Football ONLY runs on IE???
Ubuntu/Fedora Core Updates...How come we can't DESELECT a update, and FORGET it? I think this is the guys beef about Java, you can't NOT install it, as it is in the Update List FOREVER, and it will PESTER you until you install it. Please someone FIX THAT SOON.
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:3, Interesting)
I have to agree with that 100%. It is nearly impossible to uninstall acrobat reader 6/7 after installing 8.
They don't even provide cleanup tool to fix their shit, so it's manual labor all the way.
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:1, Interesting)
ACT 2007 (Score:3, Interesting)
Imagine if you put a team of novice VB programmers in a room with an SQL server and never explained the relational model to them. You'd end up with something BETTER than ACT Premium. In the end, the novice programmers would probably accidentally discover relational tables in the help files, unlike the programmers who built ACT.
Want to backup your SQL database? Too bad. Feel like you should own your own data? Get over it, you're not authorized!
They reset the SA password, and delete any accounts that have SA privileges from the SQL server every time the program is run!
There is a utility which will get the SA password for you, if you promise not to actually change the database... for a mere US$1800.
You can't imagine how bad this thing is... and I hope you don't have to!.
Oh.. and ACT 2007 only works with Outlook 2003, not Outlook 2000, or Outlook 2007. If you use Outlook 2007, you have to upgrade to ACT 2008.
--Mike--
funny or sad... (Score:1, Interesting)
Less than a quarter of my screen space was the actual article the rest was adds and link for shit I didn't want and wasn't interested in, and the article that should have been a three page scroll down affair was an 11 page click through to boost the idiots ad views.
Nero (Score:3, Interesting)
Nero, oh how you have fallen from grace. Nero 3 was tight, efficient, and not cluttered.
I tried Nero 5 or 6 (the latest) only a few weeks ago. It installed all sorts of shit (why does every fucking program have the audacity to associate ITSELF with every media type on the planet, regardless of it's original function in the first place?).
I got rid of it ASAP when I realised it was trying to become my new media centre too, and was indexing every file on the disc spiking the CPU around 80% on average. The cheek.
It's claws go deep, deep into your system; it comes with tens of utterly useless other bloated apps, all because you just want to burn CD's now & then.
Such a shame; it used to be the tool to use for burning CDs
Re:My Personal Favorite (Score:3, Interesting)
I am glad to see Outlook included on the list. One of the worst designed mail apps I have ever seen. It makes Pegasus mail look professional. (Not to mention that Outlook is one of the major causes of top posting. Getting Outlook to quote correctly is next to impossible. There are hacks that claim to make it quote correctly, but I have never gotten one to work.)
The software I would add to the list would be SourceSafe. It was a version control system from Microsoft that was not very safe. It had a tendency of trashing the repository every once in a while. One of the worst things Microsoft ever put out on the market.
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:1, Interesting)
I haven't touched iTunes, so I can't comment on it. I still haven't found anything genuinely better than Winamp 2.9 (although I did upgrade to Winamp 5 last time I bought a computer. It wasn't any better, but not enough worse to make me revert). For video, it's Media Player Classic, although I might try VLC instead.
Ironic that a website that is trash talking flash opened a flash app that crashed my browser twice before I fired up Firefox (IT at work tags IE with some kind of identifier that lets us seamlessly access work sites from the network.).
I can't even begin to comprehend why Logitech drivers should be so huge. I like their mice, though, so I just use them without installing the drivers. Windows XP recognizes 4 out of 5 buttons plus the scroll wheel on my mouse.
You really should not have left Adobe reader off your list. It's horrifically bloated and selfish. It should be a case study of how not to do things.
I don't have any HP products anymore, and I won't touch Verizon phones for their decision to lock the phones into BREW. And how about the google toolbar? Another fun standard install at my work. I type a valid URL into the address bar, but sometimes it randomly decides I don't actually want to go to that site, but rather to a google search for the URL.
The IBM/Lenovo Thinkvantage software suite deserves a special mention. It seems every program in it is just a duplicate of a standard XP utility, and it butts heads with Windows at every turn. I've had this laptop at work for a year, and I still can't get the power management to work right. I only just recently got the wireless working (mostly) right after spending several hours pounding my head against a brick wall.
I built my current personal PC from parts, and installed XP from an OEM disc, which saved me almost all these headaches, although I was still stupid enough to install Adobe reader, Java, and Quicktime.
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Print Version (and my Apple woes) (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Honestly, these problems are solveable (Score:3, Interesting)
Good thing then that you don't need Flash to use and view videos on YouTube: Fast Video Downloader [mozilla.org] and, my favorite, youtube-dl [arrakis.es].
Not software, but what it does (Score:5, Interesting)
I think we could distill the kinds of annoyance exhibited by your list and those of others here into a fairly concise list of "bad behaviours":
In other words, software that can't just do its job and leave everything else well alone.
Re:Make Microsoft Look Good day? (Score:2, Interesting)
EULAs that won't take NO for an answer (Score:3, Interesting)