Abuse of power – Microsoft Updates and the Bing Desktop
Oh, Microsoft, you’ve disappointed me. And you were doing so well.
In the last few weeks I’ve enjoyed using Windows 8, moving to a Nokia Lumia 800 running Windows Phone 7.5 and even migrated a couple of clients from Google Apps to Office 365. Eek!
Microsoft Security Essentials continues to impress and recent events have even made them appear more clued up on security and patching than Apple. So, how have they spoilt this?
Well, it’s a little Optional Update they have sent out – Bing Desktop.
Right click, Hide update
Now, it’s hard enough getting clients to click on the little update warnings and making sure they keep safe and sound by running them. So it really doesn’t help when they try to do the right thing and download something that completely confuses them.
The Bing Desktop installs a search box onto your desktop, changes your homepage and replaces your search defaults. Like most other annoying toolbars. However, It also changes your desktop background or ‘wallpaper’. So the client with best intentions ended up well and truly confused!
I know it was only ‘Optional’ but I don’t think it should have been there at all.
Microsoft Signature – PC manufacturers could learn so much
According to Ed Bott over at ZDNet, in the US the Microsoft Store are touting a new standard for PC images – the Microsoft Signature.
Anyone who has bought a PC in the last couple of decades will be well used to “crapware” – the rubbish bits of software that manufacturers install, not to make your life easier but to increase their income chances.
ZDNet shows us how clean a PC build can be the Microsoft Signature way
Microsoft Signature not only bans crapware, it has a few extra requirements:
- No trialware
- No unnecessary startup programs
- The desktop must be clear apart from the Recycle Bin
- No unnecessary system tray icons
- Microsoft Security Essentials installed and activated
- Windows Update is configured to install updates automatically
- Windows Live Essentials and Office 2010 Starter Edition installed and activated
- No added mouse/keyboard navigation systems
- All installations are up-to-date, with the latest service packs and updates applied.
In fact, they make sure the PCs are built, well, built the way we build new PCs at HDG for our customers of Computer Support in Whitstable!
I just hope the other manufacturers take note and start putting user experience higher up their priority list.
But then, nobody would be paying me to reset their new PCs when they buy them, so perhaps I should be hoping the opposite…
Scam Phone Calls – no, Microsoft aren’t phoning you…
Dear Geek,
I received a phone call from Microsoft the other day, telling me I had all manner of problems with my PC. Something didn’t feel right, so I hung up. Was I right?
Concerned of Canterbury.
Why the internet didn’t fail: surely not Microsoft?
Over at Three Word Chant they have uncovered a Newsweek article from 1995 by Clifford Stoll, entitled “The Internet? Bah!” telling us why the internet would ultimately fail to fulfil all the predictions made about it.
Clifford was not some nay-saying crackpot, he knew his stuff, he was just wrong. Funny thing is, back then I probably would have agreed with him and I’m going to be a little bit controversial here – I think Microsoft played a big part in his predictions not coming true.