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This is where I get to ramble about things on my mind, or provide you with useful things I have learned in the course of my travels. I'll try to update this once a month, but might not get to it depending on what's happening in my life.
Well, since the last update (October 2008), Windows Vista has come and gone; R.I.P.! We now have Windows 7, which was essentially a bug fix for Vista. If you are one of the many who feels "ripped-off" by Microsoft, you are in good company. Windows 7 should have been free for registered Vista users! Once again, with no apologies or admission of responsibility, the corporate monster tramples on paying customers, using the old J. P. Barnum sales model: "this way to the egress". Get the suckers' money and show them the door; they will be lining up to pay next time the circus comes to town!
The fact is that Windows 7 is a pretty darn good operating system, notwithstanding the fact that many of the things that could have been fixed remain as they were. For example, inaccurate error messages; failure to time-out when a nonexistent network connection is opened; failure during copy of large files. It is an embarrassment that these glitches remain in a 20+ year-old product!
My biggest gripe with Microsoft is just this: the emphasis is on "new features", not on reliable performance. 'Nuff said.
Next on my hit list is Windows Live Mail. WLM was a modest, user-friendly mail client that simply worked well and was a worthy substitute for Outlook Express. I would install it as a matter of routine on Vista PC's, and had absolutely no problems with it. Well, as usual, Microsoft was not happy with this level of competence, so, starting last month, WLM version 11 now will NOT work unless the user signs up for a "Windows Live Hotmail" account. Based on this, I have discontinued recommending WLM, and am now installing Mozilla Thunderbird on all new Windows 7 machines. I have a question for Microsoft: Why do you hate your best customers? Why do you want to drive them away from using your software?
Well I've got a lot more to write about but am out of time. Upcoming topics will be: The buffoonery of Windows Small Business server licensing; antivirus issues; Quickbooks issues, and much more. Stay tuned!
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