The Microsoft That Can Say No

I try to like Microsoft. I’ve tried a lot, for a long time. I have moments where I believe but they always managed to take it away. Microsoft wants to be on everyone’s desktop and they practically are. The problem is they want to be there by crushing the competition and having proprietary software that pulls you into their licensing universe not by being the best software you could choose (which ironically often they are). They seek to leverage their monopoly rather than just continually improve it. One place that it really shows is updates. I use and like Windows Live stuff. I write this blog on Windows Live Writer – it’s a great piece of software. I also use Messenger just because it came on the operating system and my friends use it. I have the 2008 version on my Acer Aspire One, and the newest version on my Mac Mini (yes I run Vista on an Apple machine). Today I got that wonderful message that I love to get from Micromafiasoft.

A newer version has already been downloaded (gee thanks) and I MUST install it to continue. Now the only reason this is mildly annoying is there is this wonderful feature in Live 2008 called file sharing where you can set up a share with contact. That’s gone in the new version. So newer version doesn’t necessarily mean bug fixes and MORE features – it can actually mean you are giving something up. Thank goodness there’s a “What’s New” button.

Click.

Umm awesome but this is just the regular download screen. Where is the information on what I’m getting compared to what I already have.

The short version of this is you cannot build a business on software that will change, download itself, and MAKE you install it. You just can’t. You will wake up one morning to screaming emails asking what happened to the files you were sharing.

Microsoft really needs to adopt a stronger internal policy of “opt-in” and inform the user. It will help them maintain and improve their station in the tech world.

UPDATE: At the end of the complete reinstall of all the Windows Live Applications I got this message:

So I still don’t know what change but Microsoft wants to be my search provider and set my home page, as well as collect information about my searches.

I do have the option to opt out – but why bother. I’m an avid FireFox user.

I have to say this sort of stuff really is what alienates techies and makes them hardcore about building and creating unencumbered alternatives to Microsoft stuff. They should think about it.