Windows- the most un-user friendly product ever created

[Ushario]

[
As was said above me (just read it then) you can look up the error number and how to use the conversion function. Exactly how did you get this error? It doesn't seem like something you would manage without fiddling with some programming.

Edit: If your using Microsoft Access as another poster suggested then you really should be capable of 'troubleshooting' for yourself and fix this. Seriously this error just looks like you did something silly.

I didn't get that error, it was something I pulled off google images just to give an example of a complicated looking error message. I would never fuck with my computer's settings, I've heard the horror stories! I have no idea what it means, nor do I have any idea what a lot of error messages mean, especially the ones that are purely numeroical.

People seem to be missing my point which is simply that it would be a sound investment in thier future if Microsoft (being the largest developer used worldwide) were to try to make thier interface that little bit easier for the layman to get to grips with.

I'm not saying that computers aren't complicated, nor am I saying 'Grr fuck microsoft', I am just opining that they could probably, with some time and effort, secure thier popularity in the face of probable competition in the future by fixing up little niggles like these in thier software.

My point was that it wasn't complicated, a lot of error messages look really daunting until you read them and/or do a search on them.

Windows is user friendly, in my opinion its the most user friendly OS there is. Yes jump up and down and scream at me for saying it, I don't care. Windows is easily accessable to someone that has never used a computer before. I have used several Linux distro's and found them all to be worse overall in terms of being 'noob' friendly.

-Windows is the easiest OS to install from my experience, disk in and follow the prompts.
-You get all your basic shortcuts chucked straight onto your desktop for quick and easy use.
-You can install programs easily.
-You can purchase Windows with proffesionally used software preloaded.
-Left click and right click couldn't be simpler.
-There is third party software for everything.
-The interface is in my opinion extremely well designed and intuitive.

I taught myself how to use a computer when I was 10. It can't be that hard.

Microsoft spend a lot of time and money to get their OS to where it is in terms of usability for both those that are new to computers and those that are very experienced. You have no idea what it takes to build an OS with the vast functionality and backwards compatability that Windows has.

Edit: I have only ever created one segfault, I hope I never make another!

 

[MiracleOfSound]

[
As was said above me (just read it then) you can look up the error number and how to use the conversion function. Exactly how did you get this error? It doesn't seem like something you would manage without fiddling with some programming.

Edit: If your using Microsoft Access as another poster suggested then you really should be capable of 'troubleshooting' for yourself and fix this. Seriously this error just looks like you did something silly.

I didn't get that error, it was something I pulled off google images just to give an example of a complicated looking error message. I would never fuck with my computer's settings, I've heard the horror stories! I have no idea what it means, nor do I have any idea what a lot of error messages mean, especially the ones that are purely numeroical.

People seem to be missing my point which is simply that it would be a sound investment in thier future if Microsoft (being the largest developer used worldwide) were to try to make thier interface that little bit easier for the layman to get to grips with.

I'm not saying that computers aren't complicated, nor am I saying 'Grr fuck microsoft', I am just opining that they could probably, with some time and effort, secure thier popularity in the face of probable competition in the future by fixing up little niggles like these in thier software.

My point was that it wasn't complicated, a lot of error messages look really daunting until you read them and/or do a search on them.

Windows is user friendly, in my opinion its the most user friendly OS there is. Yes jump up and down and scream at me for saying it, I don't care. Windows is easily accessable to someone that has never used a computer before. I have used several Linux distro's and found them all to be worse overall in terms of being 'noob' friendly.

-Windows is the easiest OS to install from my experience, disk in and follow the prompts.
-You get all your basic shortcuts chucked straight onto your desktop for quick and easy use.
-You can install programs easily.
-You can purchase Windows with proffesionally used software preloaded.
-Left click and right click couldn't be simpler.
-There is third party software for everything.
-The interface is in my opinion extremely well designed and intuitive.

I taught myself how to use a computer when I was 10. It can't be that hard.

Microsoft spend a lot of time and money to get their OS to where it is in terms of usability for both those that are new to computers and those that are very experienced. You have no idea what it takes to build an OS with the vast functionality and backwards compatability that Windows has.

Edit: I have only ever created one segfault, I hope I never make another!

Informative post!

You're right, It isn't that hard to use windows, even I can do it, and maybe in the next version the error messages that are irrelavent to the user will come with some way of letting average Joe know he didn't break his computer and it's ok that he doesn't understand the error because he's not meant to.

P.S. There shall be no juming up and down and screaming at eachother don't worry!

 

[Ushario]

Alright let me put this simply. You want 'simple' easy to read error codes all the time?
Then you can scrap all our technology and start again, because its never going to happen, on any OS. You can get error codes like that on a Linux distro. You can get them on Mac. Windows is more widely used and has more 3rd party software so the chances of encountering an error are proportiantly higher.

Programmers don't sit down and write out these obscure error codes, that nice string of hex numerals and numbers your looking at is a memory address. If you want to criticise the worlds most popular and arguably the best OS then you had best know what you are talking about.

Those error reports you send in to microsoft do help, it tells them that X% of their customers has encountered this error, if that % gets high enough they should fix it. Which costs money, hence why they don't leap to fix everything (which isn't possible).

You get an error, you click okay, and you get on with your day. How much simpler can it be.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

[.

People should be expected to actually know just a little to use a computer. It's an insanly complicated tool with loads and loads of code, hardware that need to work together, drivers, 3rd party apps and so forth. It never ceases to baffle me why people expect to be able to use it without any effort.

I do agree with you that people should try to understand how something works before they try and use it (RTFM theory).

My guess as to why a lot of people feel they can jump headfirst into windows is because it is so widely used and is a feature of most households in the developed world. It's almost as common as a tv, stereo or washing machine, know what I mean?

A very big percentage of people are technologically a bit stupid (me included) and maybe if the system was just that little bit easier to get to grips with, (for example explaining errors more simply and clearly) it would therefore cater more to the majority of its users.

If you read the post above this one I think I made my point a little better than the last time.

I get your point in both this on the above reply. And it's not that I vehemently disagree with you and I may have been a little too forward in my post. I'm sorry if I was too harsh.

It's just that when you're that person that family members and friends call when they mess up it gets annoying eventually. Windows is easy to use, despite flaws, and most 3rd party software has guides. Problem is, nobody reads them. Me included. (But I clean my own mess if it turns out I should've read it.)

I'm not against ease of use in any OS at all, but it only works to a limit. There has been a lot of gruping about the numerical messages and errors but I don't think that can be helped a lot. It's references for the devs as far as I understand it and while it may not be directly usable for the end user it serves a purpose. Personally I don't get them at all but I have no grudge against them either. And if I feel that it's important enough I hit up Google and look further into it.

And I do get your point with Windows being widely used and about as common as a tv. But honestly, I know plenty of people who can't operate a tv or a dvd no matter how many times I explain it.

A few things a lot of people don't seem to know: what a .exe file is, the internet is NOT Internet Explorer, what is a file for that matter, stuff like that. It would do a world of good.

Later today I gotta fix my mates laptop because he has somehow messed up his flash player. It may bias me. I don't mean to come off rude or anything. I'm just exasperated.

Obviously, nobody reading this thread has ever tried OS/360 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.85690#1252744]. Compared to this, command-line UNIX is a doddle, so have a think about what you suggest when you say that Windows is user-unfriendly. It could always be worse; you could have to mount your system manually every time you boot up and have to wrap everything in JCL before you could use it.

Ah, RAK, I remember that article. It was very interesting but I fear that it was a bit over most of our heads. It was for mine at least. But I see your point even if I feel it is a bit beside the mark.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

I really don't think you are 99% of the people. I have never seen a statistic that said "99% of the people who use computers don't know what the hell they're doing".

You now own a computer, take some time to learn how to use it.

That would be a rather patronising post were it not for the fact that there is a difference between not knowing what the hell you're doing and not having a deep technological understanding of computer programming.

I guarantee you 99% of PC users do not know what this kind of shit means:

actually it's pretty easy to read and figure out if you actually read what it's saying

 

[Drakulla]

If you think Windows is un-user friendly now, wait until the robot apocalypse starts. And you thought Skynet was dangerous.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I get your point in both this on the above reply. And it's not that I vehemently disagree with you and I may have been a little too forward in my post. I'm sorry if I was too harsh.

It's just that when you're that person that family members and friends call when they mess up it gets annoying eventually. Windows is easy to use, despite flaws, and most 3rd party software has guides. Problem is, nobody reads them. Me included. (But I clean my own mess if it turns out I should've read it.)

I'm not against ease of use in any OS at all, but it only works to a limit. There has been a lot of gruping about the numerical messages and errors but I don't think that can be helped a lot. It's references for the devs as far as I understand it and while it may not be directly usable for the end user it serves a purpose. Personally I don't get them at all but I have no grudge against them either. And if I feel that it's important enough I hit up Google and look further into it.

And I do get your point with Windows being widely used and about as common as a tv. But honestly, I know plenty of people who can't operate a tv or a dvd no matter how many times I explain it.

A few things a lot of people don't seem to know: what a .exe file is, the internet is NOT Internet Explorer, what is a file for that matter, stuff like that. It would do a world of good.

Later today I gotta fix my mates laptop because he has somehow messed up his flash player. It may bias me. I don't mean to come off rude or anything. I'm just exasperated.

No harm no foul don't worry, I can see why you would be vexed about these things as I have one friend who always gets the call when my computer decides to freeze when I try to turn it off, or on, or when my sound suddenly goes really quiet with no way of getting it back up no matter what volume knob we move (turrs out we had to reinstall the drivers).

Any way he always gets the call when I'm in trobke with my dodgy computer. I imagine it can be frusrating!

I too know many people who cannot use a DVD player, now THAT baffles me.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

No harm no foul don't worry, I can see why you would be vexed about these things as I have one friend who always gets the call when my computer decides to freeze when I try to turn it off, or on, or when my sound suddenly goes really quiet with no way of getting it back up no matter what volume knob we move (turrs out we had to reinstall the drivers).

Any way he always gets the call when I'm in trobke with my dodgy computer. I imagine it can be frusrating!

I too know many people who cannot use a DVD player, now THAT baffles me.

It's not that it normally matters a lot that people need help. I usually am happy to help. It just sometimes feel like they coordinate it and mess up simultaneously. And when it happens I can't help thinking that they would not expect someone to fix their car for free. And then I grumble a bit.

And yes, the DVD thing really is baffling.

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

No because the program to view the porno would be something like quicktime or flash, which are more like second party programs, If you were just streaming it then there is no way to get a virus as you are actually not downloading the video back to the HIV reference. You can't get HIV from watching someone have sex, but you can by actually doing it. Quicktime lets you view the file without downloading it. Now if you downloaded the video file, yeah it could have a virus if it was a ZIP file. But that's not a program, it's just a data file which can be downloaded and used on a OS if you have the right opening [b/]program[/b] such a quicktime. [b/]Obviously this is an oversimplification[/b] so hardcore computer jocks don't kill me.

For the most part you're right but the mentality that you can never get a virus if you don't download programs is an oversimplification. Malware can still slip in through cookies, and 9.99999% of people have accept cookies fully or partly. Then there are the problems of worms.

If there's a port and there's a will, there is a way.

I completely agree.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Hell Linux is a CLI (Command Line Interface) you have to type commands into it for gods sake.

this looks like a CLI to me

kde 4.3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQHG_30PeX4

this is compiz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ImW0-MgR8I

and finally enlightenment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10kg2aSB8q4

unix had the very first gui, even before m$ and apple made them. where do you think Bill and Steve W got the idea for the gui from?

so i'll say you should go learn something about linux before you get proven wrong with little effort

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Excuse me. It's called user hostile or user unfriendly.

 

[Drink Just Six]

Really? My windows XP is great! I have kind of a supercharged PC, and I hardly ever get errors.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Make sure your smart before being a smart arse.

Show us the install process. For example installing VLC on Xandros (Yet another Linux variant that isnt compatible across the others)

WRONG again, the ONLY thing that might be incompatible is the packages they use, ie rpm, deb and so forth. HOWEVER there are several programs that will allow you to use the different package on various distros

btw apt-get is a debian tool that uses deb files, which means it's compatible with debian, ubuntu and several other debian based distros.

also i can easily take any source tar ball and then install it from pure source on any distro i want with little difficulty

seriously follow your own advice about getting smart, especially about linux, an os i've been using for over 10 years

 

[DSBach]

You're forgetting about the guillotine.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

I have started re-inforcing the concept to everyone I discuss computers with that 3-4 hours of someones life using skills they do not posses to fix something theyve spent alot of money on is not a damn freebie cause were friends. In the last month Ive reformatted 9 machines (admittedly a third of them mine ) for free & under the disclaimer this is me repaying you for any and all favours I owe you dismiss any though that I owe you. You now owe me time & money.

I don't mind helping people normally. Some of the people I help have some skils that I lack (plumbing or what not) so if I get in a pickle in that area I can give them a shout and they'll give a hand. When it works like that I have no problems. Quid pro qou and all that.

The problem arises when people want me to spend an unknown amount of time fixing their mess and gets offended by the thought of actually paying for it. It's not like I would charge a fortune, just enough to feel that I got a bit for my trouble. Sadly that can be a problem.

To go a bit further out of a tangent I think the problem arises from the fact that a lot of people have absolutely no idea what time I (or you) have spent learning this and how complex it can be. They kinda assume that 'Ah, Rasmus (my name) will fix it. He knows about computers and lives next door.'
A person like that thinks it's no problem to fix it because it may look like it was easy when we do it. Behind that however is years of experience, trial and error, endless trouble shooting, mucking about on the net, forums, IRC conversation or whatever. They think it's a matter of pressing the mouse a couple of times and that's it.
Thinking like that, I feel, takes my help for granted and implies that my time is worthless.

From time to time I've advocated some kind of mandatory license before you are allowed to use a computer and often get ridiculed and accused of being an arrogant jerk. (I may be very well be an arrogant jerk but that's besides the point.)

The argument is that it's 'Just a computer! It's just some tech that you geeks like.'. Yes, it's just a computer but if you have no idea how to behave you may end up in a bad place. Part of a bot net, stolen accounts or what ever. And being in a bot net is pretty harmful to other I would argue. So before you sit down in front of the computer I would be happy if people had at least some idea how to behave. I don't expect everybody to be experts but a drivers license does not make a race car driver. It just makes you able to navigate traffic and do basic stuff like maintenance on a car. I think that would be a good thing with computers as well.

I think a lot of people refuse to take computers seriously because it's so connected to geek culture and gaming. That's a problem I would like to see solved. Just knowing of the concept of a keylogger would perhaps help some people. And sad as it is, some people still get scammed into paying money to a Nigerian prince. So, computers: it's serious business.

/rant