Vistafication Frustrations
2007-07-03 00:08:21.027048+00 by meuon 0 comments
I know I can go tweak it to not be so frustrating, but I'm keeping a M$-Vista laptop as close to factory default as possible so that I can see what most people see when they use it. Why? Because I have some pretty complex web apps that I have to test on as many OS/Browser combos as possible, including Nintendo Wii (Great Stuff: Opera on Wii) and Mac OSX (mystifying, but not frustrating). Vista and MSIE 7+ is an exercise in pop-up window frustration. Yes, I want to accept that page with mixed safe and unsafe content.. Yes, I want you to run the [embed] call to WinMediaManglertm, Yes, I want to run that JavaScript.. No, I don't want to see the latest internet access offers, I've checked the "never again" box the last 423 times you have popped up. Yes, allow that pop-up window from a signed page and code I already said "yes" to allowing pop-ups for, yes I want to run Adobe Reader, Flash..
Dispite all of that "security", dang thing automagically connects to just about any open WiFi access port no matter what I tell it (unless I use the switch to disable the WiFi card, but it gets bumped on easily).
And the most interesting recent development: I'm getting physical USPS junk mail addressed to the slightly bogus name (and my address) that I registered Vista with just to see what would happen. So far, just junk magazine offers, Vonage, and 1 credit card offer, but that name has been "sold" or given away by either Microsoft or HP. Next time I'll use different slightly names for each part of the registration processes.
As I seldom turn it on in Vista mode, when I do, I make sure I have enough time and bandwidth for it to do it's update thing before I need it. Because no matter what, it sucks updates from home like a crack whore sucks [deleted].
Ubuntu is working the way I want.. unobtrusive, stable. Like WinXP before an infection.