Rant of the Week Why is Windows 98 so Bad?

Is Windows so bad because Microsofts engineers are incompetent? Or is there a conscious strategy here?

It didnt make sense to me for a long time. Microsoft is a big company. It hires some of the best programmers in the world to work on their products. They have endless resources and talent. So why cant they come up with an operating system that doesnt crash all the time?

You have to consider a few basic facts, first of all. How many "power users" are there out there? What I mean is, how many people out there are smart enough to manage their own computer systems properly? Lets think of percentages. I would say that, of the people I know, about 10%, at the most, are potential "power users".

Whoa! Lets step back! Only 10%? Isnt that kind of insulting to the vast majority of computer users?

Well, what is a power user? Someone who meets these qualifications:

creates his own logical directory structure for storing his files

backs up his data to a portable, removable storage media, because his work is important

installs programs himself, and maybe some hardware, like CD ROMS

knows how to fix problems with the computer

sets up and configures his own internet connection

customizes applications to be more productive (in vainthey will crash regardless).

Okay? So there you go. Power users are basically like people who renovate their own homes: they want to design the system to work for them.

What do we call non-power users? Consumers. Consumers live in malls. Consumers dont want to be challenged: they want everything provided to them on a silver platter. They dont care about the environment or monopolies or long-term interest rates. Consumers, after all, just want to consume.

Consumers want to turn on the computer with that knob on the front and then play Doom or cruise the internet for pictures of Alicia Silverstone. Thats about it. And maybe send e-mails to friends that consist mostly of messages like this: "Hi. I have e-mail now. Isnt this cool. Send me something so I know its working." Of all the people I know, about 90% are potential computer consumers.

Think about that. 10. 90. 10. 90. If you were Microsoft, which would you rather have as your customer base?

Thats why Microsoft expects you to store all your documents in "My Documents". You dont get to name this directory something logical like "work" or "data" or "letters". Oh no. You cant even delete Microsofts "My Documents". Its like mom telling you what to wear every morning. "Here's your turtleneck." "Think Ill wear a t-shirt today." "Here's your turtleneck." "Have you seen my t-shirt?" "Here. It's your turtleneck."

And thats why Microsoft puts all your applications in "Program Files" even though, when you go to the dos prompt, you cant type "CD Program Files" but have to type, instead, the idiotic abbreviation: "CD Progra~1". Of course. What consumer would go to the DOS prompt anyway?

Thats why Microsoft is constantly trying to run your computer life for you. When you go to the DOS prompt, it puts you into the Windows directory. Why? What idiot wants to go there? When you use Windows Explorer to go looking for files, it displays the names only, without size, date, or type. Why would you want to know those things? Youre just looking for "letter to mom". Microsoft is pushing modem and printer manufacturers to design their equipment so that it only runs on Windows, even if that means taking precious processor cycles away from your CPU. They dont tell you, when you buy one of these modems or printers, that they only work on Windows, and that, in a couple of years, you are going to have to replace that equipment because Microsoft will make sure that the software that runs it will be out of date.

Microsoft Word even tells you when it doesnt like the way you write. Fix it, or Ill annoy you to death with colored squiggly lines all over the page. All of your family and friends will know that you write stupid.

Microsoft isnt the only offender here. Quicken used to be a useful, snappy little checkbook manager that did its job and got out of the way. Now it tries to reach into your wallet and take control of everything you do. It wants to hook you up to the internet every time you fart in the direction of the phone. It tries to create new accounts and categories for you every time you dont type something just the way you want them to. When you enter a new check for a payee you have entered previously, it helpfully copies details into the current transaction--- including the "reconciled" flag! Great idea!

Norton Utilities and Norton Anti-virus have the same attitude problem. These tyrannical little programs really get out there and try to push you around, constantly harassing you about rescue disks and live updates and all that baloney. And you know, it wouldnt be quite half as bad as it is except that most of these programs dont work! Norton keeps begging me to let it update its files, so I say, okay, go ahead. What does it do? Lock up. Norton anti-virus crashes my Windows 98 every time it boots, so I now have to step around it. Uninstall the program? "This application could not be uninstalled". Best of all, some of the third-party uninstall programs wont even uninstall themselves!

Netscape thinks you would like nothing more than to go the Netscape web site every time you turn on your computer.

You can see why Linux is getting so popular. Microsoft is like your Mom, constantly harassing you about what you should be doing. Linux is like your Uncle Max. You go up to him and he says, "What do you want?" At first, you might think hes a little rude, but if you say you want to go out for a beer and a smoke, hell say, sure, what do I care?