Community archive

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Kudos to Microsoft

0 helpful
7 replies

by oz_media

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Hey Microsoft has finally don it. Not only did they write code that MAY or MAY NOT render your pc useless, now they even say that once it is installed, it cannot be removed. (granted it's a b but still)

Microsoft DX 9.0b "After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. once you have instlled this item, it cannot be removed."
Gee...should this not preclude all thier pathetic licence agreements?

7 replies

by thechas

Sorry Oz, this is nothing new. Microsoft has NEVER supported un-installing DirectX.

Until the justice department stepped in, the same was true for IE.

A similar disclaimer often shows up in the text for many Windows updates.

Now, there is some good news, Microsoft has responded to pressure, and has released 2 new versions of the DirectX security bug fix.

1 for DirectX 8.1 on W98, Me and W2K.

Another for DirectX 7 on W2K.

This has increased the life of a large number of corporate systems with older video cards.

Chas

by oz_media

Hi Chas, I guess I should have noted that MS has never supported uninstalling DX, you've pointed this out to me before.

But to see them add a new update to Windows Update and warn that it couldn't be uninstalled was kind of amusing. Clicking details and FAQ's on the DX9 details shows some real incompatibility problems, although eloquently side-stepped.

Why even bother releasing it?

Any other company doing that would be shut down in no time.
If you think about it, how could any other company possibly succeed if every piece of software they wrote caused irepairable problems? (other than Norton or MS of course)

If every time I fixed a car, the lights shorted out, I wouldn't be in business too long and would be fighting to save my last dollar in a court somewhere.

How can a company that is in such a forefront of computing all over the world, continue to write such useless software and actually gain market share?

Sorry, for being redundant Chas, it just never ceases to amaze me.

Wish I could capture a global marketshare with some crappy product!

by thechas

Come on Oz, you of all using this forum should know the answer to that one, it's marketing.

How many of us really "NEED" our computers?

Why are more of us not using Linux and Open Office?

How come over 90 percent of internet users are using IE and not one of the other web browsers?

Microsoft has us all convinced that their way is the best, fastest, easiest way to go.

My favorite Microsoft marketing story is from the days before W95 was released.
Mike Ryko a columnist for the Chicago "Sun Times" had a column about a friend of his who was convinced that the world was going to be a much better place once everyone had Windows 95.
Mike advised his friend that he did not have a computer, so why was he waiting for W95.
His friend was crushed that he was going to mis out on all the benefits of W95.

Such is the power of marketing.

Of course buying out or shutting down the competition has not hurt M$ either.

Interestingly, in the US, many companies that manufacture durable goods are required to provide support for their products for 7 years after the last manufacturing run.

Too bad the same does not apply to computer components and software. Microsoft would still have to provide support for W95 for 2 more years, or offer a free replacement.

Chas

by generalist

I seem to recall seeing the warning in other areas too, and not just in the MS arena. That's one of the reasons why MS and others suggest that you do a system backup before you apply OS patches.

by oz_media

Can I fix your car?

I will replace a lightbulb but it may render your car useless. If so, you may either rebuild your engine or buy a new one.

How come I can't sell that way?

by thechas

My calculation for W95 support until 2005 was based on the fact that Microsoft was still selling W95 even after W98 was released.

So, 1998 not 1995 is the year that the 7 year support clock would start running.

Chas

This discussion is closed to new replies.