Dec
18
Top ten reasons why Dial-a-fix doesn't support Vista yet - and - Mac zealotry
Filed Under Apple, Dial-a-fix, Mac, Microsoft, Ranting, Stupid, Vista, Zealotry
(Another double feature!)
Part I: Top ten reasons why Dial-a-fix doesn't support Vista yet
10. Vista sucks
9. Vista sucks
8. Vista sucks
7. Vista sucks
6. Vista sucks
5. I don't have very much personal time available to me these days.
4. I don't have any spare computers with which I could run Vista at the moment.
3. I use Borland Delphi which is fucking terrible, and I haven't been able to get back to my C studies for several months now. Object Pascal (as a language) is kick-ass (in my opinion), but Borland's IDE is complete garbage - especially its cost. Don't suggest .NET... that's not even funny.
2. Microsoft changed nearly everything Dial-a-fix is capable of fixing to the point that Dial-a-fix has to be rewritten from the ground up just for Vista. Nobody's really got lists of "common" fixes the way XP has. Dial-a-fix is just a collection of known fixes, anyway - 99% of what DAF does is not even my invention.
1. Microsoft should fix their shit so Dial-a-fix need not exist. Is it too much to ask for a brand new operating system version not to bring 7 years worth of bugs with it? Basically, #1 is that I can't currently be arsed to fix their brand new old bugs - that's their fucking job!
Everyone should petition Microsoft to get their shit together. How can this stuff happen so much to so many people that a program like Dial-a-fix needs to be made? If I can do it, why can't Microsoft?
I will probably make a Vista version, but don't ride my ass about when and where.
Vista is an abomination and it just goes to show you that even if you "listen" to your customers (by way of usability tests, etc) it doesn't guarantee you'll get the implementation right. Microsoft needs to go back to the basics and re-think the way people use computers. Most people are multitasking, non-deterministic users. Some are single-tasking deterministic users who have old habits that are hard to break. Tough for you folks - you'll need to renew your computing license. One of the problems I see in Vista is that it tried to simultaneously retain backward compatibility while moving forward. The result: a train wreck. You know who doesn't care AT ALL about your previous programs working? Apple. They couldn't give less of a flying double monkey fuck about your programs working in the next version. You know what else? This seems to be perfectly acceptable behavior in the Mac community. Why isn't anyone up in arms about how Apple constantly ditches everyone, each time a major OS release is made? At least Microsoft tries (even if they inevitably fail).
Part II: Mac zealotry
Don't even get me started about Mac zealotry (too late). Some (but not most) Mac users have serious mental issues and honestly believe that Apple computers are somehow special or better than PCs. I have news for you: they suck exactly as much as PCs - no more, no less. They fail too, and often in the same ways as PCs. Sure, there aren't any major viruses going around, but that's because people with virus programming skill are usually in it for the money, and are too skilled to waste their time on 1% of 1% of the computing population. (It might even be embarrassing to them to some degree.)
Apple almost had it right except that they've spent a lot of their time and money mocking Microsoft Windows and not a whole lot of time developing a better computing attitude and environment and moving forward with technology. So what if you're some hipster/yankee twentysomething who buys vendor-locked brand name computers at ridiculously inflated prices to use most of the same programs that are available for Windows? Sure, sometimes it's not the exact same program, but with so many choices available, there has to be something for Windows that does the same thing as what you're trying to accomplish on a Mac. There's a lot more freeware on the PC than there is on a Mac, too.
Most of the time they mock PCs for the wrong reasons. PCs don't get viruses, Windows does. PCs don't need major overhauls to upgrade operating system software - Windows does. A PC is just some hardware. Everything after that is up to the operating system, of which there are many available. It's just unfortunate for all of us that Microsoft won that war before the war really began.
You know the Mac guy on the PC versus Mac commercials? That guy is more smug than a motherfucker. Meanwhile, the PC guy is hilarious and has a nerdy charm to him. The Mac guy is a huge douche about everything, constantly mocking the poor PC's troubles, ignoring the fact that he has his own, as well as the fact that he lives in his mom's basement smoking pot all the time and needs to shave, get some respectable clothes, and get a fucking job.
I digress.
You basically bought a PC with different software on it. You have what kind of processor and motherboard (I'm sorry - "logic board")? Oh right, Intel. What kind of power supplies are used in Macs? ATX and BTX. What kind of hard drive? Seagate. Congratulations: you bought the most proprietary PC possible that still contains nothing but regular modular PC parts (excluding the motherboard's design and firmware). At least it can run Windows, I guess. I'm not sure if that's a pro or a con.
Comments
22 Responses to “Top ten reasons why Dial-a-fix doesn't support Vista yet - and - Mac zealotry”
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Ah well, Dial-a-fix (XP) started from very humble beginnings: as a batchfile. Maybe Dial-a-fix (Vista) will take a similar route...
Man I think you should treat Vista just like you did XP. You had the ability to make Dial-a-fix for XP and so you did it. Right now you don't have the ability so don't worry about it. If one day you look around and suddenly have the ability then great. If not that is cool too ,because if Microsoft can do it like they want to by the time you can make a version of Dial-a-fix a new (hopefully better) version of Windows will be out. I love Dial-a-fix since I found it, it has helped me out immensely. I thank you for putting it together and saving me the time of having to manually go through all those steps. I would bet that Dial-a-fix has saved years worth of manual work that people would have had to do if it weren't for Dial-a-fix.
You're right, David - I created Dial-a-fix nearly 5 years after XP was out in the market.
To all those who want Dial-a-fix for Vista: wait another 5 years ;)
Can we get "Dial-A-Fix for Mac" soon?
Thanks!
Scott: *riotous laugh*
As long as Vista does not start making a clicking or grinding noise, then we will all be okay.
@The Phone Girl,
Clicking or grinding would be a hard drive issue.
Tarun: it's an inside joke. The Phone Girl is the CSM at my workplace. She actually knows a lot about hard drive failure ;)
Vista itself is a clicking and grinding noise (see 10 through 6). I'm going to install Vista again soon so I can *gasp* use and learn more about it (unfortunately).
I gotta tell ya ,sport!
No matter how good some of your software might be....you've got such a poor attitude,I'd be leary of downloading any of you products.
To all you negative vista folks....Stop bitching....upgrade your PC...(don't look for deals...you're making an investment) and enjoy the new OS.
I use Vista Ultimate on 4 of my 6 PC's...and I love it!Sure, it has it's quirks...as XP "still" has.
The wheel was a mess,too until they realized it worked better with a round shape.
DJ...
From your comments...I wonder why you bother with computers at all.
Try a positive approach and beat Gates at his own game.
You've got what it takes!
Best of luck!
JoJo: I'm not bitching about system requirements at all. Vista is the first version of Windows to really distance itself by requiring a decent computer. It's fine if you want to use my resources, that's what they're there for. I was one of the few people from the beginning who were backhanding those that scoffed at the system requirements. Oh no, you're going to actually *use* my RAM? People actually believed that free system RAM = speed, and anything that actually uses the RAM (Firefox, Vista, whatever) is a hog. Not true. Vista actually takes advantage of your hardware, which is a first for Windows.
Regarding my software... that's fine if you don't want to download Dial-a-fix or whatever other crappy things I've made in my spare time.
All of my cynicism comes from a ridiculous amount of personal experience in the software industry. I don't have a bad attitude to start with, I just gain one for a product when I actually have experience with it and know that it could be better. If I have what it takes, then a multi-million dollar multi-million employee company should collectively have more than it takes. If I can write Dial-a-fix to fix stupid Windows problems, then Microsoft can fix the stupid problems to begin with. A 6-year development cycle and hype out the ass... and we get a sad excuse for Windows 6.0?
I don't want to beat Gates or Microsoft at their own game. That's not my bag. I bother with computers because I like computers and technology. That doesn't say much about the *software* running on the computers. I don't have to like the software and I don't have to accept that this is the best software companies can do. In general, I have a huge disdain for the software industry because I've been in it for so long but that doesn't mean I don't like computers or certain pieces of software or software companies.
I'm quite a positive person in real life, and try to keep in mind this is just my blog where I rant about software issues, so be sure to expect negativity before positivity around here.
I tried to enjoy Vista, in fact i really wanted to. The more i dug around in it, the more i realized what a bunch of over designed nonsense it is. I will say one good thing about Vista, it sure does look pretty. That's about all i like about it. I guess i just look at an OS to be an OS, and not a hardware thrashing dominatrix. Just my 2.
I really don't intend this message to be a flame, and really am just interested in dialogue.
You used a word in this post and its title that is offensive to many. In fact, people have been brutally killed as a result of the hate associated with this word.
I believe in Voltaire's quote, which is roughly this: "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it." I would, in fact, fight anyone who tried to force you to remove the word.
However, I do believe speech is powerful, and want to make sure writers consider the consequences of their words. Is using this word really important enough to justify associating yourself and your reputation with the hate it can represent?
I apologize for not using my name on this comment - I do not like hiding behind anonymity. But I do not want my name associated with your site. That's is how powerful this word is.
All I can say is that I'm a product of my generation. Our generation redefined the word "gay" to mean "sucks", or "stupid", in the most non-sexually oriented way possible. I'm also a member of Something Awful where yet again it is populated by my generation, and that word (and words like it) are used in that same early 90s context.
I've changed the word to what it really should be.
So, what's up ?
I think sucks is an understatement. I encountered immediate problems with Vista after converting from XP. I had to buy a registry cleaner to help solve my problems. Think I got it from http://www.pc-registry-repair.com
It did help, but I still want to go back to XP. XP NEVER gave me the problems Vista has in just the 2 months Ive had it.
-J
It's almost common knowledge that Microsoft's OS upgrades are not always the best idea. If your XP install was full of garbage then Vista will be full of garbage. Try a clean install and then install Vista Service Pack 1. If you performed the upgrade yourself with a retail upgrade version then Microsoft might be able to assist you with problems (I think you get 2 free support tickets).
That site looks like the crap I find on people's infected computers. I think registry cleaning programs are scams.
I've never been able to actually *fix* problems with a registry cleaner. I fix problems directly, but that's only because I know exactly what I'm doing.
It's also important to note that XP is very mature now, and has had the show-stopping bugs already worked out. XP did the exact same thing to people when they tried to upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows 2000. People also said the same things, such as not wanting to ever move to XP, or wanting to wait and skip over XP entirely. We now see how that all played out - everyone ended up switching to XP and everything is fine. Now Vista is the new XP. People hate it now, but eventually everyone will have it and everyone will act like they never complained at the beginning. When the version after Vista comes out, the cycle begins again.
Please ! Just update the Repair Permissions package !
(http://wiki.djlizard.net/Repair_permissions#Repair_permissions_package)
Thank you !
Hey ! How is Dial-a-fix today ?
Please update the Repair Permissions package !
I must repair plenty keys to install the SP1 of Office 2007 !!! :'(
I suggest you contact Microsoft for assistance as these type of things should be history by now. Furthermore, I have no idea how that stuff works now, and I've officially quit doing this stuff as of my recent career change. Sorry. :(
Good luck!
DJ, I have turned a few IT guys on to your fixes. You were my diamond in the rough and have paid dividends!! You Rock!!
I have been running Slackware exclusively, with the exception of work PC's, since you and I installed Slack 8 on that old shop PC.
Running Slack 12.1 now, Pat's best release to date.
Take care Cookie................yup, you're pissed now. I mean it affectionately.
Haha, hey Wade! I learned a lot from you and carry it with me always. I've even found myself saying some of your sayings to others.
Regarding Slackware, well, I've found the latest Slackware to be a bit odd... it doesn't seem to have progressed as far as other distributions. Although it's great to be able to have ultimate control, there are still several stupid things that one has to do to get the "obvious" stuff working and it just seems like a chore now. I think distributions like Debian (and thus, Ubuntu) are where the modern Linux system should be heading. Pat's stubbornness often prevents him from incorporating the niceties of modern distributions, and Slackware just feels a bit dated. I don't use Linux as my main system though, so I'm generally coming from a different angle anyway. Also, the last one I tried was 12.0 — I preferred 11.0. When I get bored one day I will try 12.1 to see if it's bridged the gap that I felt with 12.0.
Anyway, I have to get going but eventually I will shoot you an email and update you on what's going on around here. You may have heard that I am no longer with Digital Doctors, but if you haven't, there it is. I'm doing something completely different now, which I will explain later...
While I agree that Vista requires more than prioe versions, the official minimum requirements are still lower than the "I don't want it to be a dog" requirements.
I switched to Vista when it was still in beta, becuse I knew I'd have to fix compters with it, and I figured I'd be better off learning about it sooner than later. I originally customized it to look like XP but now, several reinstalls later, I don't bother. It is EXACTLY like every other OS: it has new features that are great, old issues that don't get fixed, and new features that I ignore or work around.
I use CCleaner for registry cleanup; it also deletes junk files. I like it because it doesn't bother to tell you how good it is, which, to me, is usually sign that I should avoid whatever program it is. :)
DJ, if you'll provide a list of what information you need and problems you have with creating a Vista version, I'll see how much of it I can dig up for you.
I do most of my programing in batch files and VBS nowadays, which isn't all that great for user interfaces, but most of what I do is ad-hoc stuff anyway. I use VBA with Excel when I need a user interface. ;)