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Pastimes : Computer Learning -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cheeky Kid who wrote (16361)	2/15/2001 8:23:15 PM
From: mr.mark	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 110631

cheeky interesting to note that the bugnet site links to a symantec page to rag about all the incompatibilities. symantec is at least providing this info for users to view, just as they have readme.txt files that cover every issue they are aware of. and of the 30 odd programs one finds on that list, maybe 7 are symantec apps, meaning don't use symantec components within a suite to uninstall another component. the suite itself, for instance, has its own uninstaller. i don't know how incompatibility with 20+ applications out of thousands stacks up to other utility suites. i'd guess pretty good. like you say, it's a zoo. and if you'd hate to be a tech, imagine being a software company. i don't know how they make anything work, frankly. i've noticed that the bugnet site has a propensity for either reviewing old software, or not going back to update their findings. it's quite misleading, imo, for an article to include language such as, "no fixes have been released so far", and then to not provide updates. i don't know, maybe they do, but people just keep posting old stuff. :) mark

To: Cheeky Kid who wrote (16361)	2/16/2001 9:58:15 AM
From: PMS Witch	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 110631

Thank-you for posting the warning about CleanSweep. I wasn't aware of any issues surrounding this package. My experience with Norton's software has been mostly positive. I've been annoyed for some time about the way programs install on Windows machines. I miss the days when each package installed in its own folder, stored all its data in a sub-folder, and displayed any and all changes made in areas beyond its boundaries such as PATH, .SYS and .BAT files used by the system. Another thing I miss is software coming with a list of EVERY file and the purpose it serves. While I'm at it, I miss paper documentation. And don't forget a list of each and every parameter, switch, and option available for every program. Today's software seems to have experienced a population explosion of options, settings, parameters, and configurations, only to omit any indication of what they are. Cheers, PW.

To: Cheeky Kid who wrote (16361)	2/16/2001 10:24:59 AM
From: PMS Witch	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 110631

...You seem to have a role in tech support... Nope! Never did. But I came really close. I was a developer in a small computer department and when the support people were hit with tidal-waves of stupidity I'd handle some of the more difficult calls. When I say difficult calls, the difficulty would stem from the caller and not the problem they were calling about. I was blessed with the ability to laugh and not become upset after receiving a profoundly abusive monologue. I created a check list of cuss words and insults and would at times remind the callers of any they forgot to use. (This really put them into overdrive!) In almost every case, they could find the cause of the difficulty by looking in a mirror. As time went by, the people in my department would refuse to accept calls from certain people, forcing the switchboard people to put these callers through to me. Eventually, I gained a following as well as a reputation. Computer training was added to my responsibilities. I enjoyed this role because I really always wanted to be a comedian and now I had the chance; and with a captive audience too. I peppered my presentations with stories about what idiots I encountered. I wrote my material to be entertaining as well as informative. Eventually, company executives who had nothing to do with computers at all were attending my classes for fun. Despite the light hearted presentation, the material was absorbed and support calls were reduced. The training classes are the only part of working life I view fondly since retiring. Cheers, PW.