New MSN Messenger install

From my blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/gregorybeamer

TITLE: In the sewer of sh*tty software

I had a popup on my desktop this morning telling me there is a new version
of MSN Messenger (version 7.5). I figure what the heck. After all, MSN
Messenger always adds some neat new functionality, like being able to shake
my friends screen remotely (the nudge functionality), so I say "yes".

Then, the install pops up with a plethora of choices, including the new MSN
toolbar. Being the adventurous sort, I choose to install all of them. Think
about all of the functionality. The install then forces me to shut down
every piece of Microsoft software I have opened: Microsoft Messenger,
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Visual Studio. It is kind of like an Oracle
stating, I need full control of everything ... and, trust me.

For those who have not installed the new Messenger, let me tell you some of
its new features.

First, you get a new desktop search that appears on the start bar. Really
cool, it appears a lot like a web search bar, but if you fail to state you
have a web search, it completely shuts down your machine as it searches the
entire disk drive for search terms. The more complex the search, the longer
your computer is completely unusable. What a nice feature.

Next, Microsoft has stealthily added Internet Explorer 7 functionality. In a
bid to keep up with Firefox, you now have tabs in Internet Explorer.
Unfortunately, you have to click a plus sign to add a new tab, as Internet
Explorer 6 does not have tabs natively. If you use control + N, you end up
with another window, with another tab bar. And, both use a great deal of
memory, which means the more windows you open, the slower your machine gets.
How cool!

After spending a few minutes aggrevated (mostly at myself for allowing the
numerous stealth installs for a new Messenger), I uninstall the MSN toolbar.
Sorry, Greg, you have to reboot your machine. Sure, we can install without
restarting, but this is tangled into too many things to actually uninstall
as easily as you install.

I have not, as of yet, tried the IE 7 beta. This is largely due to not
having a VPC image ready to test the software. I did not, however, expect
Microsoft to beta test software without warning by adding a toolbar that is
really much more than a toolbar. My advice: read carefully if you are
upgrading Messenger.

--
Gregory A. Beamer

************************************************
Think outside the box!
************************************************

Greetings,

The toolbar has been in the installer as an option for awhile. The IE7 tab functionality is
completely different as the MSN Toolbar "version" is basically a hack.

I do however have the toolbar installed (albeit disabled everywhere, including IE) for the
indexing/local desktop search capabilities. Perhaps you didn't leave it work overnight to
create your index, but the Windows Desktop Search has gotten plenty of good reviews (and
basically is what is going to be in Windows Vista, although in a different form); I use it
everyday and could not be productive anymore without it.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2005 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.




"Cowboy (Gregory A. Beamer)" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> From my blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/gregorybeamer
>
> TITLE: In the sewer of sh*tty software
>
> I had a popup on my desktop this morning telling me there is a new version of MSN Messenger
> (version 7.5). I figure what the heck. After all, MSN Messenger always adds some neat new
> functionality, like being able to shake my friends screen remotely (the nudge
> functionality), so I say "yes".
>
> Then, the install pops up with a plethora of choices, including the new MSN toolbar. Being
> the adventurous sort, I choose to install all of them. Think about all of the
> functionality. The install then forces me to shut down every piece of Microsoft software I
> have opened: Microsoft Messenger, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Visual Studio. It is kind of
> like an Oracle stating, I need full control of everything ... and, trust me.
>
> For those who have not installed the new Messenger, let me tell you some of its new
> features.
>
> First, you get a new desktop search that appears on the start bar. Really cool, it appears
> a lot like a web search bar, but if you fail to state you have a web search, it completely
> shuts down your machine as it searches the entire disk drive for search terms. The more
> complex the search, the longer your computer is completely unusable. What a nice feature.
>
> Next, Microsoft has stealthily added Internet Explorer 7 functionality. In a bid to keep up
> with Firefox, you now have tabs in Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, you have to click a
> plus sign to add a new tab, as Internet Explorer 6 does not have tabs natively. If you use
> control + N, you end up with another window, with another tab bar. And, both use a great
> deal of memory, which means the more windows you open, the slower your machine gets. How
> cool!
>
> After spending a few minutes aggrevated (mostly at myself for allowing the numerous stealth
> installs for a new Messenger), I uninstall the MSN toolbar. Sorry, Greg, you have to reboot
> your machine. Sure, we can install without restarting, but this is tangled into too many
> things to actually uninstall as easily as you install.
>
> I have not, as of yet, tried the IE 7 beta. This is largely due to not having a VPC image
> ready to test the software. I did not, however, expect Microsoft to beta test software
> without warning by adding a toolbar that is really much more than a toolbar. My advice:
> read carefully if you are upgrading Messenger.
>
> --
> Gregory A. Beamer
>
> ************************************************
> Think outside the box!
> ************************************************
>

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> The toolbar has been in the installer as an option for awhile. The IE7 tab functionality is
> completely different as the MSN Toolbar "version" is basically a hack.
>
> I do however have the toolbar installed (albeit disabled everywhere, including IE) for the
> indexing/local desktop search capabilities. Perhaps you didn't leave it work overnight to
> create your index, but the Windows Desktop Search has gotten plenty of good reviews (and
> basically is what is going to be in Windows Vista, although in a different form); I use it
> everyday and could not be productive anymore without it.
> ____________________________________________
> Jonathan Kay
> Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2005 Jonathan Kay.
> You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
>
>
>
>
> "Cowboy (Gregory A. Beamer)" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
> > From my blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/gregorybeamer
> >
> > TITLE: In the sewer of sh*tty software
> >
> > I had a popup on my desktop this morning telling me there is a new version of MSN Messenger
> > (version 7.5). I figure what the heck. After all, MSN Messenger always adds some neat new
> > functionality, like being able to shake my friends screen remotely (the nudge
> > functionality), so I say "yes".
> >
> > Then, the install pops up with a plethora of choices, including the new MSN toolbar. Being
> > the adventurous sort, I choose to install all of them. Think about all of the
> > functionality. The install then forces me to shut down every piece of Microsoft software I
> > have opened: Microsoft Messenger, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Visual Studio. It is kind of
> > like an Oracle stating, I need full control of everything ... and, trust me.
> >
> > For those who have not installed the new Messenger, let me tell you some of its new
> > features.
> >
> > First, you get a new desktop search that appears on the start bar. Really cool, it appears
> > a lot like a web search bar, but if you fail to state you have a web search, it completely
> > shuts down your machine as it searches the entire disk drive for search terms. The more
> > complex the search, the longer your computer is completely unusable. What a nice feature.
> >
> > Next, Microsoft has stealthily added Internet Explorer 7 functionality. In a bid to keep up
> > with Firefox, you now have tabs in Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, you have to click a
> > plus sign to add a new tab, as Internet Explorer 6 does not have tabs natively. If you use
> > control + N, you end up with another window, with another tab bar. And, both use a great
> > deal of memory, which means the more windows you open, the slower your machine gets. How
> > cool!
> >
> > After spending a few minutes aggrevated (mostly at myself for allowing the numerous stealth
> > installs for a new Messenger), I uninstall the MSN toolbar. Sorry, Greg, you have to reboot
> > your machine. Sure, we can install without restarting, but this is tangled into too many
> > things to actually uninstall as easily as you install.
> >
> > I have not, as of yet, tried the IE 7 beta. This is largely due to not having a VPC image
> > ready to test the software. I did not, however, expect Microsoft to beta test software
> > without warning by adding a toolbar that is really much more than a toolbar. My advice:
> > read carefully if you are upgrading Messenger.
> >
> > --
> > Gregory A. Beamer
> >
> > ************************************************
> > Think outside the box!
> > ************************************************
> >
>
>
>