Software taking over my computer....

[algrinch]

I recently installed Acrobat Reader 8.0, Itunes, and Nero 7 Ultra Edition. Between these three programs they added 7 processes that automatically start with the computer. I went from 29 processes to 36.

IMO when a program installs it should ask the user for their preference. I wouldn't mind if it defaulted to the added processes and even stated if you don't know what to do, say yes. Most programs add their extra start up crap so that the program starts faster, index files, checks for updates, or whatever. I want a little check box in the install that lets me turn that crap off. Or even the ability to turn it off in the preferences. You shouldn't have to edit the registry to turn this stuff off.

By the way, everything runs fine after turning it all off, just takes a little longer for somethings to fire up, but not much longer.

Note about using Itunes: it does the thinking for you and kind of automatically syncs the Ipod. I kept looking for a sync button, and had an overwhelming desire to drag and drop a file somewhere. Even the kids had trouble with it, I think they, like myself, are too used to using windows programs.

[TheWizard]

iTunes is cool with its syncing feature, but you are right, it, along with Nero and Adobe Acrobat, go nuts with loading processes onto your system.

I still like Nero, but for a streamlined Acrobat Reader I use Foxit. It's free and won't bloat your system.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com

[algrinch]

I was using Foxit and really like it, the only problem I ran into with it was on a site for my health insurance. The site auto fills my information in a PDF form and it wouldn't work with Foxit, only with Acrobat. Otherwise, I agree that Foxit is far superior. Loads superfast and is a small program.


Foxit Download 1.56 mb
Acrobat 8.0 Download 20.8 mb

Opera Download 4.7 mb
IE 7.0 Download 14.8 mb

[smartin4]

IMO when a program installs it should ask the user for their preference. I wouldn't mind if it defaulted to the added processes and even stated if you don't know what to do, say yes. Most programs add their extra start up crap so that the program starts faster, index files, checks for updates, or whatever. I want a little check box in the install that lets me turn that crap off. Or even the ability to turn it off in the preferences. You shouldn't have to edit the registry to turn this stuff off.

I couldn't agree more. Personally, when I see something start up in the system tray or i see a strange process running after new installs, I first try to figure out what it is. If I don't want it there, I run MSconfig and change the startup tasks to only run what I want to run at startup.

On a side rant, I really hate programs that auto-update, but don't install into the original install directory. I recently had this happen with EALink, a program that you need to run in order to play downloaded games from EA.

I decided to try out buying a game online & downloading it, and I bought Madden 07 online from EA. I paid for it, and in order to download it, you had to install the EA Downloader (since renamed to EALink). I install all apps on a separate drive from my OS, so I installed the EADownloader into a folder on my Apps drive. The friggin' program did an autoupdate and decided to install itself onto my C: drive. So i uninstalled it, and installed it where I wanted it. I chalked it up to a "new" version of the software, not really an update, so ok, no problem. Then about 2 weeks later, I start my pc up, and wham, another update installed on my C: drive. This time, I uninstalled it and never reinstalled it. I will never buy a game like this again from EA.

Why do companies continually try to take away the ability of the customers to install what they want, when they want, and where they want?

[LoneWolf]

Why do companies continually try to take away the ability of the customers to install what they want, when they want, and where they want?

In the case of EA, it is likely a management decision, or an 80hr-per-week developer team made of rookies.

Never attribute to malice what can be first attributed to incompetence.

[Justin42]

Not to mention, they figure the average user won't care or won't know the difference, which is probably very true.

It does drive me nuts when programs don't allow you to install everything where you want it, or (even worse) some apps let you change the install dir and then put a bunch of their code into "C:\Program Files\Common Files" even if the only apps using it as "common" is their own. (I'm looking at you, Roxio ) And like your EA example, when programs get lost in their own install, can't find the files, and crashes.

It's probably laziness as much as anything. It's a lot harder to test if your app breaks if it's installed into "Z:\My Software\Utilities\CD Burning\Nero\Bloatware\Application" than just force you to put it in one place.

We get a bunch of site licensed software from work that can be used at home, and the group that handles it always repackages installers for the brain-dead-- no install options, predefined install paths, sometimes predefined program options, etc. I've complained multiple times but always either get brushed off or told how much easier it makes THEIR lives supporting it. sigh.

[redk9258]

Not to mention, they figure the average user won't care or won't know the difference, which is probably very true.

It does drive me nuts when programs don't allow you to install everything where you want it, or (even worse) some apps let you change the install dir and then put a bunch of their code into "C:\Program Files\Common Files" even if the only apps using it as "common" is their own. (I'm looking at you, Roxio ) And like your EA example, when programs get lost in their own install, can't find the files, and crashes.

It's probably laziness as much as anything. It's a lot harder to test if your app breaks if it's installed into "Z:\My Software\Utilities\CD Burning\Nero\Bloatware\Application" than just force you to put it in one place.

We get a bunch of site licensed software from work that can be used at home, and the group that handles it always repackages installers for the brain-dead-- no install options, predefined install paths, sometimes predefined program options, etc. I've complained multiple times but always either get brushed off or told how much easier it makes THEIR lives supporting it. sigh.

I wish software would stay out of other software on your computer. I don't think any program should touch the windows folder. I think an uninstall should be as simple as deleting the folder the program is in. Of course this is impossible because of all of the junk that goes into the registry.

[Justin42]

The registry was the single dumbest thing MS ever did for Windows.

It singlehandedly made ONE (well, maybe 5) files CRITICAL to operation of everything in your system.

Was it really so hard to go look in [Program names'] folder to fiddle with [program name's] options?

I can see having a VERY stripped down registry that maybe just says "Hey, I am installed, and you can find me and my installed files in this location".. but nothing else.

Having everything there was insane. I've heard Vista is moving back towards having individual XML config files which would be nice. But yeah, uninstall should just be "delete the folder the app is in", not "run convoluted uninstaller that probably won't even come close to getting rid of everything installed in the first place"

[SkaarjMaster]

I agree with everyone here. They need to make it simple. Also, I didn't even know Acrobat Reader 8 was out. I still use Nero 6 and I think that only has one process that loads....or at least that I let load. Don't use iTunes and never will.