Microsoft Innovations

I could have come up with ten, but I was too exhausted.

1. Don't assume I would like to be asked if a software update should be downloaded. Instead, assume that I will, at some future point in time, download the software myself.
2. Don't allow a program to force itself into the foreground. This is incredibly irritating.
3. Make it possible to type into a window that isn't in the foreground. This "innovation" was available on other systems years ago.
4. Whereever possible, use a separate thread for user-interface tasks vs. 'work' tasks. I would be willing to bet that over the past decade I have spent days doing nothing while that damned wait cursor was sitting there.
5. Don't ask me, ever, if I want to delete a file. Ever!
6. Similarly, give me the ability to kill a process. I mean, really kill it. Don't tell me that "Terminating a process can cause undesired results...". Just do what I'm asking!
7. Don't remind me, when I start a program, that it is not the default mail reader, default browser, default graphical editor, etc. Yes, I installed (god forbid) another program to perform that task. I know you have a hard time believing this but some people write better software than you.
8. Allow me to run a program on machine A and display it on machine B. This "innovation" has been available on various flavors of X windows for quite some time.
9. Rebooting after installing software? C'mon, this is the year 2003.

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)

Article Author: Mark Saleski

Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. He has contributed to Jazz.com and also writes reviews for Blogcritics.org. He produces the weekly feature The Friday Morning Listen. …

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