Linked by Kroc Camen on Fri 6th Nov 2009 22:30 UTC
Click-to-Run is a new technology Microsoft are introducing to allow you to test out Office 2010 quickly and easily, by literally streaming the app to your computer from the Internet into a virtualised space.
Permalink for comment 393306
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Recent Original Stories
Recent Comments
Headlines
Random Comments
Random Stories
Random OS Link
Member since:
2007-07-13
Seriously, why oh why do Windows apps insist on being so difficult to install? Macs have had this thing down to a science (an incredibly easy to implement one at that) since forever, so why hasn't MS taken a clue yet?
For several reasons:
a) Microsoft wants to tie you to Windows. Your app is designed to follow whatever is the current layout of the current version of Windows, rather than a more neutral distribution layout. This makes it easier for developers but harder for users. Sure you can get around this, but it is effort and a PITA so many developers don't bother.
b) Microsoft wants to tie you to your copy of Windows. Therefore, stuff gets put in a machine-specific place (registry) that is hard to move to another machine. Sure, copy the program's directory, but your app still won't run because required settings are squirreled away in registry settings rather than with the program. It's harder to pirate the program and this makes Microsoft's partners happy. Sure you can get around this, but it is effort and a PITA so many developers don't bother.
c) With all the other stuff going on at Microsoft installers and uninstallers are not the highest priority. In short, they don't care about your problem they're more interested in fighting or acquiring competitors in a different space (flavor of the year is the Web).
d) The desktop is already 'won' for them and too many existing users complain if stuff gets changed. So stuff gets changed very slowly.
So stop complaining and just buy Windows 7, and a a new version of MS Office, and new copies of all your apps so they actually run on Windows 7, and new copies of all your utilities (anti-virus etc), and a new computer to run it on, and new Windows Server licenses to support it, and new servers to support those licenses, and the latest version of SharePoint, and new training and a new support contract - don't you know that Microsoft knows what's best for you? (what's my point? don't use Windows if you don't want the pain).
Back to topic: Who cares about the streaming of Office. Don't ya know 'applets' (or their evolutionary descendent 'Java Webstart', which is effectively what this technology is, just implemented in .NET instead of Java) went out years ago. You're still gonna get all the deployment problems you thought you'd gotten rid of by moving away from rich clients for many things.
Edited 2009-11-06 23:30 UTC