People who use Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system aren’t taking advantage of many of the systems best features, a top executive said – and the world’s largest software maker has only itself to blame. Jim Allchin, Microsoft’s group vice president for software platforms, including Windows, said he thinks customers aren’t using gadgets like Windows Messenger and Movie Maker because Microsoft hasn’t done a good enough job telling people about them.
You know, it is kinda funny, being as much of an anti-M$ person as I am, I really don’t have much bad to say about MSN Messenger. In fact, I actually found MSN Messenger, and the MSN app to be pretty nice when working on customer’s computers.
However, the ‘article’ in discussion is Windows Messenger, a wholly worthless peice of junk that annoys you to no tomorrow if you dare use a Microsoft Operating System of late.
Also, regardless of however badly I want to bash Windows XP in its performance arena, I simply haven’t seen enough to convince me that is really slow. My wife has a 667MHz Celeron, 256MB of RAM, and integrated everything, and XP feels rather alive compared to Win98, Me, or 2000. And it actually seems to work quite well (though not as well as PhOS does, but she currently is in need of Java, wish BeOS compatibles do not *YET* have).
Anyway, I believe most of us are in concenses, the apps in discussion are not used not due to marketing fowl ups or lack of marketing, but because the applications are sub-par or arguably niche products.
Movie Maker, is more of a niche product than a neccessity when you talk to the average customer. In fact, I have yet to see anyone using it. At least it doesn’t run at start for some odd reason :-).
If your going to post, it is often a good idea to try and collect your thoughts, and focus not on the off-topic posts and post wars herein, but to, instead, focus on article of discussion.
As such:
Windows Messenger is not being used because it is lacking in intuitiveness and features. MSN Messenger, which is freely available, is considerably better. In addition, MSN Messenger is primarly in use by newcomers to the computer IM’n age. Those around prior to MSN will be more accustomed to other applications (and even expect their quirks and issues, thus making them invalid in argumentation).
Movie Maker is simply not being used because it is limited in its abilities, and it forces one to only one format, which is not acceptable. I heard of this feature long before XP was out on the shelves, and had no reason to think twice about it. I already have my own video editing software, PersonalStudio for BeOS, which works fine for my more basic needs. If I were a Windows user, my hardware purchases needed for video editing would come with a few video editing software packages as well, essentially free. As such, I would prefer to use the software provided with the hardware I am going to use, instead os something that has no clue as to what hardware I may have just purchased.
In addition, people historically ask for change, and then do nothing about it when it comes to making the change. If Microsoft were to be nuked off the face of the planet, either by lawsuits, or a real war, and all code was lost, forever, as well as the developers: What would we do? Well, we would have to most likely still support Windows programs, even though it was the ideal time to make a change. The change would be, for the common person, unbearable. Not because they love what they have, but because they know what they have.
Sure, people can adapt, learn new programs, but how often does one want to do that? Through all my years, and all my attempts to get people from using Internet Explorer, instead opting for FireFox or Mozilla, decked out with all the extras in the world.. regardless of how much they loved the things I showed them, despite them paying me for my time, and being very satisfied, they always go back to Internet Explorer, for all its faults. Even the ones that requires them to call me, and pay me, once or twice a month. @ $35/hr U.S….
Oh well, we are all rebels at heart, right?
–The loon
NOTE: PhosphurOS beta 5 is now available!
http://phosphuros.tk/
“- ICQ for about 8 years (yes i have 7 digit number)
= Everyone and your dog could add themselves to your list and spam you.”
True. Anyone can _add_ you, but you can set that they first have to be authorized. You can also set to not receive any URL messages and can set not to receive any messages from people who have not added you to their list. It’s not a nice way to welcome new people, but it works and makes what you state as fact actually untrue. Since i’ve setted this -a long time ago-, i’ve NEVER received spam anymore on ICQ. One who’d add me for the sole purpose of spamming me would be kicked of the list again and there’s nothing to bother about.
Ofcourse regarding other spam you could be entirely right; never give your e-mail address to the whole ICQ network or AOL (formerly Mirabilis) and if you do, never forget your ICQ UIN/Password.
What i HATE about the MSN is both it’s extreme popularity among “non-geek” people here as well as the fact offline messages can only be sended via e-mail. The latter sucks when compared to ICQ which has this (for it’s time, perhaps) quite unique feature to send throught server (not good for privacy, but still). Regarding MSN that makes usage of a fake e-mail not possible, and giving people your personal “wish-to-be-spam-free” e-mail is from my point of view not an option. Another thing i don’t like is that a forum i know had their problems with a combination of idiot admins, hotmail addresses in their profile, secret questions, and social engineering. User-friendliness comes with a price, i guess…
I’m one of those who bought parts for a computer and had a friend put the hardware together for me. I also didn’t buy XP Pro, I went with XP Home. As the administrator of the computer, I believe that the main reason Windows XP may not be doing as well as Microsoft expected it to do was due to the activation. Every time I have to activate this thing, I find myself intensely disliking Microsoft and am seriously considering either a “downgrade” to Windows 2000 or migrating to a non-Microsoft OS and considering the licensing agreements of XP, I will probably do the latter. I am currently trying to learn Linux. Also, I’m one of the people who suffered through the fiasco of Windows ME and neither ME or XP automatically installed all the drivers I needed for my computer. The things they missed were modems and printers.
If you don’t want certain applications that are bundled with an OS, don’t use them. I agree that Messenger on XP can be a little intrusive, but a lot of that was fixed via SP1. It’s intrusiveness with Outlook Express is extremely annoying, but anyone who is still using OE seriously needs to consider some other options out there, even Hotmail is a better option (IMO). Also, anyone who is using more than 1 IM application should evaluate some of the aggregated apps out there (ala Trillian, etc). I’ve been using Trillian for years now, it’s a great one stop shop for all of my IM’ing needs, but for me the number one feature is docking it to the right side of my desktop. I have yet to recieve a single piece of spam IM from MSN Msgr via Trillian (i get TONS from AIM however). Of course you do lose some functionality of MSN via trillian (games, remote assistance, etc), but a lot of that is fluff IMO (well, remote assistance comes in handy when family is having issues w/ their machines). I’ve never used movie editor, so I can’t comment on that…but I don’t know anyone who does so that probably speaks for itself. I would think the software that comes with any decent digital cam would be enough for the average user. As far as some of the WinXP performance issues/crashes, I agree that XP isn’t near as stable as Win2k, but I have yet to run into any serious issues aside from the occasional explorer meltdown. In the end, it’s all about choice…if all else fails and you don’t want to use XP, there are a plethora of other options out there, all with good and bad points.
happy computing
Well, this got into some big messanger battle it seams, I don’t think he was at all talking about that. I find it anoying but i’m sure many people use it. I’m sure it works fine if you use it, I’ll stick to AIM since thats the only thing people I know use, ICQ died 4 years ago for me. (IE most people stopped using it).
Anyways, I think the stuff he was talking about was the new picture veiwing, thumbnail veiws, built in cd burning, built in zip tool. These are the things I use all the time and love and will never go back. So many people are un aware of them. I can’t even begin to count how many people I had to show that when you open a picture you can hit the arrow at the bottom and slide show through them, or print them and so for from there. Or people who didn’t know you could right click and zip something, or drag files to the the burning and hit write to disk (provided you have a black cd in) and you can burn them. These are the great features and they work great. No need for messing with other apps. They are nice since they arn’t like an app, they are just the name less features in windows. You don’t have to start anything, they are just there.
I think movie maker and MSN and so forth are know to good number of people, but just have no use for movie maker.
Far as notepad, I love notpad, I use it constantly. Anytime I need to make a simple little note or list to self, or save a bunch of URL’s to remember them and keap them with relavant files and so forth. I don’t use notepad for anything but as a you would with a real notepad, quick small simple notes to self. Much like sticky notes. If they made notepad more complex it would suck, and be called wordpad.
There is a lot off little apps in XP that you just don’t see, cause they are off in some little corner of the thing you never venture to. Also so many if the nicest tools are ones you have to go to run, and type in to open up. Since they aren’t listed in any place a user can see. I think if all these various bit were some place obvious it would help. Like a nice folder with all of them in the programs menu note just a select few.
Paint is another app with notepad that is 20 years old, but still very useful. it does most things anyone need for quick task without having to get a program for it.
The guy was right though, MS simple doesn’t advertise these things well, they may say you can do it, but never really show you how. Also i think MS could go around and give them all fun names and call them the mApps, or mTools and make them sound all cool and people would notice.
I work in School and I love Windows XP work really good its easy to look after but….The one thing I hate About Windows XP is Windows Messager is like program from hell. you delete it any come back you tell it not to start and next min your online and it sign in as you and your friends start message you. I wish Windows Messager was not with windows xp. I do like MSN 6.1 but I would like to be able to install and remove it as I like. I seen a really good messaging program called gaim that I really love the only issue with it is stalese but its really really good to use. Also Windows Media is just evil too I would like to use just itunes and quicktime and kick the program. As I love both of these programs. my bottom line is microsoft need to have more flexable install for windows and help files that like there website and are step by step not ton of words and numbers.
Movie Maker 2 is crap … so is MSN Messenger that’s why ppl dont use it … pffft
And Remote Desktop, if only you made your servers better than your workstations.
Workstations can get 16 bit colour and sound but Windows 2000 Server don’t … they get 256 colours and no sound.
Thanks for nothing MS.
MSN messenger is simply the best IM tool available.
I’ve used ICQ and other tools in the past.
MSN: Flawless NAT support, awesome file transfer (I transferred 170 MB through it), the best video support at the highest resolution, integrated help and support to take over newbies machines (like family members), integrated gaming support.
While we are at it:
Hotmail: Certainly geared to newbies, but with a pretty interface and superb (recently) spam blocking.
– Microsoft Fan