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Stex
June 30th, 2007, 02:19 PM
I was looking around the amarok site today and noticed they're doing a survey, mainly aimed at Mac/Windows users, which included a question that I thought would give some interesting answers:

"What do you absolutely hate about software in general?"

I can't think of an answer that I'd give, maybe that eyecandy and functionality rarely go together. I'd like to know what you'd say to this question! I'd guess answers from the less technical users would be even more interesting as they wont be constrained to the plausible, so go wild when answering this one.

[1] http://amarok.kde.org/files/Amarok_User_Survey.pdf

FoolsGold_MKII
June 30th, 2007, 02:27 PM
That's easy - as time goes by, software will often becomes bloated with features no-one really needs, in order to justify the increase in version number/cost.

Prime examples - MS Office, Windows, Nero (VERY good example), etc. This is a problem with a lot of commericial software. Open-source software doesn't have much of the same issue though.

beercz
June 30th, 2007, 02:29 PM
Users!

Redache
June 30th, 2007, 02:30 PM
I disagree that Open Source doesn't have bloat, Firefox gets fatter every year.

But I'm on the same trail of thought as FoolsGold_MKII I hate the bundled, fun for all, super x-treme crap that alot of software comes with these days. You can't even buy cable ties without the free offer of a super duper intenrnet traul/phishing boat.

All a load of crap really.

kamaboko
June 30th, 2007, 02:45 PM
That's easy - as time goes by, software will often becomes bloated with features no-one really needs, in order to justify the increase in version number/cost.

Prime examples - MS Office, Windows, Nero (VERY good example), etc. This is a problem with a lot of commericial software. Open-source software doesn't have much of the same issue though.

just b/c you don't use all the features doesn't mean someone else doesn't. often times open source software doesn't have enough features. i'd rather have too many features than too few.

juxtaposed
June 30th, 2007, 02:56 PM
I hate restrictions on what I can and can't do. I mean restrictions imposed by the software maker.

And alot of features are fine for me, just as long as it runs fast and takes little RAM. uTorrent is an example of how this can be done.

corney91
June 30th, 2007, 02:58 PM
Planned obsolescence. This doesn't really apply to open-source software, and also it could apply to hardware. I'm sure if Microsoft did everything they could for Windows it would be amazing and not need to be upgraded, but how else would they make any more money???

FoolsGold_MKII
June 30th, 2007, 02:58 PM
just b/c you don't use all the features doesn't mean someone else doesn't. often times open source software doesn't have enough features. i'd rather have too many features than too few.
Yes... but have you see the latest versions of Nero? By default, unless you actively deselect the bulk of the options it will install a media center, cover designer, audio editor, DVD authorer, DVD shrinker, video player, etc, and that's in ADDITION to the damn burning tool!

The Unix philosophy states simplicity over complexity, have the right functionality and nothing else. If this means I mix and match a few seperate tools to do the job instead of a single monolithic program, then that's cool, but a package like Nero cannot justify all the extra crap that comes with it, and it's been widely complained about.

kamaboko
June 30th, 2007, 03:14 PM
Yes... but have you see the latest versions of Nero? By default, unless you actively deselect the bulk of the options it will install a media center, cover designer, audio editor, DVD authorer, DVD shrinker, video player, etc, and that's in ADDITION to the damn burning tool!

The Unix philosophy states simplicity over complexity, have the right functionality and nothing else. If this means I mix and match a few seperate tools to do the job instead of a single monolithic program, then that's cool, but a package like Nero cannot justify all the extra crap that comes with it, and it's been widely complained about.

did it occur to you that some people want all of those features? this is why some people buy BMW's with heated leather seats, GPS, climate control, etc., and some people buy a basic hyundai. don't say the BMW is crap b/c it has too many features.

and what's the diff b/t selecting parts of one application vs manually installing three or four diff apps to achieve the same thing? it makes more sense to have everything available in one application and to select what you want, rather than hunt down three or four diff apps to achieve the same thing. nero very simply gives you a choice during setup. for instance, i use Nero 7 premium. i have a light scribe burner so i use the cover designer feature all the time. i like how it's integrated into the program. i don't want to hunt down another program for that feature.

juxtaposed
June 30th, 2007, 03:19 PM
did it occur to you that some people want all of those features? this is why some people buy BMW's with heated leather seats, GPS, climate control, etc., and some people buy a basic hyundai. don't say the BMW is crap b/c it has too many features.

and what's the diff b/t selecting parts of one application vs manually installing three or four diff apps to achieve the same thing? it makes more sense to have everything available in one application and to select what you want, rather than hunt down three or four diff apps to achieve the same thing. nero very simply gives you a choice during setup. for instance, i use Nero 7 premium. i have a light scribe burner so i use the cover designer feature all the time. i like how it's integrated into the program. i don't want to hunt down another program for that feature.

My problem with nero is that it installs stuff without letting you choose not to.

Like it installs some startsmart or nero home or something like that. It's really annoying.

kamaboko
June 30th, 2007, 03:29 PM
My problem with nero is that it installs stuff without letting you choose not to.

Like it installs some startsmart or nero home or something like that. It's really annoying.

Nero is very granular in its install features. I've installed it several times and always disabled the Nero Home. I do install the StartSmart b/c it gives me all of the features I want to use on one menu.

Kevin the Olden
June 30th, 2007, 03:29 PM
ANY software that has you stuffing about to do the most simple thing with it. A user should not have to THINK how to do something - it should be obvious through the user interface. Programmers spend so much time farting about trying to make a 'cool' interface, they stuff the usability aspect up completely. I was voted one of the best programmers where I work simply because I design easy to use, uncluttered intuitive interfaces.

cheers and beers...