Your top ten computer annoyances

[Jordanwb]

Computer annoyance pages are not uncommon on the net. So these are mine in no particular order of meaning:

10: "Your hardware configuration has been updated"

This one is specific to my model of PC: HP workstation xw4100, it tells me that it has detected the existence or removal of hardware that didn't/did used to be there(I hope that made sense). It feels the need to tell me that despite the fact that I just added or removed something using my own two hands. For example when I install Ubuntu, I need to disconnect my two secondary drives so grub will go to the correct drive. This is annoying because I have to press F1, and have it reboot, making me waste about 10 seconds each time.

9: Articles with no content

While searching for similar topics, I found one with no content. Articles like this one: http://www.chewontech.com/2007/10/10-biggest-web-annoyances.html

8: Web pages that pull you back

I don't know what this is called but it's like this:

Step 1: Go to google, search for a topic, Get results
Step 2: Click on a result. Find out it's not the desired page and you click back. Despite clicking back you return to the same page. My dad has been annoyed by this too and rightfully so.

7: HTTP Timeouts and HTTP 404 errors for sites that are online

For me this has occured only in FireFox (or is it Firefox?). My homepage is Google. For no reason I get the "The server has not responded" error. "Well no wonder you gave it 0.01 seconds to respond. Google's not next door." follows. I click reload and it loads just fine.

6: Rebooting a second time fixes to problem.

I had this problem with my ATI x1600 video card when I reinstalled XP after buying it. When installing DX9c, the following XP session was ridiculously slow. After rebooting it was back to speed.

5: Inconsistencies in a programming language

Take the following PHP example:



class Foo
{
public static $bar;
public $bar2;
}

print Foo::bar;

$foo = new Foo ();
print $foo->bar2;


Now print Foo::bar throws a parsing error of some sort. To properly access a static variable you'd use: Foo::$bar, however for the instance variable you don't, $foo->bar2 is fine. It should be either Foo::bar and $foo->bar or Foo:$bar and $foo->$bar. If anyone can tell me why it's like this I'll render this once invalid.

4: Programs that don't seem to be doing anything.

Sorry but I gotta knock Ubuntu for this. When installing using the Alternate installer, my computer pauses at "Cleaning Up" for like ten minutes with no HD activity (or so it seems). Same for installers in Windows too.

3: Non standard cabling

Fortunately I haven't had to deal with this to any major extent. Two of five MP3 players and my two digital cameras I had (2 had built in USB plug[both were garbage], and one had a special cable) did not require fancy cabling, the standard USB A Male to USB B Male was adequate.

2: Heavy PC cases

This may sound ridiculous but I swear my PC weighs 10 pounds. I'm afraid to have it on my wood desk. I guess having three hard drives doesn't help but..., the case itself is metal. Seriously HP, what were you thinking?

1: Power adapters.

I'm talking about those big black power adapters that take up 1 whole plug and part of two beside it. Now I do understand that the device being powered may be too small to have it's own dedicated PSU, but for some things like my Linksys routers, they're big enough to have a dedicated PSU.

So what are your biggest annoyances? And please try to stay on topic.

[Edit]

These were runner ups:

1337 Speak/IM Chat etc...
Cables that are way too long
Copyright laws (I got a tech support guy from Rogers to admit that trying to stop File Sharing is a waste of time)
Data Rights Management
Disk Security (IE SecuRom)
Websites that don't conform to W3 standards
Federal Law videos on DVD's (you know the "Copying of this DVD is ..."), and other types of video that shows before you get the menu that you can't skip.
Having to agree to some incredibly long thing in order to install a program.
Adobe Flash

[wrtpeeps]

Windows made me reboot 3 times in the space of 15 minutes tonight.

Annoying.

[feisty john]

Windows hasn't made me reboot in over 10 months. :P

(My MacBook has, though.)

/not a gamer

[Jordanwb]

wrtpeeps: Wow
Fiesty John: One time in 2 hours I had to restart a Mac 42 times (Not kidding, I counted)

I added some runners up.

[grossaffe]

right now bluetooth is killing me. I've been trying to use my Nintendo Wiimotes on my computer, but only sometimes do they sync to the computer properly. its really frustrating. (oh yeah, did I mention that its in Windows?)

another one is that my portable media player crashes rhythmbox

oh yeah, and kubuntu can't connect to my network.

[rune0077]

C

8: Web pages that pull you back

I don't know what this is called but it's like this:

Step 1: Go to google, search for a topic, Get results
Step 2: Click on a result. Find out it's not the desired page and you click back. Despite clicking back you return to the same page. My dad has been annoyed by this too and rightfully so.


Yes, that is enormously annoying. I have found that clicking the back button several times in rapid succession usually gets you back (though of course you'll always click it so many times, in sheer frustration, that you'll end up several pages back)

[Jordanwb]

Yes that's exactly what I have to do.

[odiseo77]

Yes, that is enormously annoying. I have found that clicking the back button several times in rapid succession usually gets you back (though of course you'll always click it so many times, in sheer frustration, that you'll end up several pages back)

That's what firefox tabs are for. When I do a search on google -or when I have to open many links- I just right click on the links and open them on separated tabs, so I don't have to go back and forth and don't loose my azimuth while navigating :D

[odiseo77]

Anyway, I forgot to tell my biggest computer annoyance. I guess it's my friends coming to me complaining about they got some virus or some trojan which mysteriously hides itself in the system and no malware detection software can get rid of. So, I have to format and reinstall windows :-|

[FuturePilot]

9: Articles with no content

Oh how I hate those.](*,)

[Vitamin-Carrot]

My pet peeve about computers is the users...

Nuff said

[ad_267]

That's what firefox tabs are for. When I do a search on google -or when I have to open many links- I just right click on the links and open them on separated tabs, so I don't have to go back and forth and don't loose my azimuth while navigating :D

You can middle click to do that! If you have a middle button / scroll wheel button.

[SoloSalsa]

That's a good list. I have two complaints, both about hardware: lack of physical card support in most cases, and the global PSU main power connector since ATX12V2.2.
About the first: computer expansion cards jut out of the board, and besides the back bracket, are typically suspended/unsupported. AGP and PCI-E have a little retention clip, but PCI and everything else is only held with pressure and a screw (except for full length cards, which are vertually extinct). High end computer cases sometimes offer nice support, as do large rackmounts, but the vast majority of cases just leave the cards hanging.

3: Non proprietary cabling
I think you mean proprietary. Non proprietary implies standard.

[kool_kat_os]

I was in the middle of writing some code and my computer overheated and shutoff. :mad: ....bye bye code

[init1]

1. People that assume that since you don't have a Mac, you must be using Windows.
2. Slow boot and operation of an OS
3. OS instability

[neoAnderson]

Yes, that is enormously annoying. I have found that clicking the back button several times in rapid succession usually gets you back (though of course you'll always click it so many times, in sheer frustration, that you'll end up several pages back)

I usually pull the drop down menu beside the back button - that has a listing of all the previous pages in chronological order - you can just click on the page which says Google Search, and you will get rid of the annoying pulling-back page.

[grossaffe]

You can middle click to do that! If you have a middle button / scroll wheel button.

or, if you don't have a middle button, ubuntu recognizes left+right click as a middle click.

[damis648]

1. People that assume that since you don't have a Mac, you must be using Windows.

ARGH! That annoys me on so many levels.

[+Eric]

You can middle click to do that! If you have a middle button / scroll wheel button.


Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Lol, didn't know this and it's extremely useful!!!!

[conehead77]

Programs without proper documentation. Ever installed a program and couldnt do anything with it because the lack of documentation?

[mini_g]

7: HTTP Timeouts and HTTP 404 errors for sites that are online

For me this has occured only in FireFox (or is it Firefox?). My homepage is Google. For no reason I get the "The server has not responded" error. "Well no wonder you gave it 0.01 seconds to respond. Google's not next door." follows. I click reload and it loads just fine.

I've seen this activity only on Firefox.


2: Heavy PC cases

This may sound ridiculous but I swear my PC weighs 10 pounds. I'm afraid to have it on my wood desk. I guess having three hard drives doesn't help but..., the case itself is metal. Seriously HP, what were you thinking?

I REALLY prefer heavy cases. My current case (~3-5 lbs empty) is FAR too lightweight for my likings. I'm afraid that I'm going to break it every time I do anything to it. Now just to get my brother to swap his solid steel case for my aluminum case...


1: Power adapters.

I'm talking about those big black power adapters that take up 1 whole plug and part of two beside it. Now I do understand that the device being powered may be too small to have it's own dedicated PSU, but for some things like my Linksys routers, they're big enough to have a dedicated PSU.

Solved. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812339066) There's also a version that is a Y splitter.


Cables that are way too long

Unless I am working in constrained areas, the longer, the better.


Data Rights Management
Disk Security (IE SecuRom)
Websites that don't conform to W3 standards
Adobe Flash

+1


Federal Law videos on DVD's (you know the "Copying of this DVD is ..."), and other types of video that shows before you get the menu that you can't skip.

Well... My DVD player (stock Pioneer) can skip these on some DVD's...
+1 though


Having to agree to some incredibly long thing in order to install a program.

In particular VMWare Server? :mrgreen:

*EDIT*
Heh, was so busy replying to your pet peeves that I forgot to add my own...

* Having to use computers that have an old install of Windows.
* NIS. Hate that program...
* Having the power blip out when you are in the middle of something (I'm only now getting backups going)
* Wi-fi b. I'm still finding devices that are being sold new with this technology being used...
* Cruddy ISP's
* Hardware failure

[vikrant82]

1. Sometimes I feel that computer is still far too slow to match the thinking process of human mind.

How many times, you know you have to do something and you have to do all those trivial click here and there wait for program to load, wait for splashes, scratch your head (meanwhile) and all you want to do is check the damn score.

Waiting for the day, when computer always leads humans in terms of UI responsiveness.

I know this one is strange, but I always feel I am too fast for my fast computer. Its far too slow, I don't care if we have quad core or octa core, I want a utterly fast UI experience.

This will probably happen in may be, 20 years. No loaders, no hard disks reading once computer has started. 100gb ram :)

2. I hate it when my computer stops responding, meanwhile I 'll keep clicking here and there out of real frustration, and suddenly UI regains the responsiveness and all those clicks are suddenly meaningful. I hate the fact that once UI is unresponsive, you should sit back and do nothing, else you are making it worse.

3. I hate it when my explorer hangs. This happens on windows as well as linux. Come on guys, lets make a universal rule, code so that UI never becomes unresponsive. Why is this so difficult. I take out atleast 50 hairs off my head when my UI dies on me .. :@

[Bubba64]

knuckle dragging!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[grossaffe]

1. Sometimes I feel that computer is still far too slow to match the thinking process of human mind.

How many times, you know you have to do something and you have to do all those trivial click here and there wait for program to load, wait for splashes, scratch your head (meanwhile) and all you want to do is check the damn score.

Waiting for the day, when computer always leads humans in terms of UI responsiveness.

I know this one is strange, but I always feel I am too fast for my fast computer. Its far too slow, I don't care if we have quad core or octa core, I want a utterly fast UI experience.

This will probably happen in may be, 20 years. No loaders, no hard disks reading once computer has started. 100gb ram :)


it'll never happen. as computers get faster, programmers will add more and more useless crap that slows the system down.

[beercz]

When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of "users".

I guess I am not the only one reading through some of the posts.

[billgoldberg]

People thinking they can use .exe in ubuntu

--

Not being able to use the "title wave" effect in compiz fusion in ubuntu

--

Having to reset my router.

--

private torrent trackers who never are open to registration

--

Having Ubuntu related problems ONLY when you have friends over.

--

passworded archives

--

emoticons

--

websites who are stuck in the 90's (http://www.linux.org/)

--

...

[rune0077]

You can middle click to do that! If you have a middle button / scroll wheel button.

And middle-click the tab to close it again.

[quinnten83]

programs without proper documentation (which happens a lot in Linuxland).
programs that aren't stable, so they behave erratically.
not being able to find an easy tutorial on google when I want to learn something new.
finding a lot of outdated tutorials on google, when you want to know how to do something in the newest distribution.
I work in support, so STUPID USERS are a huge source of annoyance and frustration.
Newbies that threaten to go back to windows when they can't get something working in Linux. Get over yourself, you're not that important that you can't be missed and you didn't pay squat, so get of you freeking high horse.
Cryptic manpages, and they are all pretty much cryptic. you need to be borg to understand that language, cause it isn't nowhere near human readable.

MS bussiness practices. Need I say more.
Linux l77t elitism.

[Koori23]

Windows Update.

Unlike Ubuntu with the slick two command update && upgrade scenario.. (Who actually uses Update manager anyway?). You can literally minimize your shell window and continue happily surfing the internet with no or minimal hangups.. Windows Update takes up the ENTIRE COMPUTER and then proceeds to annoy you every five minutes with a reboot countdown.. GRR..

"Please use one of the supported browsers". -CNN.Com Videos

Lotus Notes -Literally, the entire damn program annoys me.

Adobe Acrobat Reader --Literally, how many versions updates do you need to display a PDF document.

Firefox 3 -Yes this program annoys the crap out of me. that URL history dropdown window has got to go.

[BreakDecks]

1. People that assume that since you don't have a Mac, you must be using Windows.


http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp

Statistically, they are making a pretty intelligent assumption.

That's like getting annoyed when you wear the uniform for a grocery store, and get annoyed at people who think you work there, and who don't realize that you are, in fact, buying snacks for a costume party you are on your way to...

[billgoldberg]

http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp

Statistically, they are making a pretty intelligent assumption.

That's like getting annoyed when you wear the uniform for a grocery store, and get annoyed at people who think you work there, and who don't realize that you are, in fact, buying snacks for a costume party you are on your way to...

:lolflag:

"It's funny 'cuz it's true"

[etnlIcarus]

Not sure I can think of 10 but there are a few things which annoy me to no end:



Multitasking - the more you take advantage of the modern graphical environment, the more clumsy it becomes. You either have huge stacks of windows or you're trying to remember which workspace you sent your conversation window to. This leads to the more tiresome and abstract practice of using tasklists to control yuor windows.

Multitasking pt 2 - unless you're running multiple monitors, actually multitasking is awkward, as you're trying to resize and arrange windows, while still keeping their shape and size appropriate to use.

The average application - too many damn buttons; toolbars; sidebars; etc. If only every project had the resources to critically investigate who uses what functions and use that to decide what functionality makes it to the main toolbar. Thankfully, some apps allow you to edit the menus and turn off tool/sidebars.

Resolution changing - doesn't matter what OS you're running, unless you are able to run your games at native res, you're going to find yourself either having to manually correct your desktop resolution or put all your icons back where they belong.

Fun - computing - specifically in graphical environments - just isn't as fun as it once was. Don't ask me to explain it rationally as it probably isn't rational but I find myself constantly pining for my old Atari ST, running GEM.

Fancy effects - I used to find it infuriating when people would put their Windows 98 taskbar on autohide. It seems increasingly, the desktop is moving towards, "gestures", and wizzy gizmos.

Games being designed for PCs which don't exist yet - The expectation of graphic prowess ensures your gaming rig is never more than 18-months from obsolescence. Similarly, the memory requirements of productive apps are constantly getting larger, despite little visible improvement to the apps themselves.


I may sound like a cranky old b*stard but I'm only 20. I'm just really anal.

[Jordanwb]

I think you mean proprietary. Non proprietary implies standard.

Yes that's what I meant. :)

[Chame_Wizard]

with windows the most annoying thing is that if 1 program is stuck ,the rest also stuck.take forever:(

People who THink Winblow$ is Superior to Linux and Mac:confused:

[wootah]

with windows the most annoying thing is that if 1 program is stuck ,the rest also stuck.take forever:(

People who THink Winblow$ is Superior to Linux and Mac:confused:

Except if you pull a me and lower the nice on a program too low and X becomes very unresponsive. Oops. :(

[aaaantoine]

9: Articles with no content
8: Web pages that pull you back
7: HTTP Timeouts and HTTP 404 errors for sites that are online
6: Rebooting a second time fixes to problem.
5: Inconsistencies in a programming language
4: Programs that don't seem to be doing anything.
3: Non proprietary cabling
2: Heavy PC cases
1: Power adapters.


I can relate to annoyances #1 though #9. Here are my comments on each.

9. If you think that's bad, I once went through a chain of three or four articles -- with no content -- before getting to the actual content.

8. This happens because of a redirect page. The easiest way to counter it is to go to your Back drop-down and click on the Google results page. Usually it's two or three pages down. If that doesn't work, it must be JavaScript based. Installing NoScript should prevent this from happening in the future.

7. I get this sometimes, but what's worse is when my ISP does it. They send me to some web page with sponsored links.

6. This is a weird one. Why doesn't it work with the first reboot? Probably the installation software is crap.

5. It's one thing when it's a programmer's own inconsistencies (guilty as charged). But if the language doesn't use consistent syntax rules, WTF? This also applies to spoken language (*cough* English).

4. I have killed many programs that have done this. Many, many programs. I can only assume they're stuck in some program loop, or are waiting to hear from a piece of hardware that doesn't exist.

3. I see that you really mean "non-standardized, proprietary cabling". I HATE this. I have five different plugs on a dedicated surge protector... Each one goes to a different device. I really don't need the extra clutter; I'm doing fine on my own, thanks.

2. Annoying, yes. But, weight can be akin to sturdiness. Of course, if you want to eliminate this problem, you can always go ahead and put your PC's guts in an aluminum case of your choice. And you're right; the three HDDs don't help.

1. Those five plugs on that surge protector? They don't all fit... in a SIX outlet strip! HATE it! Why do I particularly hate this? Because, some manufacturers actually separate the power supply from the plug (without putting it in the device itself). Why can't they ALL do it? Are the cost savings really that significant?


For some relevance to the forums, I'll throw in one for Windows and one for Ubuntu.

Windows: System Restart Required.

This one still gets me because I run a Windows VM, which at least three times has restarted on me while I was on another workspace, causing me to lose anything I had open in Windows at the time.

Ubuntu: Kernel gets an update, VirtualBox doesn't.

I'm stuck using the old Kernel until the updated virtualbox-ose package is released. From .26-17 to .26-18, I couldn't use VirtualBox with the new kernel for almost a week. I tried the recompile method via the use of Module Assistant, which apparently worked for i386 users, but not for AMD64 users such as myself.

[aaaantoine]

Solved. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812339066) There's also a version that is a Y splitter.

Is there a place I can buy these in bulk? $13 is an awful lot to pay for what is basically a very short extension cord.

[Jordanwb]

Is there a place I can buy these in bulk? $13 is an awful lot to pay for what is basically a very short extension cord.

I think you can get them at Radio Shack, or The Source (if you're in Canada). Or you can make your own for possibly less.

[mini_g]

Is there a place I can buy these in bulk? $13 is an awful lot to pay for what is basically a very short extension cord.

Am afraid that I don't know. I've only seen them at retail.

[timzak]

Can think of two right now:

1) In the Absolute Beginners Forum, when someone asks for help and the expert speaks over the beginner's head. Usually this entails telling them what to do, but not how to do it. I see this much more at other distro's forums than here but sometimes see it here.

2) YouTube crashing randomly with FF 3.0. Thankfully there was a fix I found here involving installing Adobe Flash 10 beta. Yay!

[spupy]

Windows Update.

- I was going to rant on that! :) How can I trust this OS if an update to the pdf reader needs a system restart...

- the demo effect: programs you write will run perfectly, but not on the day when you demo them to your boss.

- bajillion different versions of programs (yes, linux, I am looking at you!)

- fanboy flame battles

- my computer wont let me get some sleep :|

[lisati]

My pet peeve about computers is the users...

Nuff said

Sometimes computers make better sense than the people using them,

[Jordanwb]

- I was going to rant on that! :) How can I trust this OS if an update to the pdf reader needs a system restart...

Yes I find that annoying. TrackMania (original) is an example. I have to restart my PC.


- the demo effect: programs you write will run perfectly, but not on the day when you demo them to your boss.

I've experienced that before. But actually in programming class.


- bajillion different versions of programs (yes, linux, I am looking at you!)

Yep. I can agree.


- my computer wont let me get some sleep :|

What do you mean?

[lisati]

Annoyance: program specs that say, for example, minimum requirements 512Mb ram, and you discover that 2Gb would be far better.

[Jordanwb]

Like vista?

[klange]

- the demo effect: programs you write will run perfectly, but not on the day when you demo them to your boss.

That's a derivative of the "professor death field" effect, same thing only school projects and teachers.

[odiseo77]

What do you mean?

I guess what he/she meant is that he/she is addicted to the computer or internet, so he/she can't go and sleep peacefully? It happens to me sometimes; I seat in front of my PC and start surfing the web, chatting, listening music, posting in forums... and when I watch the clock it's about 2 am and I don't feel like going to bed (it's really annoying, actually).

[guildofghostwriters]

I could probably find a solution to this if I really could be bothered to search for it but right now my pet hate is that if I forget to turn certain hardware on when I start up my Hardy box, something goes wrong. If it's my monitor, it's just monitor out of range and it's easy to resolve but if I forget to switch the scanner on (and I don't use it all the time so I have it switched off to save on electricity) then boot just hangs and blurts out something about the avahi daemon.

[screamingturnip]

1. Easier FAQs through neglect. That is specifically FAQs that call something easy do to and it is, because they decided that you have obviously already done a herculean task unmentioned. See SATA and windows XP later
2. Windows XP does not initially support SATA. Bought a SATA drive, blamed the seller when it didnt work. Found out later that I would need to reinstall XP, which is both ten hours of my life and something I can't do due to the fact that I have neither the disc nor the folder that makes that possible.
3. The fact that IBM doesn't make PCs in America any more. I'm not usually a patriotic man but come on thats just sad.
4. IBMs hatred of the non-commercial customer. If you ain't business, you ain't human. Yet I still love my thinkcenter.
5. The elitist attitude of apple. I used to love apple but they somewhow went from underdog to snob.
6. The conspiracy of planned obsolence. How has the world been duped into the idea that bigger system requirements makes better programs. It's the opposite. If you can make a program that does what Photoshop does but on a 386, that makes you mighty not weak.
7. The aesthetic of Lenovo. Lenovo is an Ibm with an ugly gray faceplate.
8. Noise. This is this far down on the list because they've honestly improved it a great deal. However for all time annoyance there is nothing that beats that whine that sounds like a V1 rocket.
9. The generally painful act of getting in and out of a tower. I have never left a tower without a little scathing.
10. Heat. Really nothing that can be done about it but the obvious. My big problem is the inconspicous nature of it. I'll be trucking along destroying some poor shmucks computer and I find an hour in there is no water in my body, it's all on the ground.

[RiceMonster]

- bajillion different versions of programs (yes, linux, I am looking at you!)

Just curious, what programs are you thinking of?

[etnlIcarus]

YouTube crashing randomly with FF 3.0. Thankfully there was a fix I found here involving installing Adobe Flash 10 beta. Yay!
Oh, you lucky sod. I upgraded to 10 beta for the same reason but it still crashes.

[jakupl]

1. when my computer is standing in the sun... it makes me nervous

[screamingturnip]

1. when my computer is standing in the sun... it makes me nervous

did you put ubuntu on an Asimo? :confused:

[jakupl]

did you put ubuntu on an Asimo? :confused:

haha ok. "is in the sun"

[Trail]

I though while reading this that I was pretty tolerant, then I saw this. Taskbar autohide. I HATE it. Kill it with fire. Please.

I hate HPUX. Nothing works. Every command I want to use it not there. Those that are, have stupid flags, or missing flags I need altogether. Thank god they are abandoning it for Linux...

Also, I quite hate telneting to specific machines when you lose some keyboard buttons (I mean, backspace doesn't work so you need to press Ctrl-H, up arrow does not change to previous command in history, and the like).

I hate it when (eventually) I use windows, and try to mouse-scroll on an inactive window and it doesn't work. And I spend like 5 seconds wondering why.

[Tundro Walker]

My frustrations are mostly software-related ...

* Progress Meters that just roll to denote action without actually racking up progress. Vista (and lazy programmers) are notorious for this crap.

* Computers getting exponentially faster, but still seem just as slow.

* It's the 21st century, but computers still have the occasional random slowdown, lockup, etc.

* Majority of purchasable software these days seems to be defective-by-design (you have to wait for 2nd or 3rd patch before it finally works right) (This problem is usually caused by unrealistic development deadlines caused by publishing companies. EG: get that game out by Christmas, whether it works or not.)

* On that same note, I'm sick of vendors selling a new "version" of their software when it's really just the old version with much-needed bug fixes applied.

* On, on the same note again, vendors who shuffle around their user interface to make their "new" product seem different, when all it's really done is just ruined the mental model the user had of the product, causing a ton of retraining to get used to the new interface.

* Vendors (like Microsoft) that keep adding more and more stupid features to their software that nobody gives a crap about just so they can justify selling a new version

* Vendors (like Microsoft) that charge YOU for tech-support to fix THEIR defective product

* Hardware vendors that can't seem to agree on a standard (hence all this driver fiasco BS)

* Hardware that's defective out of the box (EG: I used to swear by Logitech, but the last two items I got from them I had to take back due to defect)

* Programming languages all want to re-invent the wheel by creating their own syntax using different characters which do the same damn thing. EG: SQL is a supposed ANSI standard, but MS uses % as a wild card for SQL SERVER, while they use * as a wild card for MS Access SQL. Java uses // to comment out lines while VB uses '. They use braces {}, brackets [] or parenthesis () to pretty much do the same thing. It's freaking annoying.

[Dale61]

I've really only got the one annoyance now, and it has everything to do with PEBKAC errors.

[etnlIcarus]

* Vendors (like Microsoft) that keep adding more and more stupid features to their software that nobody gives a crap about just so they can justify selling a new version
The unfortunate truth here is MS don't even try to justify the purchase of the new version of their OS anymore. Instead, they spread FUD against their own old OS, while simultaneously making it difficult to legally attain a copy of that old version OS.

I think Windows feature bloat has more to do with many of Redmond's divisions being bored and having nothing better to do while the core devs rewrote Windows from the inside out. It's just a shame the improvements get buried under the rest of the crap.

[Dixon Bainbridge]

Proprietary standards. Now there's an oxymoron.

[timzak]

My frustrations are mostly software-related ...

* Progress Meters that just roll to denote action without actually racking up progress. Vista (and lazy programmers) are notorious for this crap.

Ha! Good one. As much as I like Antivir free AV program, I always notice during a system scan that it spends half the scanning time progressing from 0% to 99%, then spends the other half of the time getting from 99% to done.

[William Dojinn]

Anyway, I forgot to tell my biggest computer annoyance. I guess it's my friends coming to me complaining about they got some virus or some trojan which mysteriously hides itself in the system and no malware detection software can get rid of. So, I have to format and reinstall windows :-|

*raises hand*

Mine was infected like that last month due to my brother. Even cropped up in safe-mode. Oh and joy of joys. When uncrating the box my family just tossed the restore disk and I couldn't get the 'burn once for your restore cds' program to run.

Ended up using knoppix after I noted what was loading strange settings at starteup (something hidden in recycler, go figure).

Well, its more the family machine than mine else I would've used this as an excuse to drop linux on (as I know enough to explain how to get the family to do what needs doing when everything's up and running).


It didn't help that EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING OFF THE ADMIN ACCOUNT WITH NO SUB-ACCOUNTS SET UP! >.<

[jolx]

Linux l77t elitism.

u wouldnt have meant l337 by any chance :)

i dont like it when catalogs have the wrong info about a product, like a computer desk i saw in an office works catalog saying it had a CPU storage compartment

[Jordanwb]

I've really only got the one annoyance now, and it has everything to do with PEBKAC errors.

Lol PEBKAC.

Since everyone is freaking out over my putting the wrong word in (which is mainly my mistake), I changed it to non standard cabling.

[issueperson]

1. People that assume that since you don't have a Mac, you must be using Windows.
2. Slow boot and operation of an OS
3. OS instability

I called Linksys about a broken router.

"Press 1 if you are using Windows, press 2 if you are using OS X. Please make a selection"

*presses 0*

"I'm sorry, that is not a valid option."

*presses 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0*

"Please hold while I transfer you to an operator."

"Hello, sir? May I ask what operating system you are using?"

"Ubuntu."

"What?"

"Linux."

"What?"

*if you don't know what Linux is, how can you be working tech support...*

[bobbocanfly]

"Your computer has just been updated..do you want to: [Reboot Now] [Wait] (Your system will be rebooted atomatically in 5 minutes)"

Especially annoying when you boot Windows for the first time in ages. While thrashing your disk attempting to get a Desktop up, it also decides it needs to update itself (slowing everything down), then restart my computer for me. Even worse when you are playing a game, the "do you want to reboot" window either pops up underneath the game so suddenly you get rebooted (not good) or minimizes the game (you get killed in the game). Seriously bad design.

[Spike-X]

i dont like it when catalogs have the wrong info about a product, like a computer desk i saw in an office works catalog saying it had a CPU storage compartment

That's one of my annoyances - people who use 'CPU' as an abbreviation for 'computer'.

[Spike-X]

I was in the middle of writing some code and my computer overheated and shutoff. :mad: ....bye bye code
Yeah, people who make no effort to save their work as they go then blame the computer when they lose it all are really annoying.

[L815]

A computer annoyance is having way to many icons on the desktop. Talk about confusion :confused::confused:

[Jordanwb]

*if you don't know what Linux is, how can you be working tech support...*

Did you actually say that?


A computer annoyance is having way to many icons on the desktop. Talk about confusion :confused::confused:

Actually I don't consider that annoying unless a game I play insists on changing the resolution to 640X480. But that's just me.

Another thing for me is if I have uTorrent running on a Windows box, even if there's no torrents running my net connection slows down to a crawl. The second I close uTorrent, bam internet is back up to 7Mb/s.

[kpatz]

"Hello, sir? May I ask what operating system you are using?"You're calling about a problem with a ROUTER. Why would they care what OS you're running?
That's one of my annoyances - people who use 'CPU' as an abbreviation for 'computer'.Or worse yet, calling the computer a "hard drive", or worse yet, a "modem".

PEBCAK - yes. One of my peeves is giving free tech support to people who are (a) too stupid to own a computer and (b) too cheap to pay for my services.

As for some of the things that annoy me to no end:

0. SPAM. I HATE SPAM. Even with eggs. Spammers should be subjected to death by slow torture.

1. ******* making you reboot after simple changes, like changing IP addresses. That or having to reboot after updating an application that has nothing to do with the OS itself, and wasn't even running at the time of the update.

2. OSes that require 2 GB of RAM to run (you know which one I'm talking about)

3. DMCA, and all the crap that started happening after that POS legislation passed. Including DRM schemes, product activation, Windows Genuine Advantage, HDCP, lawsuits, and all manners of copyright abuse.

4. Malware. Especially the kinds that install themselves without your permission and then refuse to be removed short of extreme measures.

5. The fact that a 4.77 MHz 2-floppy PC running DOS booted up and responded to user input faster than today's quad-core 3 GHz screamer running a "modern" OS.

6. Cheap SATA cables/connectors that act up anytime they're touched.

7. Websites that "disable" right-clicking. Such sites get scripting "disabled" in my browser.

8. The Windows registry. A stupid idea from the get go.

9. Websites that make you enter a password without letting you "save" the password in the browser.

10. Cables, in general. Whether standard or not, it seems like every type has a completely different connector, if only to be different from everyone else. And just about every connector type has its annoying characteristics. For example, why do USB cables have different connectors on each end? SATA cables/connectors tend to be flimsy (at least the cables that come with mobos). And when something new comes along (HDMI comes to mind), what do they do, they come up with an entirely new connector/cable for it, instead of using something tried and true, such as coax with BNC connectors. Drives me batty sometimes, especially when I can't find the cable I need.

[jespdj]

On my desktop PC, the automatic updates of Windows Vista don't work anymore, and I also can't install Service Pack 1.

Whenever I want to install an update or SP1, I get an error code with a vague description. Searching for the error code on Internet lead me to a page in Microsoft's knowledge base, which indicates that even Microsoft doesn't know what this error means. They suggest some vague things like rebooting and doing a disk check, which came up with no errors and doesn't solve the problem.

I guess I'll have to reinstall Windows to make it sane again.

Getting errors like that which don't have any solution are very annoying.

If it were open source, then at least I could try to dive into the source code myself. But with a proprietary system like Windows there's really nothing I can do.

[solitaire]

I've one MAJOR annoyance....

Unhelpful error messages (BIOS & Windows I'm looking in your direction)

Windows example:
Illegal operation: <unknown>
<unknown> caused an illegal operation in module <unknown>.

The old classic
BIOS
Keyboard error : not present. Press f1 to continue.

[Jordanwb]

I've one MAJOR annoyance....

Unhelpful error messages (BIOS & Windows I'm looking in your direction)

Personally I look at Linux OS's as well. On one PC running Arch + Gnome I got some error when I plugged in my USB drive. The problem was probably something small but still. The error didn't tell me anything. As a contrast I got a message when I tried to mount a NTFS partition in Ubuntu. It told me the problem and how to fix it, all in the error message.

[Kvark]

The ones that come to mind and I don't think have been mentioned already are:

1. Mixed Swedish and English. For example Ubuntu wants me to put my documents in /home/kvark/Dokument and after a "sudo apt-get..." command sudo says "[sudo] password for kvark:", then apt-get says "Läser paketlistor... Färdig". This constant language switching is distracting.

2. Spell checking in Open Office, Gedit, Firefox and everywhere marks many correct words as incorrect. In English you sometimes combine words (website, firewall, keyboard) but you usually don't (packet lists, operating system, web browser). In Swedish you always combine these words even when there are more than 2 (stolphålsborrmaskinstågvagn = poleholedrillmachinetraincar, a train car with a machine that drills holes for poles), not combining words is an error. If a combination sounds awkward you solve that by adding or removing letters. So one of the problems is that to handle Swedish a spell checker must be programmed to accept the millions of possible correct combinations of words and mark uncombined words as errors.

3. Games that don't have a way to configure controls in the game. The first thing I want to do with a new game is take a quick look at what the controls are. Most open source games I've tried lack easily customizable controls. Random blind button smashing isn't fun.

4. Windows that are full sized even when they are not maximized. I still click the maximize button several times before remembering why nothing happens when you unmaximize some windows.

5. Apt-cache search does not show which of the listed pages are currently installed.

6. GTK's save/open dialogs don't follow Gnome's settings for single/double click. I remember searching for a solution 3 or 4 years ago and found a bug report with what someone said was a working patch (I didn't know how to try it) that was several years old back then but it has still not been fixed.

7. Gedit refuses to open files that are not valid UTF8 files. Yes it is possible that I'm being stupid and trying to open something that will look like garbage but show me the garbage then. less can view them so it's not like it's impossible.

[katgfan]

Windows update that always popping-up to ask to restart your computer while your working.

---

Browsing pages on my beloved Opera and is not displaying the content at all. But work perfectly on IE and Firefox.

example: http://en.beijing2008.cn/. Clicking on game reports will sometimes display blank pages on Opera.

---

Browsing pages that tell you that they prefer certain browsers.

---

Website Intro flash, which I usually skip.

[Joeb454]

Linux...

;)

[Jordanwb]

Windows update that always popping-up to ask to restart your computer while your working.

Oh yeah that's incredibly annoying.


Browsing pages that tell you that they prefer certain browsers.

Do you mean "For the best experience use {Browser} at {Resolution}."?


Website Intro flash, which I usually skip.

I hate flash altogether.

[Shippou]

1. Imgkulot - a .vbs virus popular here in the Philippines. It pissed me off and made me switch to Linux. (I'm glad for that though).

2. Windows reboot. It is so annoying when anytime you install an application, Windows makes you reboot.

3. Automatic updates with reboot at the end required. Complete this with a timer that will shut your computer down for 4 minutes (without a stop button or restart later) you'll be pissed.

4. Ubuntu not coming with mp3 support. That's why I'm using Mint right now.

5. Ubuntu and Kubuntu 8.04 not working. Same comment as in 4.

6. Adobe flash player not compatible with x64 computers.

7. OpenOffice. I have a somewhat a grudge against the app (no flames please). See my poll here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=895190

8. Windows. well, maybe excepting Windows 3.1. I would like to see it.

9. Compiz slow without video card. Well, this is somewhat absurd, but still annoying.

10. People insisting Windows is the best. Sorry, I am a Linux fan. :)



Oh, and BSoD of course. In Linux, Kernel Panic. Haven't experienced the latter though, the former only once.

[Raffles10]

"Gnome Settings Daemon Failed To Start"

Tried all the fixes, still happens.

Really annoying.:confused:

Even thinking about trying another distro'.

[billgoldberg]

1. azerty keyboard layout

I was teached together with the rest of the country how to use an azerty keyboard layout.

Most of the time it isn't a big deal.

But it doesn't have a tilde sign (~).

I'm sure you know why it's bugging me.

2. synaptic slowness

Title says it all.

It's ok on my computer, but on older machines it unusable.

3. keyboard shortcuts on gnome and kde

Why not have something like xkeybinds installed by default?

4. ubuntu changing names

I'm sure most of you also feel this way.

You read the instructions on how to compile something and can't find the needed packages because the ubuntu devs changed the name.

That's about all I can come up with for the moment.

Those complaints are really minor issues.

I'm infinitively more annoyed when people doesn't know the basics of the computer they have been using for years.

Like a friend payed €50 to some "friend of a friend" who repairs computers in his spare time to reinstall windows.

When I asked him why he didn't let me do it for free (well, a few beers :p) he said he wanted to make sure it got done properly.

My blood started boiling.

He didn't realize how trivially easy it is to back up some files and reinstall windows xp (he even had the drivers disks).

[HappyHenry]

8: Web pages that pull you back

I don't know what this is called but it's like this:

Step 1: Go to google, search for a topic, Get results
Step 2: Click on a result. Find out it's not the desired page and you click back. Despite clicking back you return to the same page. My dad has been annoyed by this too and rightfully so.

The solution for me is to click the Recent Pages button (right, next to your Back and Forward buttons). That gives you a list of....recent pages. I then just click on the original Google search results page.

My demons are;

1) Power adapters that take up more than one plug and have to be inserted upside down. As in, the weight of the adapter pulls down and levrages the adapter out of the wall socket.

2) That I went and got a 64bit processor and still have not seen a game or any software of any sort that actually is using the 64bit system. Uh...why do I have this LOL. Sure I can run more apps at once but I was thinking software would take advantage as well and they would have more data flow.

[Dale61]

The solution for me is to click the Recent Pages button (right, next to your Back and Forward buttons). That gives you a list of....recent pages. I then just click on the original Google search results page.

Or, when on the Google results page, right click on the link and open the page in a new tab. If that isn't what you are looking for, just close that tab and the results page is as you left it.

[HappyHenry]

8: Web pages that pull you back

I don't know what this is called but it's like this:

Step 1: Go to google, search for a topic, Get results
Step 2: Click on a result. Find out it's not the desired page and you click back. Despite clicking back you return to the same page. My dad has been annoyed by this too and rightfully so.

The solution for me is to click the Recent Pages button (right, next to your Back and Forward buttons). That gives you a list of....recent pages. I then just click on the original Google search results page.

My demons are;

1) That I went and got a 64bit processor and still have not seen a game or any software of any sort that actually is using the 64bit system. Uh...why do I have this LOL. Sure I can run more apps at once but I was thinking software would take advantage as well and they would have more data flow.More data = more info = faster processes, more processes = Shock And Awe software. Am I wrong? Shouldn't the software be blowing our socks of with speed or processes? I do remember hearing a a video card maker was going to use it but ...so what....wheres the software that will take advantage of it?

2) Propriety hardware drivers. Common, who, what does the manufacture think this protects them from. Not the thieves!? There is ALWAYS!!! another way to steal it! It only stops the purchase by people with other than Windows OSs. Really if you could sell some hardware to all OS purchasers, that would make up for any loss in....whatever the heck you think you are protecting! Like gun control, it only stops the legal user not the criminal. Please I do not mean to enrage gun control issues I just am using the fact that it can not be controlled in the criminal mind, they will continue to break any law that stands in there lazy butt selfish ways.

3) All the time I have to spend venting my anger for companies on blogs. I dont think it will do much good in getting the companies to, rise up into, my more industrious, (lol) way of thinking.:lolflag:

[billgoldberg]

Or, when on the Google results page, right click on the link and open the page in a new tab. If that isn't what you are looking for, just close that tab and the results page is as you left it.

Or just middle click the link to open in a new tab.

I alway open links in a new tab. So I avoid those sites that want to keep you hostage :p .

[Dale61]

Or just middle click the link to open in a new tab.

I alway open links in a new tab. So I avoid those sites that want to keep you hostage :p .

Yeah, middle click is another option, but as my mouse often has a mind of it's own, I sometimes middle click and it opens 6 new tabs, all of the same page.

[HappyHenry]

Ouch!

[youngalfred]

1. Users. Him: "My computer starts up waaaay to slow" Me: "You've got Limewire, Myspace IM, Windows Live Messenger, Beebo, and Facebook starting at boot! Of course it's #$%& slow!!!!!"

2. The little cubbyholes with no airflow that people put their desktops in then complain that their computer fried itself. Honestly i pulled one out that had an inch of dust covering every single vent.

3. OS-bashers who havn't used the OS. There are so many Vista haters out there that have never used it. It is not that bad. It has many good features, and it does introduce the average user to work with less priveleges.

4. Ok one that is actually computer related. Activesync sucks. So does the new Mobile Device Centre. Can we please get a syncing solution for pocket pc's that actually works?

[hessiess]

(1) windows
(2) the obsession with white backgrounds
(3) OS,s that hide too much from the user
(4) graphical effects

[pp.]

Or, when on the Google results page, right click on the link and open the page in a new tab. If that isn't what you are looking for, just close that tab and the results page is as you left it.

Or, in Google's Preferences (http://www.google.ch/preferences?hl=en), set "Open search results in a new browser window" to true.

[mike1234]

I can relate to the majority of experiences here, the annoying Googling results, the Windows update reboot,etc. One of the most annoying things I have experienced about MS? I have an original XP pro cd from around 2002 I believe. No SP1 or SP2. When I do occasionally decide to install it, it says my product is no longer valid, because I have "installed it too many times". Excuse me? Maybe if it didn't crash 10 times a year and require a fresh install, I would be okay. It's absurd how EULA retains the right to decide if I can install it. I thought because I bought it with my money, I owned it. (silly me). A call to MS (usually a little heated) will get you a new key. But it's a one shot deal. Do not try to use it at a later time. I've also had this happen because I removed one of my optical drives and rebooted. Guess what happened? I had to call MS again. :( It's no wonder so many users hate MS. Then there is the adware, virus hassles. That pretty much sums up my decision to permanently move to Linux. Another annoying thing is friends and family, or co-workers who always have a computer "problem" that needs looked at. I don't mind it sometimes. But I have this one "friend" who thinks I should maintain his business PC for a few measly dollars.

Most of these people would have a coronary if they called Geek Squad. I think they charge around $300 to make a house call. Call them I say, you won't hurt my feelings you cheap .......


M.

[LookTJ]

Yes, that is enormously annoying. I have found that clicking the back button several times in rapid succession usually gets you back (though of course you'll always click it so many times, in sheer frustration, that you'll end up several pages back)
Basically you would only need to double click once.

[Eisenwinter]

I can't think of a top 10, but I can come up with one big annoyance.

When the screensaver activates while I'm playing SuperTux.
This takes the focus out of the SuperTux window, and then brings it into it again in the span of about 1 second.
This has caused me many times to lose at levels when playing the game, very annoying.

[danbuter]

Pop-ups. Of any kind, but especially the "SpySweeper has downloaded updates" variety.
Just general unresponsiveness.
Forum guys who have been there too long. They see a thread from a newb that is often repeated, and instead of helping, just post "Search the forums" or even better, some varient of "You're a newb".

[HappyHenry]

co-workers who always have a computer "problem" that needs looked at. I don't mind it sometimes. But I have this one "friend" who thinks I should maintain his business PC for a few measly dollars.

Most of these people would have a coronary if they called Geek Squad. I think they charge around $300 to make a house call. Call them I say, you won't hurt my feelings you cheap .......


M.

That leads me to a list of aggravations for all those friends who consider me/us there personal Friendly Tech Support (FTS)

1. Don't call FTS,two minutes after I leave from work. I can't drive, figure out what you can't do, what you've done, want to do and how I'm going to convince you your machine wont blow up from an email as I drive home thinking of my family and work. Wait until I have had time to get home and say hi to the family, at least.;)

2. Don't call for help with the same problem two or three times a week. Get a note book and write the solution down.](*,)

3. Just because you have a patient friend don't assume you can build a new PC and call that, FTS to walk you through it all tonight.:evil:

4. If your FTS says, " let me come over tomorrow, it will be easier to show you," don't say, "Oh no, just tell me what to do.I want to learn it myself" Some things take way more time than FTS can give you on a phone call at there home, with there family. IT WILL be easier and of more benefit to you learning, if I COME OVER TOMORROW, really!#-o
5. Don't argue with your FTS, if you dont trust your FTS call Geek Squad pay the money. (If paying them makes you trust 'em more or at least stop you from contradicting them, just pay me something or take me and my wife out for dinner some time. I mean if thats how trust works in your world.#-o

Now really I will admit it is a nice feeling to help some one. Every thing i've learned is because someone took the time to help me. At the very least a web forum entry or blog some where etc. We all have to learn some time and that means we all should share what we can. I just wanted to explain, your FTS has other people in there lives and as many problems as everyone so, give 'em a little extra patience. After all, a good friendship must be worth a little extra patience as compared to the cost of having a complete stranger handling something as personal as your PC data and settings. right?

[tel93]

1. Processors over 700MHz. They're so overrated. My K6-2 does me fine.
2. Stallman. Sure, I'll help save the world or whatever the hell using exclusively free software is supposed to do, but I also want to listen to my MP3s.
3. Bloons. I hate that game.
4. Internet explorer. It just keeps on crashing, and crashing, and crashing. Nothing out-crashes Internet Explorer.
5. Desktop environments. They are absolutely unstable, not to mention slow.
6. OpenOffice.org
7. Tiling window managers. Inefficient and give you RSI that's nearly as bad as what Emacs gives you.
8. Emacs. You know that warning label printed on your computer? In English, that means "Emacs will cause health problems".
9. Vim. How do you quit?
10. Desktop icons. Just use keybindings! Oh wait, your fancy graphical environment doesn't even support them!

[Jordanwb]

I got a couple of more, again in no particular order:

1: "Are you sure you ...?" messages in any form
2: Programs that ask me if I want to save despite I didn't edit anything
3: Programs that whine that a folder is Read Only when it isn't (N4S HP2 and RCT3 I'm looking at you)
4: Programs that take 2 freaking hours to install (Microsoft Visual Studio/Adobe CS3 I'm looking at you)
5: Product keys
6: I have this DOS based program from Maxtor (now Seagate), that let's you perform a low level format on your hard drive. Now my laptop doesn't have a floppy drive. When it's finished formating the program whines that it can't write to the CD. Now that's a valid reason to whine, but what annoys me is that there's no reason to write to anything but the screen and/or hard drive(s).
7: Adobe flash (oh wait I already said that. I still hate it, and what's more is I have to take a course on it at College)
8: "Skip this ad" especially with Flash, 'nuff said.

[HappyHenry]

Another one. Jordanwb reminded me about Flash. Ditto for what he/she stated about Adobe Flash.
BUT
I add to that:
All the advertisement that is directed by the thought, "how do I convince a purchaser that they want and need the service I want to sell."
There was a more honorable time, when people/companies sold items the public already had a want/need for. The advertisement companies job was to let people know it was available and how/where it was available. There job was not, nor, should now be one of trying to convince us we want or need the item. Awe greed in a capitalist driven economy, ya gotta love/hate it. I dont care what you want, i want to seel it so believe me you need to buy it!

My subject seems a little off track except; Windows/Microsoft continues to try and convince/conform the masses that there products are wanted/needed. In reality Linux/Ubuntu DOES EVERY thing i NEED to do. That points me to blame the real reason Linux/Ubuntu isn't more widely used and accepted is the advertisement of it is not being shoveled out like other OS's. I think thats also one of the smaller reasons I like it. Linux/Ubuntu is less contaminated than other OSs in many ways.

[ice60]

the worst thing is DNS servers, my ISP uses an old ZX-80 for all it's dns so i have to use opendns, i timed a page taking over an hour and a half to load once with tiscali's dns.

every 6 weeks or so opendns gets slow, LIKE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!, it's not that bad right now, but pages are taking 3 or 4 times longer than they should! the second page of this thread took 12 seconds to load a minute a go, but most are faster. youtube pages are taking 4 or 5 seconds today. it only normally lasts for about 24 hours though.

[Irihapeti]

"Advanced" users who hijack a beginner's thread to discuss either:

(a) some very obscure aspect of the question

or

(b) a strongly-held belief about the topic, which the poor newbie wasn't expecting.

It's happened to me, but not on these forums.