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25 March 2013

Microsoft Continues The Tradition

The tradition of making dreadful software with extremely broad distribution, that is.  I recently purchased a Windows 8 laptop (my current one is periodically providing warning signs that it is on death's door).

Windows 8 may not quite reach the utter low of Windows Vista, but it is decidely an inferior product to Windows 7 or Windows XP (albeit with the admirable goal of standardizing user interfaces across different kinds of devices).

It doesn't help that factory install prominently features the Bing search engine, the most vile piece of malware ever to touted as legitimate software.  Bing is what Google might have been but for the company's "don't be evil" motto.  (And, when Bing isn't actually functioning as malware itself, it seeks out its cousins: "Nearly two-thirds of search results on Bing were found to have links that spread malware or spam, compared to 30 percent for Google[.]") 

My middle school aged son asked me in the car today if there is anyone out there who sincerely thinks Bing is better than Google, a possiblity that seemed as impossible to him as a military without guns.

Everything Microsoft touches seems to instantly turn to shit.  It should quit while it is still ahead and just stop already.

2 comments:

  1. Go to NewEgg.com and buy Windows 7 and install it on your new computer.

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  2. I've only recommended people try Windows 8 with touchscreen laptops -- hopefully yours is one of those. Without that it's not a great experience.

    If you want to return to a more Windows 7 like UI try installing Start8 (Stardock makes it I think.) Very reasonably priced at $5 and you get your start menu back.

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