The 5 most annoying programs on your PC...

[Mini-Me]

This is quite interesting...

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/01/01/the-5-most-annoying-programs-on-your-pc/

[awaj]

yeah, I never would have thought Outlook would be on that list. I understand that Office 2007 is really messed, but not that mesed up.

[SufferWell1396]

gah. Real Player made the list.
I for one favor Real Player. Real Player is a good media player, or atleast 11 is.
Theres no crap bundled with it, and it will ask you if you want superpass or real player gold at install, but thats all ive heard of it.
If you think Real Player is annoying, then so is WinAmp with Bento skin. Theyre basically the same with the features.
Though i do favor WinAmp to Real Player, if WinAmp freaks out and doesnt work for some reason or other, i go to Real Player.

[Mini-Me]

Truth be told, neither did I.
However, i sill prefer webmail such as Yahoo, or if I need an e-mail client, I always use Thunderbird.

As for Foxit vs Adobe, I have just obliterated Adobe reader and installed Foxit, and I think I have found a new bit of software to fall in love with.

Foxit is wonderful - extremely fast and easy to use too.

I really recommend anyone reading this who hates the long startup of Adobe reader(something that has annoyed me for YEARS), then uninstall Adobe reader and get Foxit in your machine.

I find it intensely interesting that 3rd party software houses are providing better applications then the original authors of the concept.

Firefox vs IE(ANY version)
Thunderbird vs Outlook or MS Mail
Zoom Player vs MS-Mediaplayer
Pandora vs iTunes
Real Alternative vs Real Player

The list goes on, and all the alternatives run like a rocket on only modest hardware, whereas the "Authentic" applications suck more resources then a computer vampire.

Come to think of it, Vista and all of the above "Authentic" applications ARE computer vampires: They suck a computers' resources dry...

I really do hate Real Player with such a vengeance, that I simply don't use it.
I convert any RM media I want to another format and use something else to play it. It's a pig. The bit I hate so much with RP, is it's attempts to constantly try to take over all your media for itself - as mentioned in the link - even if you turn off these "Features", they seem to re-enable themselves after a few days, and start asking to take over your files again.
:mad:

[jlreich]

I stopped using RP years ago. Nothing but junk. All the big media players are like that. i- will take over your computer -tunes, quick- look away while I get a sample of you DNA -time...

They all suck for one reason or the other.

VLAN or Media Player Classic for me. I still have WMP 10, but rarely use it and will not upgrade to 11.

[123456]

RP sucks. I prefer WinAMP, never fails on me and manages my 5,500+ songs well. iTunes was good until 7 came along. I hate using it now.

[mr soft]

I love the descriptions :D

If you think itunes is bad try using music match , it´s unfortunately the only program I can use to transfer to philips go gear.
Opening a pdf on a 56k conn. could be no 6.
I´ll have to check out foxit

[PrntRhd]

Kodak Easy Share software is my favorite for annoyance, my wife's PC not mine.
It insists on running itself on startup menu, and is generally piggish on resource usage.

[bassman]

And how, oh please tell us how, can you justify a message search that scans a folder at the same speed we do?
ROFLMAO :D :D

As for their comment on "Downgrading" to Vista, I have had nothing but simplicity and joy using Vista. The ONLY problem I have had is when I first set up this comp. Installing ZA produced a blue screen which promptly restarted the system and all was fine.

[Mini-Me]

ROFLMAO :D :D

As for their comment on "Downgrading" to Vista, I have had nothing but simplicity and joy using Vista. The ONLY problem I have had is when I first set up this comp. Installing ZA produced a blue screen which promptly restarted the system and all was fine.

What are your system specs and what version of Vista are you using?
Basic?
Just curious.

...and you have no problems playing media and/or DVD's?

[bassman]

Brand new Acer Aspire 5100 laptop, AMD Turion TL-50 1.6, 2 gig RAM, 120 Gig HDD. Vista Home premium. When I originally bought this, it had 1 gig RAM and ran fine, but it was obvious I could use more. My wifes is slightly less machine and came with 512, Vista Home Basic. It needed help so I bought a 2 gig kit for me and put my 1 in hers. We are both quite happy with general performance. I have no problems with music, video, DVD playback, site performance,... At least nothing I can blame on the machine itself. Windows Media Center is a pig and it is tied to Acer's Media Center, but I just don't use them.
I have also disabled a number of things that everyone is complaining about Vista having as part of the bloat so I am running a bit cleaner then most. I need to get back to the lists of things to turn off and clean her out a bit more.

[Mini-Me]

Have you found a way to disable or disintegrate the any/all of Vista's DRM?
This is the main thing stopping me from looking at Vista.
The next thing, is the massive amount of RAM needed for the basic version.
While I can see why you need 2GB of RAM for the Aero GUI, 2GB of RAM for basic 2d windows is crazy, IMHO. There are versions of Linux which run like a rocket on modest hardware with 1GB...

It would be a great help, I think, if you or anyone else in the know, were to write an article for PC GUIDE, or even just a forum thread on how you can turn off as many of the annoying things in Vista as you know about. I think that would be useful for Vista users.

[mjc]

2GB of RAM for basic 2d windows is crazy,


There is no such critter any longer...

All graphics in Vista are of the 3d variety, whether it looks that way or not.

[jlreich]

It would be a great help, I think, if you or anyone else in the know, were to write an article for PC GUIDE, or even just a forum thread on how you can turn off as many of the annoying things in Vista as you know about. I think that would be useful for Vista users.
Black Viper has returned and taken on vista (http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm).

[bassman]

Black Vipers site is where I got most of my information. He has already done the work for us. Give him a donation if you can ;) As for turning off the DRM, I do not know a whole lot about that but it is my understanding that DRM is an integral part of the media you are using. Disabling Vista's ability in this will disable the media you have.
This whole DRM thing is a bit over my head. I have used or helped others fix after using, a number of online media sources. What I figured out is they are all a bunch of C$@&. The license backups, re-issuing, and mis-interpreted use of something you have paid for is absolutely ridiculous to me. I just by the CD's and enjoy. I have had no problems with Vista in playing anything that was ripped from a CD. I will not pollute this machine DL garbage. Even Walmart has P!$$#& me off in regards to this.
deeeeeepppppp breath

[bassman]

On another note-
The amount of minimum RAM has been an issue with every new generation of hardware and OS. We have always had to double to get to the next new thing.

[Mini-Me]

I hear what you are all saying about the RAM thing.
I am just one of those people who feels that the market is definitely being peddled by MS mainly, but also the hardware vendors.

Explain to me, why you need 2GB of RAM just to draw windows.
2d, 3d or not - it's just window graphics, not a super-effects computer.

Explain to me why every version of Windows needs more and more RAM.
The next version of Windows will need 4GB - watch it happen.

I'm not a believer in the fact that just cos MS say so, it is what needs to be done. With respect to Windows, I suppose I must concede, but technically, there should be no need for all that RAM requirement just to run a basic machine, and run it fast.

I know this post may annoy some of you, and I hope that is not the case, and I suppose I too will eventually HAVE to make the change, but while I can still take a breath and lift my fist, i will fight it as I think it is crazy to need that much RAM for day-to-day computer tasks.

[bassman]

while I can still take a breath and lift my fist
:D :D LOL. Easy there friend. It is just advancing technology after all. I do agree with you in this respect, the programs keep getting more and more bloated, therefore the resource demands keep increasing. If the developers made the OS and utility progs lighter, we would need less resources. But that aint neva gonna happen. Even Linux distros have grown and require more. As our need for more power, throughput, and storage management increase, so will the guts of the programs that handle all of it.
Let me ask you this, would you be happy driving a model T to work in todays world? Would an Edsel be practical in todays world?
just a lil food for thought.

[kpmwrestler]

well not really a program, but.... windows takes first place in annoying.

[awaj]

I wouldn't mind driving a model T to what ever (since I don't technically have a Job being a student) te only problem is that I don't think they are street legal for going on highways... Good analogies though. It would really be nice for programmers to create more functionality with less space.

[Mini-Me]

Let me ask you this, would you be happy driving a model T to work in todays world? Would an Edsel be practical in todays world?
just a lil food for thought.

Actually, I wouldn't mind.
I love old cars - much more class and style then your average Toyota.
The Edsel is a bit ugly at the front, but I love 50's 60's and 70's cars.
I hate these modern all-rounded-at-the-corners cars.

Oh dear...
:(

Looks like there are some parallels there too!!!
:p

[johnny_quest]

I hate these modern all-rounded-at-the-corners cars.


yeah screw aerodynamics, I want my car to handle like a brickwall in a hurricane :D

[Mini-Me]

yeah screw aerodynamics, I want my car to handle like a brickwall in a hurricane :D

Heh, heh.
:p

It's a personal thing, that's all.

While I can certainly appreciate that the aerodynamics are far better in a round-at-the-corners car of today over the older cars, I still think the older ones have more style.
:D

As for the hurricane, I think that a brick wall would be a good thing for preventing you from getting blown away!!!!
;)

[mjc]

Why has nobody mentioned that the most annoying program on a PC, ever, is the OS...it doesn't really matter which one, they are all infuriating at times?

[Ajmukon]

BSOD (PC, PSP, PS3), RSOD (PSP), BBOD [beach ball of death] (Apple) RROD (Xbox360).... the list is endless

[awaj]

yeah, I would have to agree. The programs them selves aren't entirely too bad. If things start to really slow down, then you know you have a problem with the OS usually, not the program it self

[Mini-Me]

Why has nobody mentioned that the most annoying program on a PC, ever, is the OS...it doesn't really matter which one, they are all infuriating at times?

kpmwrestler mentioned Windows in post #19!!!
:)