You say you want a revolution? Well, you know, I’d rather have a browser that worked.
“Revolutionary” is not how I’d describe this. I’ve seen installers crash before. No doubt I will see it again.
Posts Tagged ‘windows’
I’ve read articles on remapping keys on Windows, but here’s a handy command line utility that makes the registry changes for you: Windows Scan code remapper. No idea if this works on Vista, but I’d imagine so. Especially useful for VMware Fusion.
In a cygwin package called (appropriately enough) chere, there’s a tool to add a command for opening a bash prompt from a Windows folder. It’ll even install a cmd here, though not one for PowerShell. (Thanks to Weiqi Gao, for writing up a great post on this.)
And here I thought it was just a more advanced, more annoying version of cmd (that I’m hoping supports UNC paths1).
But Microsoft seems to think it’s something else entirely. I’m not sure what, though. But whatever it is, it’s really really freaking dangerous.
Of course, PowerShell did not destroy my computer. That wasn’t the point. The point was that Microsoft’s fear mongering was over the top. There’s no good reason for an installer to recommend that the user close all other programs. As for backups, the user should be doing regular backups anyway. There’s no reason the PowerShell installer in specific should be dangerous.
I find installer text reminding me to do a backup to be an admission that the installer is not safe. If it’s not safe, pull it until you have one that you’re sure is safe. Disclaimers like this might make sense for service packs, but not for installing an additional shell.
- Oddly enough, bash from cygwin supports UNC paths. [↩]
I decided to take Microsoft up on their offer of a free toaster. A few screens in to the installer, I see this:
Cool! So I get to click some of these options, right? I click Use recommended settings:
That’s odd, I muse. That option must be incompatible with the others for some reason. So I turn it off and try the next option, Install definition updates only1.
At this point, I turn off the option and try the third option, Ask me later. I know what’s going to happen, I just can’t quite believe it. Nobody’s this stupid, right? Wrong.
And there you have it. When Microsoft first chipped the Windows logo in to cave walls, they must have chipped a check box under it.
I feel almost guilty pointing out Microsoft’s stupidities. It’s a bit like kicking a puppy. A puppy that when you stop kicking it will pee on your carpet, round the corners of your furniture with its teeth, bite your friends and dry hump your leg, but still a puppy.
- Who writes these option names, anyway? Terribly complicated! [↩]
Microsoft offers a variety of exciting offers through “Windows Genuine Advantage Offers.”
I’m leaning towards the toaster.
Read about the recall of a Windows XP security patch.