Microsoft offers to just 'Fix it'
Summary
When you've got a problem with your PC, you usually have to search for a post from someone else who has suffered from a similar glitch. Now Microsoft Fix It wants to solve the problem for you.
Topics
When people encounter a problem with their PC, they often go to the Web and do a search to see if others have had the problem. If they are lucky, someone has found a fix and listed the steps on either a support document or within a user forum.
Now, they may have an even better option.
Over the past six weeks, Microsoft has quietly added a "Fix it" button to a few of the thousands of help documents on its Web site. When clicked, the computer then takes all the recommended steps automatically.
An example of the "Fix it" button that has started showing up in some Microsoft help documents, offering users a one-click solution.
"If we know what those 15 steps are why shouldn't we just script it," said Lori Brownell, Microsoft's general manager of product quality and online support
The "Fix it" option is still fairly rare, showing up in around 100 different help documents. The effort is growing rapidly, though, up from just four such fixes when the program quietly began in December.
Microsoft continues to offer users the option of doing things on their own if they either don't trust Microsoft or just like being in control.
"We're not trying to hide anything," she said.
The first fixes included a number of common issues, including restoring a missing Internet Explorer icon to the desktop, how to enable the DVD library in Vista's Windows Media Center as well as what to do when encountering the error message in Street & Trips 2008 that "Construction information for routes could not be downloaded"
For now, Microsoft is having to go back and search its archives to see which of its problem solving tips can be automated. Eventually, it hopes to create the automated fixes at the same time the help articles are created.
Where it can, Microsoft is also adding the "Fix it" option into the error reporting tool built into Windows. Initially, all users could do when a program crashed was send a report to Microsoft. More recently, the system has started checking to see if there is any information on the issue. Next up, said Brownell, is offering the option to have the issue solved automatically.
Long term, the company has even broader hopes.
While it would like to just eliminate bugs and glitches, Brownell said that is not an attainable goal.
"We'd love for our customers to never have problems," she said. "We'll never ship bug-free software as hard as we try."
Instead, she said she is aiming for a day when Microsoft's products themselves will be able to spot problems and proactively offer fixes. As an example, she noted that in Exchange, it's a pretty safe bet that once one gets low on disk space, bad things will happen. Making sure that users take action before problems occur is an example where the company is headed.
Another example, she said, would be for Microsoft to be able to notify users if they are running two drivers that others have found to conflict with one another. Assuming the appropriate privacy safeguards were in place, Brownell said it would be great for the user to be alerted and offered a fix before a problem occurred.
That proactive world is still largely a vision rather than a reality. That said, Brownell said that the company is putting in place some of the plumbing necessary to make such things possible.
With Windows 7, Microsoft has added an "action center" that Brownell said offers the underlying capability needed to serve up fixes within the operating system. She said that she would expect some opportunities for that over the life of the product, though the current beta version of Windows 7 has few examples of that.
Personally, I'd just like to see the "Fix it" button extended to other areas of my life. I'd really like one that would make travel plans, fill out my expense reports and hire a plumber. That would make me (and my partner) much happier.
For what would you like to see a "fix it" button?
This article by Ina Fried was originally published on CNET News.com.
Talkback Most Recent of 66 Talkback(s)
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Message from the future... "HELP! My Fix It button is BROKEN!"
I guess I really am an Oracle. 
T1Oracle5th Feb 2009 -
the mother of all fixes
1.Download and burn a Linux distro on a cd.
2.Format your drive and install Linux.
Linux Geek5th Feb 2009 -
LOL...
Now that's a giant step backwards!
http://www.linux.com/articles/30873
How's that working out for you guys? Oh, I forgot, desktop Linux is now down to a staggaring zero point eight three percent.
You guys are WINNING!!!!!
Linux: The Ultimate Epic Fail
The good news is now that Linux marketshare is going down again, we would need to listen less and less to people like you.
Qbt5th Feb 2009 -
This is why Linux will continue to fail on the desktop.
This is a good read if you want to understand the Windows/*nix culture war. Having worked in both camps this article pretty much nails it.
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/Biculturalism.html
"The very fact that the Unix world is so full of self-righteous cultural superiority, "advocacy," and slashdot-karma-whoring sectarianism while the Windows world is more practical ("yeah, whatever, I just need to make a living here") stems from a culture that feels itself under siege, unable to break out of the server closet and hobbyist market and onto the mainstream desktop."
I love the phrase "slashdot-karma-whoring sectarianism". It made me giggle.
Duke E. Love5th Feb 2009 -
obviously that article writer has issues...
with some Linux fanboy he knows.
I've never met a Linux fan like that. But it is hard to keep fighting the good fight when people are so apathetic and don't care about humanity as a whole, only themselves. That quote says it all: "yeah, whatever, I just need to make a living here."
True, everyone needs to make a living, but I think the more important issue is advancing technology, medicine, science, etc. and making a better world for all humanity. Linux is part of that, as is all open-source software and standardized hardware. You can rag on me all you want for pushing for Linux, but I'll say "yeah, whatever, I just want to make the world a better place."
Larsix5th Feb 2009 -
Really? Never met one like that?
I've never met a Linux fan like that.
Really? Check out the link for some that exist right on this very site.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=+&as_epq=&as_oq=opensource_user01+%22linux+geek%22&as_eq=&num=100&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=zdnet.com&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=off
Better yet, a couple of posts down is this one.
http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-9595-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=60473&messageID=1111890
MGP25th Feb 2009 -
ROFL... You forgot one..
Our perenial favorite - Donnieboy...! Granted, he's been a bit quiet of late... But he still pops in from time to time.
Wolfie2K36th Feb 2009 -
RTFA did we?
No, we just make generalizations based on a blurb. That is what I am going to rag on you about. Joel is a brilliant btw. He runs the ultimate geek company. You would know that if you RTFA. He gives mad props to the FOSS crowd in the article that you didn't even bother to read.Duke E. Love5th Feb 2009 -
Get over yourself
>> but I think the more important issue is advancing technology, medicine, science, etc. and making a better world for all humanity. Linux is part of that, as is all open-source software and standardized hardware.
Yes you are deep. Much deeper than ANY Windohz user could EVAR be. Long walks on the beach, DEEP, DEEP conversations about the meaning of life, love and humanity... and if everyone used linux the world would be unicorns and rainbows forever. I long for a person like you!!
Hold my hand young freetard and together we shall defeat those evil people that want to get **** done.
XXOXOXOX
Capt Buzz KillingtonDuke E. Love5th Feb 2009 -
Alone if not in a Crowd
LOL - Linux as part of the whole PC movement. Any social progress is measured by how its increases the public ownership and participation -- i.e. the PC index.
PC advocates -- People who get very alarmed if everyone doesn't conform and join in a big group hug.
Like mice that attack their young for smelling different. And lemmings that run over the cliff edge together when excessive population kicks off the instinct.
wellduh6th Feb 2009 -
If you want to make the world a better place...
Sitting in mom's basement hacking Linux isn't the way.
Better join the peace corps or Unicef, volunteer for a local charity -- or better yet -- get a real, paying job and contribute a portion of your salary to a worthy charity.
Marty R. Milette5th Mar 2009 -
Oh brother
but I think the more important issue is advancing technology, medicine, science, etc. and making a better world for all humanity.
Oh brother....we are back to the election?
Zealotry is zealotry and statements like that only reinforce the notion. We are talking about an operating system here.
strat@...5th Mar 2009 -
Peace, love, and understanding ...
This is rich. You want to make the world a better place? You voted for Obozo. Define "better place." Because if by "better place" you mean people have economic freedom to choose their own lives and live and school their kids where they want, then free enterprise is the only choice. If, by "better place," you mean socio-ecomonic "equality," aka, Socialism, then take a hard look at Germany's once-great economy that tanked due to the exact same "vision" by its socialist chancellor that is being pronounced by President Pelosi and her frontman, Obozo.
No one likes war. But if you lack the ability to kill the other guy before he kills you, violence only increases. Likewise, no one likes greed. But if you lack the ability to profit-motivate your workers, innovation and technology stops advancing, and no new medicines get developed and cures for diseases cease.
lalogos5th Mar 2009 -
Made you giggle?
How about, "Did you hear that big wosh go over my head, or was it just me hearing it go over yours?" If you don't understand something, why would you make fun of someone who does? I'm sorry, I forgot that is how some of the kids in my class reacted when the flunked an easy test that others of us aced.
mjolnar@...5th Mar 2009 -
I laugh at your LOL!
You're one of those thick-skulled idiots who think whatever has the highest market share is therefore the best, eh? Yeah, 'cause being content with your OS is all about who's "winning" in the market... riiight.
You seem to have forgotten a key point too. Since Windows is a pay-for OS, they've got money to blow on advertising, and a very very good reason to keep selling you the same product over and over.
There is no big corporation driving Linux to the market. It's a group of individuals who's major concern is creating the best OS possible, as opposed to Microsoft's major concern of putting as much money in their pocket as possible.
I also fart in your general direction.Larsix5th Feb 2009
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