Topic: Hardware

10 flawed products that are really bad

Summary: Certain well-known software and hardware products simply aren't very good — in fact some are barely usable, says Jack Wallen.

By Jack Wallen | February 6, 2012 -- 08:06 GMT (00:06 PST)

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Although the idea behind Unity was sound, its execution fell flat. The release of GNOME 3 and Unity both represented drastic changes to the desktop metaphor, but of the two only GNOME 3 was a success. The ideas were similar, but GNOME 3 enjoyed more stability and more flexibility thanks to extensions. Ultimately, Ubuntu needs to scrap Unity and either migrate fully to GNOME 3, try something else, such as Enlightenment, or make Kubuntu or Xubuntu the default.

Topic: Hardware

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Windows Live Mail comes to the top of my head

What a horrible mail client!
So many show stopping bugs but little support
Way too complicated to replace outlook express, way to limited to replace outlook.
It is a good thing Thunderbird is still around.

zmud
6 February, 2012 09:22

Reply Vote
- RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
  
  @zmud What "show stopping bugs" have you found? As someone who uses Windows Live Mail everyday, I am curious as to what you found, since I haven't run into any problems.
  
  VintageComputerGuy
  6 February, 2012 11:54
  
  Reply Vote
  - The most recent one I can remember( there have been many)
    
    The "Application not found" error whenever clicking on a link in the email.
    Usually reinstalling Chrome fixes that one or setting your default mail client fixes this in outlook express or MS Office Outlook. Not usually the case for Windows Live Mail. I spent hours on the problem with no avail. Other times over the years I've had clients lose all their contacts because windows live mail doesn't store the contacts in a folder like it does the .eml files for messages, it keeps them in an inaccessible database file. Not a normal format either like a .wab or .pst file. Often I have seen clients with several messages that are blank and I've never figured out why. You get an error message when you click on them about something not being found. It doesn't seem to happen in other email programs.
    @VintageComputerGuy
    
    zmud
    6 February, 2012 13:26
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    @zmud: It could be because WLM isn't intended for business use. Stop being a cheap skate and install Outlook.
    
    bradavon
    6 February, 2012 21:25
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    @VintageComputerGuy
    Well, it can't quote is its biggest drawback. It can be really tough to tell what is the response and what is the new writing. You can't even tell whether there are one or 19 responses since it doesn't differentiate between quotes.
    And that's just the beginning.
    
    tom@...
    7 February, 2012 09:33
    
    Reply Vote
- RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
  
  Internet Explorer 9, Outlook 2010 (you can't blame Exchange connection issues solely on Outlook) and Windows Live Mail 2009/2011 are excellent. I'd never use IE9 though, Firefox and Chrome are much better.
  
  All you need to do is open Windows Live Mail and if it finds Outlook Express it migrates. It couldn't be simpler.
  
  Thunderbird is nice but it's no replacement for WLM 2011. I've used both extensively. It pales by comparison. Outlook 2010 beats both of them.
  
  bradavon
  6 February, 2012 21:24
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    Also: Predictive Typing. You're using the wrong keyboard! Give SwiftKey X ago it's almost flawless.
    
    Why do people so often assume touch-screen monitors are intended to be used instead of mice and keyboards? You're not supposed to use them 100% of the time.
    
    bradavon
    6 February, 2012 21:28
    
    Reply Vote
  - Thunderbird is much more Senior friendly
    
    @bradavon
    It works better as an outlook express replacement than WLM
    75% of my clients are seniors
    I especially like the "Theme and Font Size Changer" addon for those who's eyes don't work as well as before.
    As for my business clients, without a doubt MS Office Outlook (I always have to use the full name because my clients get confused with the Express variety)
    Now you understand where I am coming from
    
    zmud
    7 February, 2012 06:43
    
    Reply Vote
  - I agree - IE9 does not belong on this list.
    
    @bradavon Every previous version of IE does, but not IE9. While it still lags a little, it is an enormous step in the right direction, and finally allows developers to write web apps without all the stupid IE hacks.
    
    Outlook does not belong on the list. Who can live without it?
    
    Mac_PC_FenceSitter
    7 February, 2012 07:01
    
    Reply Vote
  - Notice that the author...
    
    @bradavon ...didn't mention anything specifically wrong with IE9. Iuse it almost exclusively & have very few problems - certainly less frustration than when using Firefox in its current, constantly updated, add-ons broken, bloated form. It got so bad I decided to uninstall it & say "farewell to Firefox". Outlook works just fine, never used Live Mail. But Firefox is done & IE9 & Opera are in...
    
    rmazzeo
    7 February, 2012 09:07
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    @bradavon ... Outlook is apples & oranges; not the same functioins & features at all.
    Also you have obviously not used WLM for anythinig but the simplest of tasks, says this home user. WLM is pathetic compared to any other mail client out there. If you're much into emailing and nesgroups, you're in for a big surprise.
    
    tom@...
    7 February, 2012 09:37
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    @bradavon Outlook is a pretty good mail client. However, there is one area where it pales in comparison with Thunderbird: HTML rendering. Take it from someone who designs email for a company whose clients mostly use Outlook, it is a pain in the neck to get anything to look right. There's even a page requesting for the HTML rendering engine to be changed (www.fixoutlook.org).
    
    Meanwhile, Thunderbird has support for basically all the most common HTML elements and CSS properties.
    
    Ndiaz.fuentes
    7 February, 2012 10:47
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    @bradavon, I have used IE9 & now its my default browser. I use firfoex only for development as I am use to of firebug & its addons. Otherwise IE9 is much secure, fast & most important most stable among new browsers( My experience with chrome is not as nice, crashed many a times with all updates)
    
    pranavq212
    9 February, 2012 02:43
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    <i>Outlook does not belong on the list. Who can live without it?</i><br><br>I don't have it on anything except my company's laptop. Yeah, I can live without it.
    
    ScorpioBlue
    12 February, 2012 12:09
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
    
    @bradavon For free add-on, it's what you'd expect.
    
    However, Microsoft Security Essentials is a FANTASTIC product for gratis OR for fully paid! After seeing how unobtrusive MSE is, and what little resources it used, I've switched and recommended all consumers do the same.
    
    The following words from the author...well...
    
    "Most consumer-grade antivirus does more harm than good. One of the exceptions I've found to that rule is Microsoft Security Essentials. Apart from that, your best bet is to either use OS X or Linux or unplug the PC from the network.
    -=-=-=NO TRUER WORDS HAVE EVER BEEN SPOKEN!!!!!=-=-=-
    
    lelandhendrix@...
    16 February, 2012 02:15
    
    Reply Vote
- RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
  
  @zmud I agree with you 100%!!
  
  sticks_432@...
  7 February, 2012 07:39
  
  Reply Vote
- RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
  
  @zmud
  ABSOLUTELY ON ALL POINTS
  
  gord.p
  7 February, 2012 15:08
  
  Reply Vote
- RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
  
  @zmud
  I agree with those who say Windows Live Mail 2011 is flawed. I'm just a home user and I get blank email in my archives, quotes that can't be read in emails I send and a lack of keyboard commands. There are others which don't come to mind at the moment. You get used to working with an inferior product eventually but you never forget it's a dog. I never had problems with Outlook Express. I did try Mozilla's email program and didn't like it either. I can never understand why companies take a good product and break it. The "new, improved" version should be an option, not used to replace something that people were happy with.
  
  larrydonline@...
  8 February, 2012 20:46
  
  Reply Vote
RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad

Flash, ie9, Outlook - use them all and really like them.
Not seeing your point.....

Predictive text: problem is no one really (other than RIM) has a good one out there for use on iOS and Android.

Desktop multitouch form factor - looking at a gaming version (brand tbd) and am liking what I see so far....

Other than these, I have to agree with you though some I have never tried and others drop and punt.

rhonin
6 February, 2012 10:46

Reply Vote
- RE: 10 flawed products that are really bad
  
  @rhonin WP7 has decent predictive text, but Windows 7 actually has the best predictive text I've used, it remembers past typed in email addresses and words even if not in a dictionary.
  
  I also use Flash, IE9, Outlook and Live Mail and don't have any problems with them at all.
  
  grayknight-22253692004129760887070084760051
  6 February, 2012 12:26
  
  Reply Vote