Some (probably pointless) software rants

[FishCustard]

I realise that I'm preaching to the choir a bit here, but the amount of frankly rubbish software that I've seen recently has driven me to this.

 

Why, oh why, dear local authority, does your file transfer software think itself too good to go in %ProgramFiles% and instead installs to C:\PROGRAMNAME by default? Yes, I can and do move it after installation, but still...

 

Following on from that, why did you think it okay for said software to shove the files it downloads from the LA onto the root of the damned C:\ drive? Regardless of the fact that users on managed networks probably won't have access to C:\, it's just sloppy coding to shove user data anywhere else but the user data folders. It doesn't even tell you where it's shoving the files, so good luck finding them if you're using the software for the first time...

 

*breathe*

 

Secondly, installers. You're coding for Windows. There is an installer standard called Windows Installer (those MSI files we know and love). Why would you use a busted-ass proprietary EXE based monstrosity - particularly one that has no 'silent' flags, particularly if the software is designed for installation in institutions that will almost certainly use GPO/SCCM deployment!

 

And there is absolutely no excuse for wrapping a perfectly good MSI in a busted-ass EXE. Don't even talk about doing it the other way around either: that's just heresy.

 

I think if I ever switch tracks to software development I'd scare the crap out of the packaging & deployment team with my 'if you ever do any of these things....' rant! XD

Edited November 8, 2013 by FishCustard

[free780]

Or when you've got a exe which supports a silent install but needs to be interactive eg. Logged in. Thanks dialux. Or custom dialogs in installshield or msi's that break the silent install.

[sted]

I realise that I'm preaching to the choir a bit here, but the amount of frankly rubbish software that I've seen recently has driven me to this.

 

Why, oh why, dear local authority, does your file transfer software think itself too good to go in %ProgramFiles% and instead installs to C:\PROGRAMNAME by default? Yes, I can and do move it after installation, but still...

 

Following on from that, why did you think it okay for said software to shove the files it downloads from the LA onto the root of the damned C:\ drive? Regardless of the fact that users on managed networks probably won't have access to C:\, it's just sloppy coding to shove user data anywhere else but the user data folders. It doesn't even tell you where it's shoving the files, so good luck finding them if you're using the software for the first time...

 

*breathe*

 

Secondly, installers. You're coding for Windows. There is an installer standard called Windows Installer (those MSI files we know and love). Why would you use a busted-ass proprietary EXE based monstrosity - particularly one that has no 'silent' flags, particularly if the software is designed for installation in institutions that will almost certainly use GPO/SCCM deployment!

 

And there is absolutely no excuse for wrapping a perfectly good MSI in a busted-ass EXE. Don't even talk about doing it the other way around either: that's just heresy.

 

I think if I ever switch tracks to software development I'd scare the crap out of the packaging & deployment team with my 'if you ever do any of these things....' rant! XD

 

fms by any chance?

[FishCustard]

fms by any chance?

 

Nope, AVCO AnyComms. But FMS has its own flavour of crapness.