When good software goes bad
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- Michael
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When good software goes bad
As a software developer, it really irks me when a useful application slowly degrades with each version upgrade. The most recent victim of this that I've seen is Ahead Nero.
The latest version takes up -- get this -- *490* MB. That's *half a gigabyte*. Where the hell is that space going? That's the size of an operating system! And a beefy one at that! Sure, if I downloaded a game demo, I'd expect that much data. But for an application to burn CDs/DVDs?! Is there an easter egg that plays a 5.1 HDTV episode of Lost in there somewhere?
It also installs a "Nero search" widget on your task bar. If I wanted a fucking search program, I would have installed Google Desktop. Why can't they just make applications that do one thing really well?
For gods sake, it even manages to bloat its Start menu folder. It installs about 9 subfolders under the "Nero" folder, one for CD audio, one for CD/DVD data, one for copying CDs, etc. So now there's about 20 different ways to open the application. It gives you about 10 Nero Express, Nero Burning Rom, and Nero StartSmart shortcuts (including the ones under subfolders), and a bunch of other things that aren't very well titled. Why couldn't those options just be in a menu within the program? Is that too "INSIDE THE BOX" for you hipster developers at Ahead, with your iPhones and your ponytails?! Were you all hired from Nokia's design department?
They've gotten so obsessed with trying to streamline the "experience" for the end user with wizards, express modes, and shortcuts, that in the end there's simply too much choice, and it shoots itself in the foot. I mean I'm a pretty geeky guy, and even *I* felt intimidated when I opened up that Start menu folder for the first time.
So anyway, Ahead really crossed the line for me this time. It's a shame, because Nero used to be "the ultimate" solution for all my burning needs. But immediately after installing the latest version, I did an uninstall, and opted for the freeware CDBurnerXP Pro instead, which by the way weighs in at *11MB*.
Sure, it may not be as mature as Nero is, and it may not have a lot of the "clutter" features like CD label designing or quick searching, but at least it's got the right idea: One start menu icon to launch the program, and a full feature set.
The latest version takes up -- get this -- *490* MB. That's *half a gigabyte*. Where the hell is that space going? That's the size of an operating system! And a beefy one at that! Sure, if I downloaded a game demo, I'd expect that much data. But for an application to burn CDs/DVDs?! Is there an easter egg that plays a 5.1 HDTV episode of Lost in there somewhere?
It also installs a "Nero search" widget on your task bar. If I wanted a fucking search program, I would have installed Google Desktop. Why can't they just make applications that do one thing really well?
For gods sake, it even manages to bloat its Start menu folder. It installs about 9 subfolders under the "Nero" folder, one for CD audio, one for CD/DVD data, one for copying CDs, etc. So now there's about 20 different ways to open the application. It gives you about 10 Nero Express, Nero Burning Rom, and Nero StartSmart shortcuts (including the ones under subfolders), and a bunch of other things that aren't very well titled. Why couldn't those options just be in a menu within the program? Is that too "INSIDE THE BOX" for you hipster developers at Ahead, with your iPhones and your ponytails?! Were you all hired from Nokia's design department?
They've gotten so obsessed with trying to streamline the "experience" for the end user with wizards, express modes, and shortcuts, that in the end there's simply too much choice, and it shoots itself in the foot. I mean I'm a pretty geeky guy, and even *I* felt intimidated when I opened up that Start menu folder for the first time.
So anyway, Ahead really crossed the line for me this time. It's a shame, because Nero used to be "the ultimate" solution for all my burning needs. But immediately after installing the latest version, I did an uninstall, and opted for the freeware CDBurnerXP Pro instead, which by the way weighs in at *11MB*.
Sure, it may not be as mature as Nero is, and it may not have a lot of the "clutter" features like CD label designing or quick searching, but at least it's got the right idea: One start menu icon to launch the program, and a full feature set.
- unfnknblvbl
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Hear, hear! Nero's been going downhill for a long time. It was at its best at v4, I think.
Things like Recode, Cover Designer, and Nerovision are nice, and work well, but they don't justify the tenfold bloat, and untold clutter increase from v4.
I hate the "express" feature too. How fucking hard is it to just open up the full program and select your options from there?
FFS...
Things like Recode, Cover Designer, and Nerovision are nice, and work well, but they don't justify the tenfold bloat, and untold clutter increase from v4.
I hate the "express" feature too. How fucking hard is it to just open up the full program and select your options from there?
FFS...
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www.oldversion.com is your friend. Seriously. I still run v2.something of Winamp just because it doesn't have any of the extra plugin (and AOL) crap of the newer ones.
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I've needed latest Nero for certain burns and for later drives... like the old Nero would just hang or refuse to burn or there were various other problems.Ches wrote:You reckon? So far, Nero 5.5.something is serving me pretty well...
nadnerb: genau. Microsoft are actually getting worse atm though, there are a lot of articles on Joel On Software about it, but they're really fucking up big time by changing their ethos and not focusing on backwards compatibility anymore.
Absolutely. You can just imagine the pressure that the music and movie industries brought to bear on MS to support their insane DRM schemes. What choice would MS have? Ignore them and risk having an OS that you can't play Bluray movies on? Not likely. Instead, we get an OS massively compromised by the need to support a secure digital path from disc to display.