Activity for August 30

Review - PDFCreator
1.5.0 (Aug 30, 2012)

A really good program that turned really bad. Uninstalled and telling people to avoid it from now on.
Review - ExtractNow
4.59 (Mar 5, 2011)

Can confirm it now has OpenCandy that uses data from your computer and location for selecting what additional software to offer you to install with ExtractNow. Most virus software regards this as Spyware/Malware.
Review - Skype for Windows
5.1.0.112 (Feb 1, 2011)

Since 5.0 Skype it's working sub-par on two of my systems. Problems with audio quality and levels that are easily fixed with reverting to an old version.

And of course it's bloatware.
Review - PDF-XChange Viewer
2.5.190 (Dec 23, 2010)

Used it for a while but it was slow rendering PDF files. Returned to Adobe X and it's now fast loading and rendering.
Review - Avira Free Antivirus
10.0.0.592 (Nov 4, 2010)

A most said, slow for updates and quite annoying with the nags.
Comment - Are tablets a fad?
10.0.0.592 (Jul 8, 2011 - 4:17 PM)

I'm of this same opinion but I also think is not a device for everyone. So don't expect them to keep growing in big numbers. I'm a desktop & smartphone user. If I need to do something well I use my powerful desktop and if on the road I only need my smartphone.
Comment - I gave away 7 Samsung Galaxy Tabs last night -- did you get one?
10.0.0.592 (Jun 4, 2011 - 11:05 PM)

Well, ads don't work for me. I try to experience the device and value the comments from my friends and relatives using such devices. So, being able to try it for long (not just peeking) is a massive help in a decision. It's a double edged sword as well because I discarded a lot of products that way.
Comment - Software Assurance: How Microsoft gambles with your money
10.0.0.592 (May 17, 2011 - 8:25 AM)

If you're a big business and have an agreement with a system builder like DELL prices of OEM licenses can challenge any 3 year Microsoft licensing. You're better gambling that you won't update that rig for three years than believing that you will be able to install a new OS in that computer without any issues and a lot of work. Of course you lose what Paul said and Microsoft knows it but that will ultimately drive away users from Microsoft platform in some years (too many for my taste).

When Microsoft came to us to present this new SA we were laughing at their justification. We ended not updating and won the bet in the end. They lost a customer as the company ultimately started to work with Open Source and other vendors solutions. It was a development company tightly working with Microsoft until then. In any case, it wasn't just SA that made us change but the market requirements.
Comment - Internal emails show Google's tight control over Android
10.0.0.592 (May 11, 2011 - 3:57 PM)

So, if someone replaced a DLL with a feature provided by Windows there is no problem?

I see this as the same. So, no, Skyhook and Motorola have no right to do that. They should have negotiated with Google such a change before taking those decisions.
Comment - Amazon's partial cloud failure takes out several popular websites
10.0.0.592 (Apr 21, 2011 - 3:27 PM)

The partial failure is the people that trusted the cloud will be everything they wanted and didn't plan contingency.