“Fun” with Windows 7

So.. been having lots of fun with Windows 7 this morning.  Got hold of a refurb PC for doing some client system testing.

Win7 install completes and there are 3 updates to do.  Start the update process and two modal windows open up behind the update window, waiting for me to do something.  Have to click on task bar’s flashing icon to bring windows to the front.  On Windows.  Windows.

Anyway, I give the “OK” for Microsoft Security Essentials to install and it does, then starts to run an update within itself (!).  Due (perhaps) to the length of time of this process on this ageing P4, the main MS software updater kicks out another window saying “The application Microsoft Essentials may not have installed correctly.”

I’m sorry.  “May“??

Choices are “That’s ok, it installed correctly” or “Reinstall this application”.  Except the application is installed and already running an update.  Err…?  So.. how do I know it has installed correctly?  Because it’s running…(?!)  (Does the computer not know??!)

With 20 minutes of Windows use this morning, I can’t believe just how bad things are on the other side of the fence.  Someone fresh to Windows will see all this flashing icons, hidden windows, alerts, worries…  and not have the first clue what to do.

Someone close to me was one of those unfortunate souls.  She’d persisted for about a year with her Win7 machine and was constantly anxious with its scaremongering.  Hardly a productive environment.

Luckily, she’s now running #debian   #wheezy  with the #gnomeshell  and immediately found it intuitive and straightforward.  Go #freesoftware !!