What’s Up at Windows Live?
I don’t write blog posts from my desktop PC (or anywhere else, honestly) very often. I wanted to make a post about some progress I made with the VSX, but I noticed I had an old beta of Windows Live Writer installed on this box.
I downloaded what appeared to be the installer for Live Writer here. Upon download completion, I began the install only to be prompted to set my default home page and my default search provider to MSN and Live search respectively. While I don’t like an installation routine trying to change unrelated settings, I will credit the Live team for at least prompting me. I won’t install anything from Yahoo after they changed my home page and search provider without asking.
Moving on, I encountered a screen asking if I wanted to install additional software with all the boxes checked, of course. I unselected the additional packages, and looked for a “next” button without success. I tried cancel, but that wanted to exit the whole install.
I stared at the same dialog while it apparently checked to see if I had Messenger, Writer and Sign-in Assistant already installed. I don’t why it took so long to check, it obviously new they were installed because they weren’t listed in the additional products section.
This “Checking for installed products” went on for far too long. Eventually the installation began, with an update to Messenger that I did not ask for, nor particularly want. Why does Microsoft continue to insist that they have the right to install un-requested updates on my machine. At least with the Microsoft Update site I can decline updates.
In the end I have the new version of Windows Live Writer that I wanted. It “only” took 41 minutes to install! What is up with that? Who thought this would provide a good UX (user experience)? WTF?!?!?
Grrrrr,
++Alan
[Update] It appears that I took issue with the install experience the last time I updated my Live Writer install.
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