Slider

Have you ever wondered why it takes so long for Windows to sort itself out
when you go to Add/Remove programs? Not only that, but why it often gets
the 'last used' and 'size' information wrong? Well wonder no more, this is
a classic example of Microsoft being unable to code:

http://weblogs.asp.net/oldnewthing/a...09/178342.aspx

Why, when it was decided that this information would be nice to have, did
they not just add a few extra optional values in the registry, so that
installers could add it should they wish? The mind boggles.

--
Steve "Slider"
'02 YZF-R6

Richard Wood

"TonyF" <v8rocks2003@yahoo-remove.co.uk> wrote in message news:10etii6asve9t9d@corp.supernews.com...
> "Slider" <steve@somewhere.invalid.com> wrote in message
> news:PVxHc.19371849$Of.3211056@news.easynews.com.. .
> > Have you ever wondered why it takes so long for Windows to sort itself out
> > when you go to Add/Remove programs? Not only that, but why it often gets
> > the 'last used' and 'size' information wrong? Well wonder no more, this
> is
> > a classic example of Microsoft being unable to code:
> >
> > http://weblogs.asp.net/oldnewthing/a...09/178342.aspx
> >
> > Why, when it was decided that this information would be nice to have, did
> > they not just add a few extra optional values in the registry, so that
> > installers could add it should they wish? The mind boggles.

If you read the article, they have.

"A program can add some properties to its registration to avoid a lot of this
guessing. It can set an EstimatedSize property to avoid making Add/Remove
Programs guess how big the program is. It can also set a DisplayIcon property
to specify which icon to show for the program in the list."

So yet again, its crap applications failing to do things when
installed, and Windows doing the best it can when it hasn't got
that info.

> If you want a real headache on your hands, how about the multitude of reg
> areas windows can include startup entries, hence nasty little trojans and
> adware
> find it difficult to be removed.

Out of curiosity, I'm aware of the Run and RunOnce reg keys, and the
old text win.ini, system.ini (or whatever they're called, can't quite remember)
but where else in the registry are startup proggies hidden?


frag

Christofire

Slider wrote:

> Why, when it was decided that this information would be nice to have,
> did they not just add a few extra optional values in the registry, so
> that installers could add it should they wish? The mind boggles.

Indeed it does. InnoSetup, a freeware install package creator, can get
it right, so why other people can't is beyond me.
--
Christofire DIAABTCOD#1 Daytona 955i
TPPFAUICG#69BONY#10MIRTTH#7IMANASS#2SbS#20BOTAFOT# 117
"But..he looks so *innocent*"
Full throttle for 55 minutes - a hell of a buzz.

Slider

Richard Wood wrote:
> "TonyF" <v8rocks2003@yahoo-remove.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:10etii6asve9t9d@corp.supernews.com...
>> "Slider" <steve@somewhere.invalid.com> wrote in message
>> news:PVxHc.19371849$Of.3211056@news.easynews.com.. .
>>> Have you ever wondered why it takes so long for Windows to sort
>>> itself out when you go to Add/Remove programs? Not only that, but
>>> why it often gets the 'last used' and 'size' information wrong?
>>> Well wonder no more, this
>> is
>>> a classic example of Microsoft being unable to code:
>>>
>>> http://weblogs.asp.net/oldnewthing/a...09/178342.aspx
>>>
>>> Why, when it was decided that this information would be nice to
>>> have, did they not just add a few extra optional values in the
>>> registry, so that installers could add it should they wish? The
>>> mind boggles.
>
> If you read the article, they have.
>
> "A program can add some properties to its registration to avoid a lot
> of this
> guessing. It can set an EstimatedSize property to avoid making
> Add/Remove
> Programs guess how big the program is. It can also set a DisplayIcon
> property
> to specify which icon to show for the program in the list."

EstimatedSize and DisplayIcon, but it'll still use the ridiculous overhead
of doing a word-match search in the Start Menu to guess how often it's been
used.

--
Steve "Slider"
'02 YZF-R6

Richard Wood

"Slider" <steve@somewhere.invalid.com> wrote in message news:kERHc.408757$ef4.48693@news.easynews.com...
>
> EstimatedSize and DisplayIcon, but it'll still use the ridiculous overhead
> of doing a word-match search in the Start Menu to guess how often it's been
> used.

Ah.

I wonder why they even included them? who cares? who reads that info?


frag