Let me first start by defining an Mp3 Player – An Mp3 player is simply an electronic gadget that plays not only Mp3, but additional audio files as well. DAP or Digital Audio Player is the closest term to correctly define the term Mp3 player many Mp3 players are software-based and available for most computer platforms. Mp3 players are highly flexible, so they can be hooked into car stereos, CD players, computer hard drives, and simply as a stand alone player with its own music collection.

Getting free Mp3 downloads is not a difficult task; you just need to know about some of the online sites that giveaway free downloads. Not only can you get free Mp3 music downloads of your favorite bands and artists but you can also put up your own Mp3s on the web too. Now if you are an upcoming singer or have a band of your own, this is the perfect way to promote your music. It takes a lot of time, money and effort to establish a band or to become a popular singer. If you are sponsored by a leading production company, then it is entirely a different issue, but ask any budding artist and he or she will tell you how difficult it is to get a big name to back you and produce an album. Making your music available and searchable on the web for downloading is a wonderful option for upcoming singers.

There are a few trusted free Mp3 music download sites that do work. With this, you might be of the knowledge that a lot of research is needed in knowing the best ones. Music for music lovers has always been the sole inspirational factor wherein they draw each inspiration from music to live their lives. Music has never had any barrier nor has anyone been able to bound music. Music lovers have a world of their own and these free Mp3 downloads websites have triggered this unity even further. These free Mp3 downloads work at the command of your finger. The free Mp3 downloads can be downloaded at the press of a button and this can be done from anywhere and at any point of time. Free Mp3 downloads have made it easy for music lovers to download and save and listen to all their favorite songs that they have been looking for ages but had no clue from where to find them. In fact these free Mp3 downloads sites have all kinds of songs and language seems to be no issue and definitely the age of the music is no bar.

Free Mp3 downloads have come to a long way from the beginning with models that allow for viewing video and downloading files, while they are primarily used for music many cellular phone companies have begun incorporating Mp3 players into their phones in order to tap into the market of the portable free Mp3 downloads player. Do you know that Amazon may be the best known for its books, but the site also features a free music downloads section where you can download legal Mp3s. The site offers music from different genres, including alternative, Indie, Punk, Blues, Broadway, Children music, Christian, Classical, Country, Dance, Folk, International, Jazz, Latin, New Age, Opera, Pop, Rap, Hip Hop, Rock, R&B, Soundtrack, and more. If you are a musician or an artist, you can also upload your own Mp3s here for free and let music lovers discover and experience your own brand of music.

Before 1983, visiting a host on a network required typing in its IP address. Fortunately, the domain name system (DNS) was invented to allow numerical IP addresses to be identified with domain names. So now, instead of having to remember a long sequence of numbers like 74.125.67.104, you only have to remember Google.com. The definition of a domain extension is the top-level part of a domain name, like .com or .net.

It’s easy to forget that each domain extension is intended to be used for a specific purpose when everyone is using .com for whatever they please. But you might be surprised to find out that a lot of domain extensions have registration restrictions and are still used for their intended purposes.

Or maybe you want to find out which unique domain extensions are unrestricted and can be used along with your killer domain name to make your website stand out. Let’s take a look at the history of domain extensions, which ones are restricted and which ones aren’t, and what specific use each is intended for.

History of Domain Extensions

In 1984, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) established the first six domain extensions: .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .org, and .net.  Shortly after, the first two-character country code domain extensions (like .uk and .us) were established. In 1988, .int was also introduced.

It wasn’t until after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was created in 1998 that any new domain extensions (besides country code extensions) came into use. ICANN has an agreement with the United States Department of Commerce and now operates IANA.

After an application period, seven new domain extensions were introduced in 2000: .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, and .pro. Throughout 2005 and 2007, .cat, .jobs, .mobi, .tel, .travel, and .asia were also established.

New domain extensions are sure to come. Just last month, the first “internationalized” domain extensions were established. These internationalized domain extensions are the first to not use Latin characters (three of them use Arabic characters and one uses Cyrillic).

Read on to find out the different categories that domain extensions are grouped under and the specific uses for all of the domain extensions mentioned above.

Types of Domain Extensions

There are two main types of domain extensions: country code and generic (which is further subdivided into sponsored and unsponsored).

Country code extensions are two-character domain extensions for countries, sovereign states, and territories. Many country code extensions have second-level subdomains, like the .co in .co.uk.

Generic domain extensions include all of the other domain extensions, like .com, .edu, and .biz. Sponsored extensions, like .aero, .coop, and .museum, are managed by an organization that is in charge of the policies regarding their registration. Unsponsored extensions are simply managed by ICANN.

All domain extensions are also either restricted or unrestricted. To register a domain name with a restricted domain extension, you have to meet certain requirements. For example, only accredited educational institutions are eligible to register a domain with a .edu extension. Many country code domain extensions are also restricted and can only be registered by citizens or residents of the country that the extension refers to.

Unrestricted domain extensions, like .com, .org, and .net, can be registered by anyone. Some country code domain extensions are unrestricted, which has resulted in the registration of “domain hacks” that create a word using the domain extension. Del.icio.us, for example, uses the United States country code .us to form the word “delicious.”

A List of Specific Uses

Here is an alphabetical list of all generic domain extensions and their specific uses.

.aero – Used in the aviation industry.

.asia – Used in Asia.

.biz – Used by businesses.

.cat – Used for Catalan-language websites.

.com – Intended for use by commercial entities, but it is unrestricted.

.coop – Used by cooperatives.

.edu – Used by post-secondary educational institutions.

.gov – Used by United States government entities.

.info – Intended for use by “informative” websites, but it is unrestricted.

.int – Used by international, treaty-based organizations.

.jobs – Used by websites dealing with employment.

.mil – Used by the United States military.

.mobi – Used by websites optimized for access on mobile devices.

.museum – Used by museums.

.name – Used by individuals.

.net – Intended for network infrastructure use, but it is unrestricted.

.org – Intended for use by organizations, but it is unrestricted.

.pro – Used by licensed professionals, including those in the legal, accounting, and medical professions.

.tel – Used to store and publish contact information.

.travel – Used by entities in the travel industry.

Conclusion

New domain extensions are constantly being proposed and debated. Many want more geography-based domain extensions like .asia. To that end, domain extensions like .london, .nyc, and .quebec have been proposed.

There has also been widespread support for the domain extension .kids, which would be used by websites designed for children. Contrarily, the .xxx domain extension has just recently been approved after years of debate, and it’s intended to be used by adult entertainment websites in the near future. What domain extensions do you want to see in the future?

Image credit: binsurf

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Adware is a program usually attached to freeware and shareware you download from the internet. It displays pop-up or pop-under ads on your computer even if you are not online. Usually you have agreed to this installation when you accepted the product license agreement.

Spyware is a program, similar to adware, that monitors what you are doing on your computer. The program then transfers this gathered information back to the company that installed it on your computer so they can send you specific targeted advertisements based on this info. Some spyware can also gather personal and sensitive information about your identity and send it to third party sources. This of course is illegal but usually you do not know that such a program has been installed on your computer.

Now maybe you don’t care about being bombarded with loads of these ads and you don’t mind if companies know what you are doing and you actually like the targeted ads. Just remember the fact that you may have Spyware that you are not aware of gathering things like your credit card info. Other, more apparent, problems you may experience even with Adware is that you may encounter significant deterioration of your computer systems performance & your productivity. It can take much longer for system processes to start up and each task is slower. New toolbars can appear in your browser. Your web browser’s home page may change by itself and it can be very difficult to change it back. Some pop-ups don’t go away the whole time your computer is running. New items appear in your browser’s favorites/bookmarks. Your computer starts slowing to a crawl & crashing.

Some things you can do:

> Make sure, for all future downloads, you carefully read end user license agreements so Adware doesn’t get installed on your computer in the first place. (Unfortunately Spyware is not disclosed so you can’t prevent that).

> Get a good Adware Remover & Anti-Spyware software. Before purchase do some research and compare features for your short list of contenders so you can select the appropriate one.

> Rerun the Adware Remover & Anti-Spyware software and any updates periodically — weekly is suggested.

> Keep your operating system updated with critical updates & security patches. You can usually download this from Microsoft.

> If you use Internet Explorer, you may want to consider using a browser like Firefox for everyday internet surfing. Because of it’s popularity, the Microsoft Windows platform and Internet Explorer users are more susceptible to spyware and adware attacks.

The internet is something very essential these days. For any sorts of information, downloads, conversations and many more internet is used. They help in networking and bringing people closer. Almost everybody create their own accounts with regular access to internet. It is considered a virtual web. Its significance has brought up many more information, services and products that can be used and accessed by anybody.

Because of this popularity the ruthless groups are formed knowing the amount of people accessing internet. These people are the ones who come with programs like adware and spyware. Spyware is the worse case of an adware and it is also called Malware. To explain in simple terms, they are programs that get into your computer from the web while downloading certain files that are unauthorized. They later act as a spy noting all your activities in the web. This is not an exaggeration it is things that really happen. They are real threat and it is always better to be cautious while using the web.

The spyware does activities that destroy your privacy. The main purpose is to track you and get all the information. That way your account password, browsing patterns, scanning documents from hard drive, logging keystrokes and many other hazards are done to you and the system. You may question as to why such programs are created. The main answer would be to pop-up ads thinking it is the best and cheapest way to publicize or it might due to criminal intentions of wanting people’s identity and credit information that are vital.

This business of spyware and adware is a potentially dangerous and extremely difficult program. It is tough to detect these programs in your computer because these are deliberately programmed to track without your knowledge. This is definitely a crime and due the performance of the computer is harmed. Nevertheless the privacy is also stolen. Like other espionage it is a tricky manner in which a spyware gets into your computer.

These usually get installed when downloading items from the internet. Their installation is hidden and hence the user will not know. One thing you can note is that whenever you use the web you will find ads popping up every time in the normal windows format. These ads must never be clicked. Else a spyware will get installed automatically into your system.

Anybody simply accessing the net is subjected to threats of adware and spyware. Thus preliminary precautions have to be taken to keep you safe. For example you can download anti-spyware programs that are legitimate to prevent, eradicate and detect future effects of spyware and adware in your system. Certain anti-adware and spyware programs are itself a spyware.

The free downloads also must be confirmed to be free from spyware. The agreements must be carefully read and only then proceed for installation. The older versions must be avoided and the search for the updated ones must be done. The provide protection from even the latest form of spyware. Choose the best anti-spyware and adware program to be safe while accessing the web.

In today’s world, technology plays a huge role in people’s comforts, leisure and learning. The personal computer and the Internet has been such an essential tool in how people relate to one another and get certain jobs done.

As more people rely heavily on these two items, you will see even more people take advantage of these users. These people will cause untold amounts of damage and be a big nuisance. What is to make life easier can make life crazy.

You may have noticed it is hard to keep the computer from unwanted ads not only from spam and viruses but from something called spyware and adware.

What do Adware and Spyware do?

Adware and Spyware work jointly to bring your Internet to a literal crawl. They keep stabbing at your computer with advertisement popups which can lead to a compromise in your computer’s security and privacy.

What is the difference between Spyware and Adware?

What is Adware –

Suppose you are on the net today. When you go back to surf the next day, your browser homepage has been changed to something you are sure you did not change it to. Not only that but the desktop and computer has a new program installed on it, you are certain you did not do. You, like many others, are a victim of adware.

What exactly is Adware –

Adware is mainly an advertising supported software that is downloaded, displayed and advertised on the computer where the software as been installed.

Because of this installation, it may install another component which will keep sending your computer advertisements usually through popups or toolbar on the browser. Some adware can take over the browser, redirecting you to sites you have no desire to see. (example: this is huge problem from the adult website industry.)

There are some legitimate adwares that do the popups for a source of income by offering users software for free. An example of this is Eudora. Eudora is an e-mail program that can be run in “sponsored mode”. With this mode, the program will display an ad window and maybe three or so links on the toolbar.

This program and others like it do not keep tabs on your computer use nor will it give other companies your information. The best part of Eudora is that once you stop using it, it stops running popups and toolbar links.

What is Spyware?

Spyware is usually used for web tracking.

Suppose you do some on-line banking and settle credit card debt. When you try to use your card, you find that you have been completely cleaned out. You are broke! This is a case of Spyware.

Spyware is dangerous because it monitors all of your Internet surfing including collecting passwords, user IDs, credit card numbers and other sensitive information.

Spyware is very close to a Trojan horse (program that introduces viruses rather than getting rid of them.) which you can download freely but then your computer is infected with spyware itself.

What does Spyware to do the computer –

Spyware steals a user’s computer memory and steal up some of the bandwidth (this is the amount of information that can be used during a specfic period.) Spyware makes surfing the Internet slower even if the user has a high speed connection. Spyware can cause a computer to become unstable or even crash.

License terms because of their sheer size are not read completely when they are downloaded. They contain warnings regarding the software.

That’s the difference between the two computer softwares that are malicious in most instances.

The internet is the best and easily accessible resource for free music video downloads. Indeed, it has become a hot favorite with the younger generation to search for and play music videos. Some of the popular video viewing websites which offer free music video content are YouTube, Yahoo, and Metacafe. You can effortlessly enjoy music videos released worldwide with a high speed internet connection in your home.

Free music video downloads are being made available in plenty because the primary purpose of these music videos is to increase the popularity of their audio music recordings. Many of these free videos will have completed their premiere on major music television stations and hence are made available for download. Like audio websites categorizing their mp3 collections, music videos available for downloading are also arranged in various categories such as Hip-hop, R&B, Rock, Pop and more.

Currently a number of software tools are available for easy searching and downloading of streaming music videos from social music video websites such as YouTube. One such tool made available online for downloading videos from YouTube is the online YouTube video download tool. The tool requires the user to paste the URL of their favorite YouTube music video, and the tool instantly downloads the video into your computer.

Websites offering free music video downloads give users the option to find their favorite videos by simply typing the names of their favorite artist, and the website can then list videos of that artist for either viewing or download. With mobile phones also being used for video viewing, some websites are providing videos in formats such as 3GP which can be played on all 3G mobile phones. Other popular music video formats available for mobile phone downloads are MPEG-4, RTSP and Flash Lite.

Music videos are also available for portable video playback devices such as Apple iPod, Sony PSP, and Microsofts Zune player. If the video format of downloaded music video is not compatible with your music player, a video converter can do the job of converting video for your portable device.

Whichever website you are choosing for free music video downloads; always check the quality of videos they are offering along with the bandwidth requirements of the website, for faster downloading of videos. To match quality and bandwidth means music lovers are getting a totally new video viewing and downloading experience in a cost effective manner, using the high tech medium of communication called internet.

Free Adware! It sounds too good to be true. And usually when its too good to be true, it usually is! What these websites don’t tell you is after you download their supposedly FREE Adware Tool, you will have to pay! The old saying is true,” Nothing in life is free!”

With the astonishing growth of adware and spyware on the internet, the struggling economy and the high price of gas, I don’t blame you for looking for something free! But this is not a free service! What you are actually downloading is a Adware And Spyware SCANNER! And the scanner is going to do exactly what its name implies, SCAN! It’s sole purpose is to SCAN and IDENTIFY the adware and spyware that you currently have on your computer.

After you download this “SCANNER”, and install it into your computer, then you put this supposed FREE adware remover to work. The adware remover goes through its scan of your PC, identifying all of the nasty little adware and spyware gremlins you have living in your computer. This scan usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes, and then you get to see the results. Here’s where the fun begins!

When you decide to hit the “remove” or “delete adware” button, that’s when you are taken to the dreaded “purchase” button. Just when you thought that you were going to get away with downloading some really free adware, they hit you with the “Purchase Now!” button! This is a common practice for ALL of the so – called FREE adware websites on the internet.

To eliminate this BAD practice that’s all over the internet, you might as well purchase a good adware and spyware remover from the beginning! This will avoid the very disappointed feelings you will have because you thought that you were getting something for nothing! The internet is full of very good adware and spyware REMOVERS that WILL do the job that you need and won’t mislead you into thinking that they are FREE! So do yourself a favor and check them out and avoid the “something for nothing” mentality.

Kenneth White writes on various computer related subjects. If you want to read more visit my blog, Adware And Spyware Removal at: http://adwareandspywareremoval-klw5200.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_L._White

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

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When surfing the Internet you probably take your anonymity for granted, most of us do.

Tapping phones, listening to confidential conversations, reading others’ e-mail messages seems like something that only happens in spy movies to “other” people.

However, you probably don’t realize just how much information about yourself has the potential to get
transmitted across the Internet every time you go online.

Every computer connected to the Internet has “ports” that allow it to connect. A “port” doesn’t mean you have a physical hole or opening in your computer’s case or hardware, but it does mean you have openings through which information passes back and forth between your computer and the Internet.

Depending on the type of connection (dial up, LAN, cable, DSL), you may have several openings for potential mischief by hackers, malicious code or viruses.

Computers with dedicated connections rate the most at risk. If someone or something gets into one of these ports and into your computer, they can potentially watch everything you do and see all the data you enter, including social security numbers and credit card information.

The easiest way to defeat this problem involves using a firewall. Firewalls, simple and inexpensive software available at virtually any office supply or computer store, block the most common ports hackers use to enter your computer.

Firewalls also help you detect and block unauthorized transmission of information from your computer to the Internet. This adds a significant measure of protection if you get infected with a Trojan Horse virus that tries to “phone home” to the hacker with your sensitive information.

If you’d like to test your connection for vulnerability to attack, log on to http://security1.norton.com and run the various diagnostics. I would strongly advise anyone connected to the Internet through DSL or cable to get and use a firewall to protect against unauthorized access.

Infected with “Spyware?”

Previously we talked about unauthorized access to your computer. But a growing problem online with people watching you and your activities involves using programs you willingly place on your computer.

Commonly called “Spyware,” this refers to any program that transmits information about you to someone else without you knowing exactly what gets sent. The main purpose of Spyware involves tracking your surfing habits so advertisers know which targeted ads to send you.

Most Spyware basically comes onto your computer bundled with other software applications, as a standalone program, or as modification to the HTML on a web page.

Regardless of how you get it, you need to understand exactly what information gets transmitted about you so you can decide whether to keep or uninstall the software. Plain and simple, these Spyware programs can potentially reveal extremely sensitive information about you and your online habits.

If you have concerns about Spyware and whether or not your computer currently carries any, log on to www.lavasoft.de and check out the free PC software that will scan your system for known Spyware.

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (15)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (24)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (14)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (23)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (14)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (23)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (14)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (23)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (13)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (23)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (12)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (23)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

We all love Microsoft.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. But the company did somehow become the most powerful software outfit on the planet, so they can’t be total morons, right? The software you’re about to see – the worst Microsoft products – suggests otherwise.

I’m going to warn you: this article is not for the faint of heart. The things you’re about to see will irratate, annoy and otherwise decrease the quality of your life.

It’s not too late to stop reading.

It is now, however. Guess you’re stuck reading about the Top 5 Free Worst Microsoft Products. Sorry about that.

#5: Internet Explorer 8

Okay, I’ll admit this much: Internet Explorer 8 is better than Internet Explorer 7, and far superior to Internet Explorer 6. But that’s hardly a compliment.

You’d think that, in the futuristic-sounding Year 2010, the browser offering from the most powerful software company on the planet would be an amazing thing to behold. The only thing that amazes me about Internet Explorer 8, however, is how little it seems to have learned from its competition.

Internet Explorer 8 fails at blocking many popups, insists on opening a vast number of sites in a new window instead of in a new tab, and is overall very stressful to use—particularly if you’re already used to a quality browser. Combine this with a seemingly steadfast refusal on Microsoft’s part to include more than one search engine by default and you’ve got one of the worst Microsoft products that I’d rather avoid altogether.

I will say one additional nice thing about Internet Explorer 8, however: it’s the most powerful Firefox downloading tool on the planet. Because that’s all I ever use Internet Explorer for: downloading Firefox.

Do yourself a favor and download Firefox too—you’ll thank me later. Alternatively, check out Google’s Chrome, or even Apple’s Safari.

Just please, don’t use Internet Explorer 8.

#4: Blue Screen of Death Screensaver

This one’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. I discussed the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver during a recent article on pranking your parents using the family computer. I then suggested this as a great little prank, and for the perpetrator of said prank it’s as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

For the person on the receiving end of said prank, however, it’s akin to being repeatedly punched in the stomach by every single monkey in the aforementioned barrel. There’s nothing worse than getting to your computer and thinking it’s completely and irreversibly dead—except, that is, for thinking your computer is completely and irreversibly dead before realizing it’s just a cruel joke.

Why does Microsoft offer this? It’s bad enough that their products crash so often as to make the blue screen of death infamous, but to then capitalize on said infamy for the sake of some sick joke? This product, I think, causes untold misery to people around the world every year and needs to be stopped.

Don’t download the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver.

#3: Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver

Remember those old Microsoft Office advertisements that featured dinosaurs complaining about technology issues? Me neither.

Anyway, there’s a screensaver based on those ads.

Yep, that’s right: the least memorable advertising campaign immortalized as a screensaver. The dinosaurs complain about technology and then try to dance their way out of their predicaments, implying all along that life would be better if only they’d purchased Microsoft Office 2003.

Hilarious, right? Yeah, I don’t really think so either. Don’t download the Microsoft Office Dinosaur Screensaver.

#2: Plus! Dancer LE

Sure, you like your computer now, but imagine if you could download dancers for it. Then your desktop could be a dancing party! Look, they even have Scooby-Doo!

What really makes this piece of software so great is that it’s not at all annoying. Having someone dance on my desktop is awesome. And it’s soooo practical! Think of how much easier getting work done will be now that Scooby-Doo is dancing in front of everything!

Okay, yeah, that was sarcasm. File this one under “bad ideas executed poorly.” Don’t download Plus! Dancer LE.

1. Bing Toolbar for Firefox

Pretty much every search engine on the market offers some sort of useless, bloated toolbar, but this is just insane: Microsoft offers a Bing toolbar…for Firefox.

Finally, a toolbar perfect for people tech-savvy enough to be using the open-source Firefox browser, but not tech-savvy enough to realize that search-engine specific toolbars are a waste of precious vertical space.

This unholy matrimony between awesome and awful disturbed me so much that I had to check it out. I have nothing but regrets. The toolbar, like most such toolbars, serves no real purpose other than pushing certain products and services on you.

There’s a search bar…but it only uses Bing. There’s a news button…but it only shows MSNBC. There’s an email button…but it only connects to Hotmail. You get the idea.

The design is awful—sure, it’s clean, but it uses up way more vertical space than a search bar and a few buttons could possibly need. It’s as if it’s trying to waste precious screen space. This would all be bad enough in and of itself, but the installation process bundles a bunch of crap I’m not interested in. First I see questions like this before installing:

Okay, fair enough, there’s some optional bundles I can say no to.

But there’s more. During the installation process I noticed the Bing Toolbar took the liberty of installing Silverlight, the Windows Live ID Sign-In Assistant and the Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack without so much as asking me permission first. There was no cancel button, so all I could do is sit there and watch as software I had no interest in imposed itself on my machine.

I was angry.

I tried turning off the computer, but that only made my computer laugh at me manically. I unplugged the computer and pulled out its battery but somehow it just kept on installing unnecessary and useless software, as though possessed.

Desperate to stop the installation process at this point, I grabbed my axe and swung at my computer with all my strength, only to have the axe-head shatter within centimeters of the screen.

There is no cancelling an installation of the Bing Toolbar.

For the love of all that is sacred, do not download Bing Toolbar for Firefox – easily one of the worst Microsoft products. It’s evil and will corrupt your computer with dark magic. I spent last night sobbing silently into my pillow, not sleeping at all.

Don’t download the Bing Toolbar for Firefox.

Conclusion

Not every free offering from Microsoft is terrible. I personally think Microsoft Security Essentials is the best antivirus on the market, and it’s 100 percent free. In a few days’ time, Mahendra will prove this point by showcasing the best 5 Microsoft products.

Having said that, there are no redemptive qualities to any of the software mentioned above. None.

Do not download them.

If you think you know of a worse free product from Microsoft, share it below in the comments. I won’t be downloading any of it to confirm, however, as I’ll be spending the next five days removing all the aforementioned useless crap from my computer.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Related posts

• (11)Transmute – Migrate Bookmarks Between Your Browsers
• (23)Quickly Create Temporary Email Addresses with YopMail
• (6)Incredible Bookmarks – Add Some Smarts To Your Firefox Bookmarks
• (21)How To Set Your Browser Homepage in 5 Browsers
• (8)How To Record and Print out Browsing History on Firefox and Internet Explorer

View full post on MakeUseOf.com