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Old September 11th, 2007
ukbobboy01 ukbobboy01 is offline
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Join Date: May 30th, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Default Words of Experience

Medical

Wondering Why has explained why we volunteers do what we do and the fact that we come from all over the world with varying experiences helps, I believe, rather than hinders.

I do understand why you are upset but I seriously think you have taken the wrong approach.

You said:
Quote:
When I buy software, why should I have to do research and ask questions to solve problems with it? I pay my money so I don't have to do that.
Well, software isn't like that, most new releases of software don't work as advertised, not until the second or third update anyway. Because software companies have a tendency to release applications to a schedule rather than when they are ready, that's why most organisations do not buy new software until ithey has been out for more than six months.

And when you think of all the PCs in the world, each with it’s own configuration, it is almost a miracle that any application at all can run on the majority of these machines.

You also said (and this struck me as a disparaging remark):
Quote:
Instead, I have to use something that, in your words, has been compiled and provided by one of the forum members as a free service to LW users.
Now, LW is an open application and that means anybody that has the ability can add features that the programmers either did not think of or cannot do themselves. This is a strength, not a weakness as you perceive, because most great software gives outside programmers the chance to add additional features not thought of when the application was first put together.

For example, I’m using Word97 to write this post which I have enhanced with both Microsoft and non-Microsoft add-ons/plug-ins. That does not mean that the original product was bad, even though it took several incarnations before MS produced a stable version, it just means that the extra facilities I wanted, e.g. the ability to use PDF documents, was not native to the original application.

Finally, as programs in general become more complex, and users demand more features, it will become increasingly difficult to get that “once friendly app” to just run on your PC.


UK Bob
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