RANT: Installation blues

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

Every time I install a game, 99% of the time it suggests putting it
in the Program Files directory. I have a Games directory apart from
program files, so that I can actually see all the games I have
installed. So, why the insistence on Program Files as a default?
Why not let the user specify what he or she wants?

Then there are those that allow you to browse for a directory but
once you have selected it, it no longer offers you the original
directory name for the game. Argh!

Granted both are minor points but it annoyed me yesterday and I
thought I'd vent. I'm sure there are some among us here who think
installing everything to the same directory as all the other programs
is a neat-o idea, and if they can live with that decision, fine, but
I like to be able to be more specific.

So what is the reasoning behind it? If this had only happened once
of twice, I wouldn't bother asking, but it's widespread.

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's ah heck all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <42652076$0$7195$626a14ce@news.free.fr>, m_debec@msn.com
says...

> My personal pet peeve is how many game REQUIRE to run in Administrator
> mode because of some stupid copy protection scheme.
> This is the underlying cause for a large part of spammer bot PCs (at least
> those under W2k or XP) on the web, since people run always with
> administrator rights, because of that.

Require *running* as root? Or *installing* as root?

And the deadly little secret of Windows is that you can do as much
damage in "Limited User" mode, spyware/virus/malware-wise, as you can
with Administrator privileges, depending on how badly you've protected
the PC and how carelessly you're paying attention.

On my home machines, I generally just let fly with Administrator mode;
if I'm having a bone-stupid day, the tiny additional protection that
Windows affords me in "Power User" mode isn't worth the hassles of
having to runas a dozen things an hour just to operate normally.

[And if we're thinking of making this a Microsoftian rant, don't even
get me started about Unix, sudo, and the rich buttery layer of bullshit
that accrues over on that side of things. Try to get Linux to serve up
some Samba application shares over in an AD environment and see if *you*
don't start to think about Hair Club For Men...]

--
Giftzwerg
***
"Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely
unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies
and disparaging the very organization he would serve."
- Dana Milbank, Washington Post

"Uh, Dana? I'm pretty sure the organization Mr. Bolton is supposed
to be serving is *America*."
- Giftzwerg

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

it's like that because that's the system default and for most people, most
of the time, it's fine.

(it's set here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
"ProgramFilesDir"="C:\\Program Files" in WinXP.)

it might be ok to change it on a new system, but not after you've installed
stuff; some software uses the %programfiles% variable as its own path and
would end up pointing to the wrong place if you dink with it.

bob

"Michel Boucher" <alsandorz@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:Xns963D52A366C44mortimertherat@216.196.97.142...
> Every time I install a game, 99% of the time it suggests putting it
> in the Program Files directory. I have a Games directory apart from
> program files, so that I can actually see all the games I have
> installed. So, why the insistence on Program Files as a default?
> Why not let the user specify what he or she wants?
> >
> So what is the reasoning behind it? If this had only happened once
> of twice, I wouldn't bother asking, but it's widespread.
>

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <d438ts$e9n$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com>,
r.lawn@NOJUNK.btinternet.NOJUNK.com says...

> it's like that because that's the system default and for most people, most
> of the time, it's fine.
>
> (it's set here:
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
> "ProgramFilesDir"="C:\\Program Files" in WinXP.)
>
> it might be ok to change it on a new system, but not after you've installed
> stuff; some software uses the %programfiles% variable as its own path and
> would end up pointing to the wrong place if you dink with it.

You'll screw yourself, big-time, if you monkey with this. File this
away in the "More Trouble Than It's Worth" bucket.

--
Giftzwerg
***
"Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely
unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies
and disparaging the very organization he would serve."
- Dana Milbank, Washington Post

"Uh, Dana? I'm pretty sure the organization Mr. Bolton is supposed
to be serving is *America*."
- Giftzwerg

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <Xns963D52A366C44mortimertherat@216.196.97.142>,
alsandorz@rogers.com says...
> Every time I install a game, 99% of the time it suggests putting it
> in the Program Files directory. I have a Games directory apart from
> program files, so that I can actually see all the games I have
> installed. So, why the insistence on Program Files as a default?
> Why not let the user specify what he or she wants?
>
<snip>
>

I don't mind the install in Program Files but what really annoys me is
this: Having installed "WonderfulGame", I need to look in the directory
for the manual or whatever. I look for \program files\wonderfulgame and
don't find it. I fume and search and find it in \program files
\unmemorable company\wonderfulgame.
Even if I notice this on install I've forgotten the name of 'unmemorable
company' in five minutes.
So I agree - let us specify what we want.

Les
(To email me - remove the z)

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <MPG.1ccf3110390abb219896c6@news.homechoice.co.uk>,
lesfletcher@londonmailz.com says...

> I don't mind the install in Program Files but what really annoys me is
> this: Having installed "WonderfulGame", I need to look in the directory
> for the manual or whatever. I look for \program files\wonderfulgame and
> don't find it. I fume and search and find it in \program files
> \unmemorable company\wonderfulgame.

Or, even worse, when WONDERFULGAME installs CDILLA or some such other
copy-hostile system or borderline spyware on your PC and won't run
without it - never, of course, having mentioned *on the outside of the
box*:

"This game requires <shitware here> to run, so don't even buy it if this
sort of thing sends you right 'round the twist..."

--
Giftzwerg
***
"Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely
unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies
and disparaging the very organization he would serve."
- Dana Milbank, Washington Post

"Uh, Dana? I'm pretty sure the organization Mr. Bolton is supposed
to be serving is *America*."
- Giftzwerg

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <1113942325.553535.187420@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
eddysterckx@hotmail.com says...

> For business/production/server software - i.e. everything that simply
> *has* to run there's one golden rule : always go with the default
> suggested path and options.

My experience has been that the more "professional" - and expensive -
the application involved is, the more flexible the developers are at
fitting it into a more complex server environment.

I was given a proprietary database application quote just today that had
a mind-boggling six-figured number down towards the bottom of it;
something tells me that if I want it to go into a share called,
"//python/ekky-ekky-ekky-ekky-ptang-zoom-boing-z-nourrrwringmm/,"
they'll indulge me.

[They might even agree to cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with
.... A HERRING!, if I suggest that's a dealbreaker.]

--
Giftzwerg
***
"Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely
unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies
and disparaging the very organization he would serve."
- Dana Milbank, Washington Post

"Uh, Dana? I'm pretty sure the organization Mr. Bolton is supposed
to be serving is *America*."
- Giftzwerg

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

Giftzwerg <giftzwerg999@NOSPAMZ.hotmail.com> wrote in
news:MPG.1ccece27968dd1cb98a288@news-east.giganews.com:

> But I've seen at
> least one Matrixgames title (I forget which one...KP, maybe?)
> where a follow-on patch does <bad thing> if you haven't installed
> in the default /Matrixgames/<title> directory. And I hasten to
> say I'm not singling out Matrix in this respect - *lots* of
> software needs a "default" installation for one reason or another
> down the road.

Sierra games used to insist on being in a C:\Sierra directory.

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's ah heck all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <Xns963D52A366C44mortimertherat@216.196.97.142>,
alsandorz@rogers.com says...
> Every time I install a game, 99% of the time it suggests putting it
> in the Program Files directory. I have a Games directory apart from
> program files, so that I can actually see all the games I have
> installed. So, why the insistence on Program Files as a default?
> Why not let the user specify what he or she wants?
>
> Then there are those that allow you to browse for a directory but
> once you have selected it, it no longer offers you the original
> directory name for the game. Argh!
>
> Granted both are minor points but it annoyed me yesterday and I
> thought I'd vent. I'm sure there are some among us here who think
> installing everything to the same directory as all the other programs
> is a neat-o idea, and if they can live with that decision, fine, but
> I like to be able to be more specific.
>
> So what is the reasoning behind it? If this had only happened once
> of twice, I wouldn't bother asking, but it's widespread.

Something has to be the default.
--

Epi

------------
Have you ever noticed NPR stations only play
classical and jazz music, yet 9x% percent of
their stories on music are on rock groups.
Hmmm...Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
------------
http://www.curlesneck.com

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

Epi <epicat1212@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:MPG.1cc5f582248f1c54989693@news.east.earthlink.net:

>> So what is the reasoning behind it? If this had only happened
>> once of twice, I wouldn't bother asking, but it's widespread.
>
> Something has to be the default.

Why have a default at all? Why not leave it blank and let users
decide?

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's ah heck all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <Xns963DCDBCC2D40mortimertherat@216.196.97.142>,
alsandorz@rogers.com says...
> Epi <epicat1212@hotmail.com> wrote in
> news:MPG.1cc5f582248f1c54989693@news.east.earthlink.net:
>
> >> So what is the reasoning behind it? If this had only happened
> >> once of twice, I wouldn't bother asking, but it's widespread.
> >
> > Something has to be the default.
>
> Why have a default at all? Why not leave it blank and let users
> decide?

With a default you can choose something different if you want. Same as
if there was no default. You would still have to choose something.
--

Epi

------------
Have you ever noticed NPR stations only play
classical and jazz music, yet 9x% percent of
their stories on music are on rock groups.
Hmmm...Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
------------
http://www.curlesneck.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <42658e00$0$7206$626a14ce@news.free.fr>, m_debec@msn.com
says...

> > And the deadly little secret of Windows is that you can do as much
> > damage in "Limited User" mode, spyware/virus/malware-wise, as you can
> > with Administrator privileges, depending on how badly you've protected
> > the PC and how carelessly you're paying attention.
>
> I'm running XP and W2k, with NTFS, I *know* it's not full secure, but it's
> better than nothing (and I'm not speaking "power user", I'm speaking
> "ordinary user", games and business sofware SHOULD run as ordinary user,
> it's only bad habbits and laziness that account for the obligation to run as
> power user / administrator).

What I'm cautioning against is any implication - which I don't think
you're making, BTW - that one can achieve any measure of secure
operation in a networked (internet) environment by simply running as a
Limited User.

You can't be fully protected unless you're (1) behind a *secure*
firewall, (2) masking your whole network using a gateway router, (3)
using a really, really good antivirus, (4) using and understanding
strong antispyware tools, and (5) most importantly, having a solid grasp
on how viruses and malware propagate and how to use a system securely.

My point is that if you're doing *all* of these things, then you really
won't derive any practical additional protection from being in Limited
User mode; certainly not enough to justify the pain-in-the-ass hassles
associated with Limited User. And if you're *not* doing all of these
important things, Limited User ain't gonna save ya.

--
Giftzwerg
***
"Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely
unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies
and disparaging the very organization he would serve."
- Dana Milbank, Washington Post

"Uh, Dana? I'm pretty sure the organization Mr. Bolton is supposed
to be serving is *America*."
- Giftzwerg

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In article <Xns963DCDBCC2D40mortimertherat@216.196.97.142>,
alsandorz@rogers.com says...

> > Something has to be the default.
>
> Why have a default at all? Why not leave it blank and let users
> decide?

And get 5,000 calls from The Clueless Ones whining, "It's blaaaank!
Whaaaa doooo I puuuut heeere?"

Cripes, next you'll be having these lusers desperately seeking the
"Any" key!

--
Giftzwerg
***
"Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely
unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies
and disparaging the very organization he would serve."
- Dana Milbank, Washington Post

"Uh, Dana? I'm pretty sure the organization Mr. Bolton is supposed
to be serving is *America*."
- Giftzwerg

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

"Michel de Becdelièvre" <m_debec@msn.com> wrote in
news:42658e00$0$7206$626a14ce@news.free.fr:

> there are almost no games to speak off under
> Unix / Linux, maybe Nethack ?

From a recent post in the HTTR forum :

"HTTR works in Linux conjunction with Cedega v4.3 .
If you don't know what Cedega is, its a Windows Emulation enviroment for
GNU/Linux distributions"

So it seems only the best wargames work under Unix

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

In message <Xns963DCDBCC2D40mortimertherat@216.196.97.142>, Michel
Boucher <alsandorz@rogers.com> writes
>Epi <epicat1212@hotmail.com> wrote in
>news:MPG.1cc5f582248f1c54989693@news.east.earthlink.net:
>
>>> So what is the reasoning behind it? If this had only happened
>>> once of twice, I wouldn't bother asking, but it's widespread.
>>
>> Something has to be the default.
>
>Why have a default at all? Why not leave it blank and let users
>decide?
>
Why NOT have a default? That doesn't add any extra work for people who
want to change it (like you) and it makes things easier for people who
don't want to change it. I've been through the "It's MY computer and I
will install thing where I want" phase, and I have now reached the "Why
not go with the flow, do I really need to prove my self-worth by
asserting myself with an inanimate piece of software?" phase.
--
John Secker

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

On the 20 Apr 2005, Michel Boucher <alsandorz@rogers.com> wrote:

<snip>

> Sierra games used to insist on being in a C:\Sierra directory.

Good job they don't anymore, because I don't /have/ a C: drive - my PC's
hard drive is actually E: due to it originally being a second drive.

--
Graham Thurlwell.
Jades' First Encounters Site.
http://www.jades.org/ffe.htm
The best Frontier: First Encounters site on the Web.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

Graham Thurlwell wrote:
> On the 20 Apr 2005, Michel Boucher <alsandorz@rogers.com> wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> > Sierra games used to insist on being in a C:\Sierra directory.
>
> Good job they don't anymore, because I don't /have/ a C: drive - my
PC's
> hard drive is actually E: due to it originally being a second drive.

If you ever need it :

Open Dos command window and type :

subst c: e:\games

==> now going to your c: drive will take you to e:\games

subst c: /d

==> substitute drive removed

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

While taking a short break from the daily grind of enslavement and
world domination, Giftzwerg mentioned

>In article <Xns963DCDBCC2D40mortimertherat@216.196.97.142>,
>alsandorz@rogers.com says...
>
>> > Something has to be the default.
>>
>> Why have a default at all? Why not leave it blank and let users
>> decide?
>
>And get 5,000 calls from The Clueless Ones whining, "It's blaaaank!
>Whaaaa doooo I puuuut heeere?"
>
>Cripes, next you'll be having these lusers desperately seeking the
>"Any" key!

And the ones who call up to say "Do you know that a Salada cracker
JUST fits into a 3.5" drive and why have my floppies all crashed now?"
..
..
"When in danger or in doubt,
Run in circles, scream and shout"
..
It's not just a management tool,
It's a philosophy for living!!
..