Fill in the blank: The WORST software I ever used was

CraigD

A Pinnacle external USB digital TV tuner had a terrible "media manager" that wanted to overtake my whole computer so I scrapped the whole thing. I would only have wanted to watch some TV occasionally...

Anssi

Holy crap Anssi!!! I was going to keep quite on this thread but the whole time I was thinking that the EXACT SAME SOFTWARE you mentioned as the worst I've used in a looooong time!!! It would blue screen my XP, and caused endless reboots!

Wow, that's funny! ...oh, and this wasn't Beta Release software either...

 - CraigD

linea

@unknownuser said:

I think im going to have to make a bit of stand for vista. I really dont find it that bad, definately an improvement on XP, at least in my opinion.

Vista isn't terrible, but its Microsoft's attitude of "yeah vista won't do that, accept it" that annoys me.
Vista made most of my software, (which was only a few years old) obsolete. I've got a lovely new machine but I can do less on it than I could on my old machine that runs xp. Only Microsoft could survive the release of a product that is so restrictive.
The most positive thing that has come out of me using Vista is that I've made an effort to find free software because I can't afford loads of new apps. My 5 yr old Ms Office wouldn't work on Vista so I installed Open Office which is superb, reads and writes Ms formats and its free.

Also I've started experimenting with linux. If you want to see a well designed O.S. look at ubuntu or dream linux. I think Microsoft will soon have serious competition from the open source arena.

remus

@unknownuser said:

Only Microsoft could survive the release of a product that is so restrictive.

apple have released a lot of very restrictive hardware in their time...

Anyway, i see your point and i suppose i was just lucky to not have been treated to the vista spiel, and also very fortunate that i didnt have any specialist bits of software. the advantages to being a student

Tobobo

I found that the worst software I've recently used was Sony's hanycam suite. Its slow and really hard to use. Also the files are locked so if you want to edit them in something decent you have to burn them to DVD and then rip it. Also the software isn't mac compatible and so my mate who is editing a load of footage I took can't with out me burning 3 DVDs full of footage.

Haven't really used Vista yet so i can't comment

lewiswadsworth

Revit 1.0 and Revit 2.0 were awful. AutoDesk paid a hot-shot parametric expert to teach a class in my M.Arch. program centered on Revit. They gave us free copies of 2.0.

First class, "S." (let's not get him sued!) showed up, opened up Revit, spent fifteen minutes showing us how it couldn't do various things (battered walls, etc.), made it crash deliberately a few times, and then announced to us that the program "sucked" from the "get go", although we were welcome to keep our copies (I did, and I did try to use it for various things, quite unsuccessfully).

S., on the other hand, spent the rest of the semester teaching us how to crazy things with Java, Processing, and dxf libraries.

paul j

SOFTPLAN by far...
Our office uses AutoCad, Sketchup and Softplan.
If you want to turn grey, learn how swear profusely or feel like murdering someone then Softplan is the key to get you in the mood.

Even simple things like selecting an item on the drop down menu's often invokes the command for the item listed on the menu under the one you selected.

If you wish to trim one line using another, often you will get a fillet instead. If you then undo the command and zoom in or out a bit more, it usually works.

Dimensions are a pain - if you want to move them a bit, say further from the drawing itself, you can't just window it like in autocad and move it. In softplan, you can block move it but ALL the leader lines stay put - you have to adjust each and every leader line to where you want it.

Thats only scraping the surface on this package - there is HEAPS wrong with it.

I only use it at work whenever I really have to - and very reluctantly at that. Wish our work never purchased 3 licenses.

Goyoes

@anssi said:

AutoCad 13 was the worst of all AutoCads.

I agree.

bellwells

@unknownuser said:

@unknownuser said:

I think im going to have to make a bit of stand for vista. I really dont find it that bad, definately an improvement on XP, at least in my opinion.

Vista isn't terrible, but its Microsoft's attitude of "yeah vista won't do that, accept it" that annoys me.
Vista made most of my software, (which was only a few years old) obsolete. I've got a lovely new machine but I can do less on it than I could on my old machine that runs xp. Only Microsoft could survive the release of a product that is so restrictive.
The most positive thing that has come out of me using Vista is that I've made an effort to find free software because I can't afford loads of new apps. My 5 yr old Ms Office wouldn't work on Vista so I installed Open Office which is superb, reads and writes Ms formats and its free.

Also I've started experimenting with linux. If you want to see a well designed O.S. look at ubuntu or dream linux. I think Microsoft will soon have serious competition from the open source arena.

Jon,

I downloaded Ubuntu via Wubi, an installer, which allows for a dual boot type start up. You can choose which OS to run. I do love Open Office and will install it on Windows.

Anyhoo, Ubuntu is very elegant. EDIT: I'm on Ubuntu right now, Jon. Wow, what a great OS. PS got the cube working.

Pixero

Ha, funny thread.
Soo many I've tried and uninstalled. Can't remember them all but right at the bottom is Trojan Hunter. Once my PC got infected and I spent some time trying to find a cure and finally bought Trojan Hunter. And that thing installed dosens of more trojans. Had a hard time cleaning the PC.
I also began receiving LOTS of spam after that. Never had any problem with spam before on the email account I used to register the software.
Stay away from it!

The problem I have with Microsoft is that they belive to know how I want to used the software. And I hate that. I should deside how I want to do things not MS.

linea

Did anyone ever try SoftCad? There are 3 flavours SoftCAD, APC Draft and Architech PC. Never has a program looked so simple but actually been so complicated.
http://www.softcad.com/indexeuro.asp?selmenu=&smenu=&ssmenu=&page=gallery/galeries3d.asp

I only tried Softcad, I can't say that it's terrible as I never managed to draw anything with it, but my gut instinct is that it is probably a donkey.

Secondly, for complexity over reason, it would be unfair not to give Blender at least an honourable mention.

solo

Maxwell render, not for the results as they are great but rather for the amount of time it takes to get there. Setup your scene press render then go on vacation.

Stinkie

Hmm ... let's see. Word, for starters. I use it every day, all day. I hate it. It's a bloated piece of cr*p.

Second place: TurboSketch. Cheap, but sucks. Bad customer support too. That I find a turnoff.

Third place: Windows Media Player. Anything it does, another app does better. Just as bloated as Word is.

(Just to say something positive too - best apps: SU, Podium and MoI.)

Loewenkatze

In my opinion... Lotus Notes. How can anyone make simple things such complicated?

But there is another little piece of software I suffered from over years... hidden behind three innocent letters... SAP.

guite

@pixero said:

The problem I have with Microsoft is that they believe to know how I want to used the software.

Agree. My pet peeve is auto bulleting in MS Word. Why does it think it knows how I want to number certain paragraphs!

Guite

boofredlay

If I had a nickel for every time I heard my wife cussing out MS Word, Bill Gates would be calling me sir.

kwistenbiebel

Autocad, 3dsmax and any CAD software that uses BIM.
I just hate complex software that lets you focus on the tool instead of on the subject of your design.
Instead I love vectorworks for 2D and off course Sketchup for 3D.
Vectorworks also has a BIM fuctionality...but I never touch that as I try to avoid an allergic reaction

Paul Russam

its funny that you mentioned Vectorworks as I was going to vote MiniCAD as one of the worst I'd ever used, I found that it was all about making something look right as oposed to being right.
Other in my list:
Real player
Windows ME
AutoCAD all flavors (but what choice do we have)
MS Access because it could be so much better, imagine the Access engine with the Excel front end.

There are others but my pizza is ready!

Stinkie

@paul russam said:

Real player

I forgot that one! Which is a lot like leaving Adolf H. out of yer "Most Despicable Bstrds Of All Times" list.

Glenn at home

GroupWise (an older e-mail program)
Lotus Notes
MS Project
PowerCADD - I downloaded the demo and hated it. Way too much clicking on buttons for me. You can have my AutoCAD when you pry it from my cold dead fingers
OpenOffice - bloatware
Blender - awful GUI

Good ones:
AutoCAD 2007/2008. I honestly don't see why people have so much trouble with it
AbiWord - Great MS Word replacement
Macromedia FireWorks
Lexisoft HighDesign - great start for an OSX 2D cad program.

Not real happy with OSX. My #1 gripe so far, I can't rename/delete a file from a "File - Open" dialog box. Real nice feature to have. I use it a lot in Windows.

bytor

Stinkie...........that's really funny

I will second the previous vote for GroupWise and expand it to anything Novell related!

Bytor