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

bellwells

@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

pmiller

All MSpaint requires is just a bit of practice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2sPl_Z7ZU&feature=related

VLADIMIRZM

@pmiller said:

All MSpaint requires is just a bit of practice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2sPl_Z7ZU&feature=related

OMG!!!!

1 Norton Antivirus resources resources resources resources and never uninstalls completely.
2 Mahjong (game) it's really diabolic those little images. but i still play
3 Any HP software... too difficult and tricky
4 V-Ray for Sketchup. OMG this first release is full of bugs, is not a complete engine render and the trial version expires in 30 days without any good render (for beginners like me).
5 Artlantis Render. FOUR years, 2 licenses, many disappointments. although sometimes resolve the problem (in it's way) it's too far from "professional".
6 Tie:
Adobe Acrobat. too big and lots of registry settings just for read and create pdfs
Windows
Office 2007 yes is an alien. I hope can change autocad 2009 interface or will be the next in the line

1 Xplorer2. Try it and love it! very cheap, very useful, and you can talk directly with the boss
2 firefox. the pluggings make it so powerful.
3 Sketchup of course!
4 google (for search and mail) I remember nine - ten years ago the first time i saw a non-DOS pc image was google. until now i don't shut down my pc without giving it use.
5 MS Excel (until 2003!) is a blessing for data.
6 Photoshop

JasonWD

I have to say that I can't STAND Vectorworks!

After a decade of AutoCAD it feels like some kind of toy. Call it VagueCAD and you would have a better idea. Even after four years of use I can't stand it... nasty! (we're still on V11.5 BTW)

After that I think OS X finder is pretty crap.

bubbalove

We use Microstation at work and I absolutely hate it! There are like 1000 different icons (exaggeration) to choose from that do the exact same thing. I guess it doesn't help that I was taught AutoCAD in community college! I find it is much faster just to type in the command rather than having to go to find the damn icon! AutoCAD is much more user friendly IMO...

Anyone else agree with me on this that actually uses Microstation?

lewiswadsworth

@unknownuser said:

Anyone else agree with me on this that actually uses Microstation?

No, but oddly enough I have a bunch of notes from a Bentley VP trying to get the school where I teach to buy into it. We're actually more interested (or rather, fellow SCF member and my department head Diego Matho is more interested) in their über-BIM package Generative Components (Norman Foster and Thom Mayne "approved," I should add). But GC needs Microstation just the same way Revit really needs ACAD.

I'll keep your reservations in mind.

todd burch

CabinetVision from what is now Planit Software. http://www.planit.com/

Not just "bad awful", but VERY expensive... ~$3500. (US) for my one person machine. Complete with dongle.

I bought it on a credit card, and I'm so glad I did, as I was able to dispute the charge and get a refund. Major crapola.

They had phone support, which I was able to use 2 times a day. I say 2 times a day, because after being on hold for 45 minutes each time I called, and then discussing the problem for a hour and learning the workaround, I could only afford to do that twice in a day. I would have read the manual, but they didn't have one. I would have figured it out during the trial, but they didn't offer one of those either.

Oh, the pain. Don't make me think about it any more.

remus

DirectX- somehow its managed to become messed up on my comp, although you cant uninstall it like any other program, it embeds itself in to the OS to the degree that your talking major regedites to remove it or a clean install, neither of which i can be bothered with.