Tim Marman's Loosely Coupled

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• Misbehaving Software: Zinio Reader

  Zinio Reader is a application that allows you to download digital magazines and view them in a magazine-like presentation, complete with turning pages. It is especially cool on the Tablet PC platform (indeed, it is preinstalled on many Tablets now). The only problem is that Zinio misbehaves when it comes to internet connection. You would think that software that is largely going to be used on the go, where one may or may not have a connection, would handle this situation a bit more gracefully. First, you get prompted because Zinio can't download, even when you've told it in the past to use the default IE settings. If you click ok, and don't have an active Internet connection, you are prompted with this message. Clicking Cancel isn't much better. What should have happened? Zinio should have tried to connect. If it didn't have a working connection, it should have silently logged it. If, like most AntiVirus software, it went x days without a working connection, notify me in an unobtrusive... Posted Jun 16 2006, 04:38 AM by Tim with | with no comments Filed under: Technology, Software Development, Gadgets, Things that bother me, Tablet PC, Misbehaving Software

• Microsoft's Genuine Advantage: WGA Phones Home

  Windows Genuine Advantage phones home , sending the product key, manufacturer, operating system version, BIOS information and user locale setting and language back to Microsoft servers. WGA phones home even after the particular copy has been validated. Microsoft defended this , saying its intentions are good. when the WGA Notifications checks in with Microsoft when a PC is booted, it is not providing any information to the vendor if a PC's copy of Windows has already been validated. Instead, it is checking with a "server-side configuration setting to determine if WGA should run or not." The check-in also gives Microsoft the ability to disable the WGA program, if necessary. It looks like Microsoft has since backed off somewhat and will only be checking on 14-day intervals. Fortunately, OneCare blocks it. (Apparently, some have reported that ZoneAlarm does not ). Tags: Microsoft , Windows , WGA , windows genuine advantage Posted Jun 15 2006, 08:59 AM by Tim with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Technology, Security, Things that bother me, Privacy, Misbehaving Software