Posts tagged Google

When Bad Jokes Become Reality, Who Wins?

Oct04
2011

On September 4th I tweeted this:

“Downloaded MSFT security essentials. It says Chrome is a risk”

This was my first Tweet to be Favorited (and by top tier comedian @JimCoughlin nonetheless) so I remember it…

twitter MSFT SE chrome

On September 28th, Essentials did indeed begin flagging Chrome as unsafe, and removing it from PCs!  Read about it in Wired.

Background:

It was a simple joke, based on MSFT’s history of abuse of Windows power. Security Essentials is a highly recommended FREE program for protecting your PC  (it happens to make redundant Norton and McAfee’s offerings*).

With the power to remove viruses and malware, it was easy to see how MSFT might “define dangerous down” to include software from competitors like Google, which makes the Chrome browser. Remember, MSFT set out to destroy Netscape Navigator back in the 90s, which is why to this day it has to recommend alternatives to Internet Explorer for European PC users.

But my Tweet was just a bad joke. I didn’t think MSFT would purposely remove competition. Nor do I think it acted in bad faith with Security Essentials. There was a basis for mistaking Chrome for malware… and the corrections have been made on both sides.

* more irony: MSFT destroyed Navigator by giving away IE. Now MSFT is giving away Security Essentials, putting Norton Anti-Virus in peril.. but the government could care  . less.

Posted in Jokes, Software / Usability - Tagged ,

Dropdown List: USA #1

Mar10
2011

Most of the forms I must complete on the web include a Country list. The other day I had to fill out a registration form for Google and it inevitably led to a Country list. I was surprised that the option “United States” was not first. Google knows where I am, based on a LOT of information (Cookies, IP Address) but chooses to put the U.S. only in its alphabetical place far down below in a list of all nations. I understand the instinct to purport to be “politically correct” e.g. “the U.S. is just another country in the many in which we do business. Just because it is the superpower we will not list it first.”

However, web forms should not be exercises in politics. They should be as painless as possible. A web form can list options in many ways, and can repeat options. Based on the strong likelihood that I am a U.S. resident, that option should be first. In other scenarios on Google, they like to prove how much they know about you, and then give you the option to change that presumed definition. In this case, they could have pre-selected the U.S., and then had a link “Not the U.S.? Click for other countries.” I have seen some websites that do give a short list of most popular countries followed by all nations. And these sites aren’t even drawing from the large pool of data that Google has, but are using simple probability.

Come on, Google. We know you are very, very hip and awesome. But give us a break when you can, rather than when it flatters you.

Posted in Software / Usability

No Search in Hotmail Calendar

Jan19
2011

Google Calendar has Search. It’s an important feature.

Microsoft has a darn good calendar program, whichever name it uses (Hotmail, Live, Windows…). MS is also making strides in Search with the pretty Bing, and has made email searchable.

But for some reason, there is no Search in Hotmail Calendar.

Posted in Software / Usability - Tagged ,

Google Maps Route Should Be Numbered

Jun14
2010

The fine Google Maps offering can be improved by more tightly integrating the text Directions with the map’s outlined route. Each turn should be numbered with its corresponding direction step, either by default or by mouse over. Even more helpful would be if both mousing over the turn / #, and the Directions text included ‘running’ distance–tally of distance in miles and/or feet covered UP TO that step.

( I realize using the term ‘running total’ might confuse user who are using the map as a jogging guide. Life can be confusing, even with fine mapping services. )

I’ll mock up a screen shot if I can time later on… actually if I have enough time to do it properly, I’d include the javascript or css to display rollovers per turn.

Posted in Software / Usability - Tagged ,

Coulda, Shoulda, Dud

May15
2010

I came up with a good calendaring system. As you know, the big service providers (Google and Microsoft) offer a free calendar program. What to do with it? Well, both Gcal and Windows Live Calendar allow you to create multiple calendars (each with its own name, color, …).

I needed to make a combination that suits me (hey, isn’t that life?). My idea about calendars is that they should show the viewer what he might be dealing with, and also should let him review what he hath done. We are offered many options regarding events but do not NEED to do them all… nor do we have time for all. The modern way is to be flexible. But a man has obligations…

My system is to have 3 calendars: 1. Could Should    2. Must    3. Did Done

In this way, I’m aware of what I must do (the Red ‘Musts’); I’m mindful of what I could do (often overlapping, blue entries describe both what I could do and should do).  When something becomes true and has happened, then it has been done. And ya see here, I use these Calendaring programs Edit function which includes changing the Calendar. If I did something, I change it to ‘Did Done’ and write about what actually happened.

CalendarMonthView

I think it important to have a record of what really went down. This is like diary / journal keeping. And it is distinct from a list of what MAY have happened. When you are your own historian (or think that some historian may someday research your docs) you want to make it clear that what was planned, or what SHOULD have been, is not the same as what happened in your life.

I recommend you keep multiple calendars, and that you use the Edit feature if you want a historical record. A lot of invites have the enticing, mysterious “???” end time. When you write your history, you can mark exactly when the party stopped.

Both GCal and Windows Live are great programs. I use Windows because, as I’ve mentioned, I like to create / edit on the PC and then sync when the PC is online. Gcal, unfortunately, does not allow you to Write in ‘offline mode.’ It’s read-only, and is in the browser. I like to open my dedicated calendar program on the PC and do as I please. And that’s that!

Posted in Software / Usability - Tagged ,
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