[Sent to Corel’s Customer Service Feedback address]
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to write this quick note to you, explaining why I permanently uninstalled your Corel Photo House 3 software less than 10 minutes after I first loaded it onto my computer.
As with all software programs I install, I selected the “custom” installation option, because I appreciate the ability to control what is done to my computer during the installation process. However, once the installation was complete, I noticed that all of my image file associations-- .bmp, .jpg, .gif-- had been changed to use Photo House instead of the applications I had them assigned to.
I was never asked in the install process if I wanted to change those file associations. Had I been given that option, I would have chosen not to, as I have associated those files with other applications for a reason. By automatically changing those associations without asking my permission or even informing me that you were doing so, you have compromised my trust in your product, and I will not use a product I cannot trust.
I resent software manufacturers that think that my installation of their program is an acknowledgement that I prefer that program over all others. I despise programs that create desktop shortcuts for themselves (and, even worse, partners I will never use) without asking my permission to do so, or programs that automatically install bloated and unwanted demo versions of other software deep within my hard drive. Your hijacking of my file associations, however, is at the top of my list of installation peeves, as it requires me to spend my time to restore the various associations I had in the first place.
Should I decide to use Corel products in the future, I look forward to an intallation process that allows the program to serve my needs, rather than the other way around.
Even if you didn’t tell them to take their product and squick themselves with it.
Yer pal,
Satan
[sub]I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR:
Three months, four weeks, one day, 11 hours, 20 minutes and 22 seconds.
4818 cigarettes not smoked, saving $602.36.
Life saved: 2 weeks, 2 days, 17 hours, 30 minutes.[/sub]
"Satan is not an unattractive person."-Drain Bead
[sub]Thanks for the ringing endorsement, honey!*[/sub]
I’ve had the same problem with Paperport & other software. It really ticks me off when I have to run msconfig and disable a shitload of programs that start up automatically. Much of my work is graphic intensive and I need all the memory I can get.
It’s my computer and I should have a say in what your software is going to do to it.
I spent the better part of a week once trying to help a friend undo all the crap Photo House did to her PC. (Okay, it was really a 4 hour job, but she lives in Phoenix, so I was doing this over AIM. Was still a mess.)
At least you can choose open with and reassociate the extensions with the proper executables fairly easy with either a shift-right click or just a right click in win 2000.
My pet peeve is stuff installing on my c: drive and not my d: drive. Some programs ask permission and then install on c: anyway!
Fun and new with win 2000/office2000. Outlook reinstalls itself if you delete the files even if you ask it not to install at all.
I had the same problem with Real Jukebox. Avoid that one too. It asked me if I wanted to make it the default player for a long list of file extension. I unchecked every single one of them. It ignored me and made itself the default for all of them anyway. It took me over an hour to find and reverse everything it had done.
I downloaded and installed a free program called 602Pro PC Suite. It did the same thing as you described. It is a fairly good program, with a photo editor, word processor and a spreadsheet. (the spreadsheet even opens xl files). But the fact remains that it “takes over” without asking first and that just bugs the poopoo out of me!!
P.S. I would send them a second letter asking, no demanding, a refund.
P.S.S. I don’t even want to get started on Real Pukebox.
See, this is my beef with the computer industry… as more and more people climb aboard the band wagon, computer products have to be aimed at lower and lower demoninators. Right now, hardware/software manufacturers have to assume that the average user is stupid, because… well… the average user IS stupid.
I avoid anything from Corel. Anything new, anyway. Their last good product was Wordperfect 7 (which I still prefer over Word 2000). For photo stuff, I get by with PSP. Everything else… well… don’t need it Yet.
My PC is currently with a friend, undergoing some nice spiffy upgrades, and a total reformat and reinstall of Windows 98. It was running so-so before, but I thought a reformat would be a nice thing. And it’ll come back with a nice CPU upgrade and 10 GB more hard drive! Yipee!
Right now I’m on my Mac, which is set up totally differently. I don’t have to worry about “associations” in the same way. I guess it’s spoiling me!
Anyway, my upgrading friend is very busy, so it might be a few weeks before he gets around to finishing my PC. And when I get it back, I’ll be re-loading all my applications, including Photoshop, and the new copy of Corel PhotoPaint I just bought. I almost dread doing it now. It’ll be the Big Association Fight. Yikes!
