Messenger Disgruntlement

Why would I possibly want to use MSN Search for finding things? They know they're not the best at this. I'm offended at even being given the option, let alone having it default to true.

And am I likely to want MSN as my home page? Sure it's possible, but likely? Are they deliberately trying to ruin my online experience? Is this why people say that microsoft want to kill the web?

This is identical to the problem old Jakky N. wrote about, five years ago, in an article on Mailing List Usability:

Getting Subscribers

Users must opt-in before getting your email newsletter. Many sites try to do so by having a user registration form that contains a little box for "I want to receive valuable marketing promotions" that is checked by default. This is not good.

Sure, some users will overlook the box and will not uncheck it. That does not mean that they will welcome your newsletter. On the contrary, they will detest your company for sending them spam. Even worse, those users who do notice the little box will lose trust in your site because they will feel that the site is trying to trick them.

Much better to leave the box unchecked and only collect those users who are eager to get your material.

I'll check back in another five years and see if MSN get it yet.

'Wessam Zeidan' on Sun, 30 Oct 2005 18:33:33 GMT, sez:

Well probably you need to check my experience with google and IE 7

http://www.wessamzeidan.net/cs/blog/archive/2005/10/28/72.aspx

'Haacked' on Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:29:20 GMT, sez:

Right on! Piss off Messenger. And I HATE programs that think they are so self-important that they steal focus.

Especially when I'm entering a password in a nother field and hit return just as the software steals focus. Bastards!

'Alistair' on Tue, 01 Nov 2005 01:50:41 GMT, sez:

My biggest messenger gripe is the "mysterious missing messenger". Just when you think you are logged out, notifications start appearing. Usually I end up getting out the machete and trekking through my active processes.

'Sire' on Thu, 03 Nov 2005 09:05:18 GMT, sez:

I have forwarded your message to the big Microsoft trashcan in the sky:

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/list/en-us/default.aspx?mid=b514d17a-5f41-4471-9a2b-6b1bb33213b6&dg=microsoft.public.msn.messenger

Now watch in amazement as it is totally ignored.

'Sire' on Thu, 03 Nov 2005 09:06:17 GMT, sez:

Click in the SIRE link above and VOTE. Perhaps if we reach a gazillion votes, Microsoft will actually listen to us.

'Ajla' on Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:33:37 GMT, sez:

ajlich_@hotmail.com

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