Blog ala Vidar

We’re now at the end of January, 2010. 20-30 years ago people thought we’d fly around in our private helicopter-like vehicles, have a device that we could just tell what food we wanted and it made it for us building it from scratch (atom-level). I can go on and on where we thought we’d be. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting closer and closer every day. But if we’re so close, why is there so much bugging me with technology? I tend to think it’s because the people creating it doesn’t understand the end-user’s expectations. I’m not the most normal end-user, but here’s my list of things that REALLY annoy me:

Podcasts on Windows Mobile
October 23, 2001 Apple released their first iPod. They weren’t the first on the (mp3 player-) market, but they’ve been superior when it comes to user friendliness. When I bought my HTC Touch HD2 “Leo”, I hoped I could get rid of iTunes and start using Zune. Zune is Microsoft’s answer to iTunes. I’ve heard it works perfectly with Zune-devices, but it won’t connect to my phone, even though it’s Windows Mobile 6.5 (latest release). iTunes connects to your iPod, iPhone etc, but Zune only connects to your Zune devices. I’ve tried finding a shop that will send me a Zune HD, but no luck. US ONLY! So, then I’m stuck with using my iPod and my HTC phone. I’ve actually started considering buying an iPhone, just because that makes my life easier when it comes to podcasts. Yes, I know. You can download the podcasts using Zune, manually copy the mp3-files over to your phone using sync and then use windows media player on the phone to play them. But, then I need to do all the syncing manually. After all, I’m subscribing to TWENTY different podcasts. WE’RE IN 2010 NOW! Why is Zune HD only available in the US? Have no idea, but I assume it’s some EU-shit. Microsoft: grow some balls, pay off the people standing in your way and start selling it here too! If not, at least make support for WM, NOW!

X-Box Live Points
This is a sort of payment system Microsoft have made available on X-Box Live (their “meeting place” for X-Box enthusiasts). In my opinion this is a very good system, makes it easy for you to buy games, demos, videos, music+++, but why isn’t EVERYTHING available with points? Some I have to use my credit card to buy, and some isn’t even available at all! I have to go to for instance play.com to order a game which they send in the mail (yes, snail-mail), which takes everything from 7-14 days, depending on if it’s “in stock” or not. WE’RE IN 2010 NOW! Why can’t I just download the game I want, the day it’s released? Pay FULL PRICE (with points), and be able to play the game NOW instead 14 days from now? Again, I assume this is not Microsoft’s fault. It’s probably EU-shit, again (by now, you’ve probably figured I’m not a big fan of EU :P). Microsoft: grow some balls, pay off the people standing in your way and start making it easier for us end-users!

The Music Industry
10 years ago everyone was using Napster to download music, but then came Metallica with their lawsuits. I’m a big fan of their music, but not their attitude to sharing music. Now there’s finally a good client for us that want to download/stream music, whenever we want, where ever we want. I pay 1188,- NOK each year (about $200) to listen to music whenever, where ever. I’m of course talking about spotify. But, why isn’t Metallica there? Or AC/DC? Or Led Zeppelin? They probably don’t get enough money. I’d gladly pay another annual $200 to get them there. WE’RE IN 2010 NOW! I actually expected that 10 years from Napster we’d be able to listen to what we want, where ever we want, without bringing CDs all over.

iTunes
When it comes to podcasts, this application is THE BEST. It’s in its own class when it comes to user friendliness here. But why is it so slow? Do they even know about multithreading? It’s almost as slow and non-responding as Java-applications *hiding behind the couch, waiting for all “Java iz ze bezt”*.

Apple
What do I have to do to buy an (Norwegian) iPhone? I’m using Ventelo as my service provider. I don’t like buying things on eBay and similar sites. It’s not possible on apple.com, not ventelo.no or any web shops I’ve tried. Also, there’s too much talk about Apple in my opinion. Yes, they’ve created a GREAT mp3-player, and from what I’ve heard a GREAT phone, but what about the rest? I’ve tried Mac a couple of times, and I’m not impressed. Yes, the mouse-pad gestures are a great invention, but I just didn’t like the OS. This might have something to do with me being a Microsoft enthusiast, but I just didn’t get used to it. I’ve even thought of buying a Mac, just to see what the fuzz is all about, but what am I supposed to use it for? You can’t run SQL Server or Visual Studio. The only thing I then could do is sync my iPod (or iPhone, if I bought that), and watch series. But, that works GREAT on my Dell Vostro. One other thing bugging me about Apple is their closed attitude. They (almost) never tell what’s in their security updates, they don’t care about open source AT ALL. In addition, the iPad “hoax”. No multitasking, drag’n’drop, USB, flash, SD, HDMI, Camera. What DOES it have? I thought Torbjørn Lunde’s statement “I use FlashBlock on all my browsers and I really miss all those ads” was a good comment, and it made me add a flash blocker. But, would mom do the same? She’s probably one of those clicking those ads, because it’s now new years and “time to burn some fat”. They’ve said that iPad is the perfect way to watch pictures, movies etc. Why isn’t there a SD, or even a camera? I must admit, I want to buy it. I have no idea why, and what I’m supposed to use it for (as well as a Mac book).

SQL Server Management Studio
Yes, there is one thing really bugging me about this. In SQL Server 2005 Microsoft released a new feature called NEWSEQUENTIALID(). I’m not going into details what this is, because that’s not what this is about. My ONLY problem with this feature is if you’re using it as a default value on a column in a table (which is the only place you can use it), you get the following message if you change something in that table: “Error validating the default for column ‘Column1’”. I reported it as soon as I found it, and I’ve reported it several times. I even got a group together to vote for it. 2008 got released, still same message. I’m now using 2008 R2 Nov CTP, and it still gives me this message. Is it really that difficult too fix?

I’m sure I’ll get some hate-mail from Apple supporters, or maybe Metallica, but what I’d really love to hear is how can I get my (HTC) phone to sync podcasts with my computer?