Slow News Day
I know that my score on the Savvymeter is much lower than most of my fellow Eisengeistonians but perhaps you will still find this amusing.
RealDownLoad is the Devil
About 400 hundred years ago I foolishly installed RealDownLoad on my computer. I don't recall having a choice. I think I wanted to install Acrobat and RealDownLoad wormed itself into the process.
Anyhoo, I wized up and have taken many steps to get rid of it and it just won't go. Today I sat down to do a little Mozilla maintenance (I need to install some plug ins) and I thought would try again.
I got this error message: "So, you thought you could get rid of me, huh?" I am not making this up.
Fortunately, this error message is listed on the RealFuckingDownFuckingLoad customer support page. The solution requires manually deleting a few dozen files in a few dozen folders and then editing the Registry. (Too late! Why didn't I install Google desktop search first?)
Here are Real's instructions for editing the registry:
The Registry Editor should still be open. If it is not, open it again using steps one and two above.
1. Click on Edit, then Find.
2. Type in RealDownload. It must be typed exactly as specified.
3. Click Find. Be patient while computer searches.
How dare they tell ME TO BE PATIENT!!!
4. With each value found, click on it, then press the delete key on the keyboard. Press the F3 key to continue searching. For every instance found, delete it from the registry....etc...
Okay, guess what. It STILL isn't gone. Now, when I try to read a .pdf file I am told I have a broken copy of REAL and would I like to remove it. If I choose "yes" my browser freezes.
I'm not asking for help; I own my own hammer and I will prevail. Just chuckle quietly at this fool who ever agreed to dance with the DEVIL!
posted by Corresponding Secretary General at 10:21 AM
4 Comments:
I propose a conceptual experiment - a computer which is set to automatically visit a series of random internet sites daily using Internet Explorer, but has no other purpose except to successfully update its software and repair itself. Is it possible?
That would be a fascinating experiment. Is it possible? Perhaps. Probably not. That much is based upon a gut check. I don't think it's a decidable proposition. If IE picks randomly from all sites on the Web, there is a chance that it will find a hacked or malicious site that uses an old or as yet undiscovered vulnerability to take control of the computer, and there ends the experiment.
I sense that we are specifically enjoined from offering help, CSG, so I'll refrain. Let me just say this: I feel your pain.
Software designed around an evil marketing agenda rather then usability?
"I'm shocked to find there's gambling going on here!"
Okay that's mean, but you have to remember the tired old saw: A free lunch is the most expensive kind.
So beware the free software. They have to do the most evil things to make it cost effective.
Either that or it's developed by freaks or commies.
Links to wikipedia are very nearly as evil. Fortunately, I checked before I followed it and lost another night's sleep. ;)
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