?
brad's life [entries|archive|friends|userinfo]
Brad Fitzpatrick

[ website | bradfitz.com ]
[ userinfo | livejournal userinfo ]
[ archive | journal archive ]

Go Microsoft! [May. 22nd, 2004|07:52 pm]
Brad Fitzpatrick
[Tags|]

Dina was complaining that she couldn't insert a USB mouse into her laptop and have it work automatically.

"That's bullshit," I said. USB defines special classes for devices, mice included, and they just work everywhere. Even on Linux!

But no:

http://www.picpix.com/brad/pic/005e6esq/

Apparently Microsoft's operating system division doesn't trust the Microsoft mouse division.

What... the... fuck?

Not to mention that Dina's harddrive has been grinding for the past 2 days or so. At first I thought it was a scheduled task, defragging or something, but it won't stop.

Time to switch her to Linux? :P
LinkReply

Comments:
[User Picture]From: supersat
2004-05-22 08:18 pm (UTC)
Hahahaha! I think that only happens when you install the driver disk that comes with your mouse. Windows XP should work with all USB mice flawlessly as soon as you plug it in; no drivers are needed.

However, I do find it strange that the MS Mouse drivers aren't signed...
(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: brad
2004-05-22 08:22 pm (UTC)
Driver disk? I have no driver disk. I buy all my hardware OEM in little plastic baggies.

I blame Dina getting her laptop from Dell and it coming preloaded with SO MUCH GODDAMN SHIT. It's ridiculous. I want to at least wipe it and install a naked Windows XP, but I don't think Dell even gives her that... only a "restore CD" I imagine which brings it back to its original crap state.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: gholam
2004-05-22 09:38 pm (UTC)
If that's any consolation, Dell does give you a WinXP installation disk. At least the Latitude I fixed last month had one along with it. The serial number is on a sticker on the bottom of the laptop.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: iamo
2004-05-23 08:40 pm (UTC)
I too have gotten official normal install discs (as well as refresh discs) with Dell hardware, but I'm in Canada. I think it's a US specific thing, though I don't know why.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: feignedapathy
2004-05-22 08:48 pm (UTC)
Switch? Her mouse will start working, it's just everything else that won't. ;)
(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: brad
2004-05-22 08:54 pm (UTC)
Mozilla, OpenOffice, gaim...

She doesn't need anything else. *shrug*
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: dakus
2004-05-22 08:56 pm (UTC)
sounds like the indexing service is on...turn it off...worthless!

(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: way2tired
2004-05-22 09:20 pm (UTC)
welcome to the world where microsoft gets sued everytime they integrate something, so now they won't automatically integrate anything.

I would really like to see a happy medium.
(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: brad
2004-05-22 09:22 pm (UTC)
What are you talking about? USB is all about plug-n-play for most classes of devices... the USB spec defines how mice should work!
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: way2tired
2004-05-22 09:37 pm (UTC)
XP recognizes most drivers, in its "database" of drivers, but suddenly ignores its own (hence the message you got). I've had the same experience at work when someone bought one of the microsoft-branded pcmcia 802.11g cards, but not with any others.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: mart
2004-05-23 06:06 am (UTC)

The first time I plugged in my (non-Microsoft) USB mouse to my Windows 2000 machine it brought up a dialog box like that. Once I hit OK it went away and never appeared again.

Surely it's not doing that every time?

(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: brad
2004-05-23 11:51 am (UTC)
I thought the same... "Surely" it'll work now! Nope. Every time.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: krow
2004-05-23 10:13 am (UTC)
When Christine got a computer I told her to get a Mac or a Linux box. I only offered support on those two platforms :)

(Reply) (Thread)