Show me your desktop and I tell you who you are. If this line sounds vaguely familiar you might know where I’m heading with the initial question. A computer user belongs to the Next Next Next generation if Next Next Next describes his actions when installing software on a computer system.
Those users usually install a bunch of crapware on their system because of the way they install software. This includes toolbars, new homepages, desktop shortcuts to tempting offers and basically everything that is not needed to run an application. Yes, that includes the Do you mind if we track your use of our program and transfer the data to our main server to analyse it options.
To make a valid point somewhere in this article. A lot of problems with computers could vanish over night if users would opt for custom installations more often. They would discover a wealth of options and features that they could uncheck before installation to reduce system load, increase system resources and have a overall better computer experience.
So what is it. Are you a next next next guy ?
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I am easy to install programs… Which doesn’t mean that it’s easy for a program to do something nasty between firewall, antivirus and my habit of having Process Explorer constantly open on second monitor and tracking what executables are up to. :)
It’s not really install process’ fault that users are fast to click. I actually prefer fast installation so that I can get to real options inside of normal interface faster.
PS my desktop at work is completely empty (not even trash icon). Tasks are common and heavily scripted/hotkeyed. I like the face colleagues make when they sit at my PC to grab some doc or app. :) Some take time even to launch explorer.
I hope it teaches them a bit that desktop is not only (and productive) way to work.
I do the NEXT NEXT NEXT for imbeciles that I know will hose their PC within 3 months anyway. Why waste time reading for these dingbats?
Besides, the sooner their machines freezes up, the sooner they stop spamming the rest of us. You know they’re zombies in waiting the moment you set them up.
I too have my desptop fully clean, not even a trash icon, I mainly use the quick launch toolbar to work.
And I also agree with this article, a lot of programs install toolbars and whatnot but if you take time to see what happens during the “next phase” you can be able to uncheck all that stuff and have a better computer experiencie.
this is MY DESKTOP
http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cjir67V5M
pretty bare cause I use Windows and Winkey shortcuts
I use to install these craps first but now i live far away from them.
I am next next next .. cos its too painfull to read the licenses and all that shit.
But you will find my desktop etc. all clean, I find it much easier to remove junk from my startup/services than to check every installation I do.
Ofcourse I don’t install anything that I see .. but If I do start an installer I always do next next next.
I try to stay aware of my incompetence and therefore am I perhaps often exaggeratedly cautious. I like to know what is on my drives, what is currently in memory, what is coming in and what is going out. To choose between chaos and order I opt for the latter since risk and creativity require computing skills I have not. My desktop is filled by wallpaper only, have links a click away, I tend to have things home-made, so when friends come around they experience the same as Rarst mentioned above!
No, I’m not one of these Next Next Next Guys. I strictly use custom installations. It’s really suprising what kind of software u get, when u use the “full installation” method. My hard disk would be full within months.
This is mine:
http://i34.tinypic.com/2cwo047.jpg
I am not one of those guys.
Although I do frequently install and uninstall things to suit my needs. I just do it properly :)
I always do custom installs. Generally, I install programs on my D: or E logical drives.
HOWEVER – there are a good deal of MAJOR programs that don’t give you a choice as to where to install a program, or even do allow you to do so and then ignore your input.
Example:
- Google Earth no longer allows an install choice. Defaults to C:\Program Files\
- Acronis True Image – Allows a choice but then installs most everything in C:\Program Files\ anyway.
- Intuit Quicken – Allows choice of custom install location but then installs all kind of crap in numerous folders on C: drive anyway.
- Other unruly vendors or applications include Brother printer software, Adobe, Canon, Citrix GoToMeeting, Epson, Garmin and X1.
Speaking of Epson, I wouldn’t buy anything from them again. They never update their drivers or software and their support is awful (just cut and pastes from their limited FAQ).
I’d like to see reviews mention if a custom install location is supported.
I’m always mystified by those people who pat themselves on their back because they have a “clean” desktop. Big deal. What’s the point? Why not use the space for icons instead of some pretty picture? I have over 100 icons on my desktop (1600 x 1200), nicely organized into groups.
I do think some people take it too far but I also think it depends on how you like to operate. I like things filed away while you (Jojo) may like them ready right there and then (although organised as you say). I never have a need for anything more than whats in my task bar so thats all I have. I prefer to think of my desktop as my front door. I wouldn’t put all my belongings there.
But thats just me.
I already have nearby everything I need and with launchy I don’t need a bunch of shortcuts. So everything looks nice and clean, and runs smooth.
Jojo: I have no icons there at all. Why? Because I see my desktop only when my system has just started and it’s shutdowning. :P
Minimizing all toolbars when you’re looking one icon is not a good idea, IMHO.
Better is having toolbars hidden behind screen, available even if you have fullscreen app in foreground. ;]
@authors: there’s something wrong with WordPress.
Jojo . . . take each group of icons scattered around your desktop and copy them into new folders. Folder names represent contents – Graphics, Net, Music, etc.
Once that’s done right-click on your taskbar and choose Toolbars > New Toolbar. Locate the new folders you’ve created on your desktop and choose them. Their names will appear on your toolbar. You can now click on them and your icons are made available. Subfolders and their contents will also show up.
No matter what you’ve got on your screen a couple clicks off the taskbar will run whatever you want without having to clear the screen and hunt down what you want to run.
.. gm
Let’s try this post again. The first try hasn’t shown up.
I always do custom installs. Generally, I install programs on my D: or E logical drives.
HOWEVER – there are a good deal of MAJOR programs that don’t give you a choice as to where to install a program, or even do allow you to do so and then ignore your input.
Example:
- Google Earth no longer allows an install choice. Defaults to C:\Program Files\
- Acronis True Image – Allows a choice but then installs most everything in C:\Program Files\ anyway.
- Intuit Quicken – Allows choice of custom install location but then installs all kind of crap in numerous folders on C: drive anyway.
- Other unruly vendors or applications include Brother printer software, Adobe, Canon, Citrix GoToMeeting, Epson, Garmin and X1.
Speaking of Epson, I wouldn’t buy anything from them again. They never update their drivers or software and their support is awful (just cut and pastes from their limited FAQ).
I’d like to see reviews mention if a custom install location is supported.
Ha Kieran – I also have 80 icons in Quick Launch bar. Yes, I like everything where I can see them.
>I’m always mystified by those people who pat themselves on their back because they have a “clean” desktop. Big deal. What’s the point?
Had you tried other ways of organizing? :)
My points are following:
1. I don’t want and don’t need to get to desktop when I have maximized window running (I know Win+D, but still time wasted).
2. I have a lot more stuff that I can comfortably fit on desktop.
3. If I launch everything by desktop I’ll have trouble finding portables on flash drive because they are clearly not on dekstop when I am away from my PC. :)
Me, I am a next next next guy sometimes, especially if I trust the software makers. That’s for my computers.
As for other’s computers (I’m an IT guy), I do custom installation because the most common thing I’ve heard my officemates say is that their computers are so slow.
As for my PC’s desktop, I like it messier because if I would work slower if I don’t find the files I need on the desktop..
Nice post. You know my Desktop have many programs installed I need it for my job.I put my belongings there so that I cant forget what programs that I used in every task, my desktop is my front door so I think its not clean but I tried it to be clean my desktop. Once a week I maintained the cleanliness of my desktop. But now I have a tool for goal setting its helpful tool for me.this tool is impactful actions.
The standard Software of my System is included into the Win Installation disc.
If I think a Program could deliver crap, and I’d need the Program only one or two times, I extract the installer with ‘Uniextract’.
But if I have to install software for real, I’m a Next Next STOP-Guy. Skipping the EULA, but checking the Path and choosing options like Toolbars (doesn’t come on my system), Shortcuts and so on.
Although, my desktop is filled with Folders and files, you’ll probably find a temporary shortcut to a website. Everything else is Shortcutted (AutoHotkey) or I do it with cmd.exe (I like it :) )
Im more of a next-next-custom-next-next guy.
I keep my system totally clean, which means I keep it running efficiently and smoothly. (perhaps most importantly, stable)
I prefer “keep it clean” rule ^^
http://img37.picoodle.com/img/img37/4/7/21/f_Untitled1m_b3e99ba.jpg
I use an operating system with vendor-controlled repositories of software. I can simply click on any program, enter my admin password, and the program is installed. I don’t have to search the web finding shady apps from who-knows-where, Next Next Next my way through the installation, or worry that I’m installing potentially malicious software. Amazingly, I’ve yet to need a piece of software not in the repositories (and as an engineering student with a wife and family, we use a _lot_ of different types of software), and every single application that I’ve seen mentioned on gHacks has an equivalent in the repositories. They are all free, too, by the way.
Just got to know from you, I am the next next next guy
Attachment to my first post:
I’d prefer a custom installer, but sometimes, especially when I install unattended, theres no custom option.
If someone else installs unattended – how do you fix this?
@Rarst-Full screen windows! Only newbies do that [lol]. I typically have 4-7 different sized windows open on my desktop at any one time.
The problem with a lot of these comments is many people have a _little_ knowledge, which we all know is dangerous.
I’ve developed and optimized my style over 15 years of PC computing (from Win 3.1 forward). I still use the old Windows classic format and DON’T have any Windows wallpaper. I’m the only one using the computer and I normally have too many windows open to see much of the desktop anyway.
I probably have over 500 applications installed on this machine. Many I only use very infrequently, so why bother putting most of them on a tool bar or leaving them on the desktop? I can find them very easily when needed via Explorer because everything is installed and highly organized in certain locations.
I have the taskbar on the right and a toolbar on the left (with 60 links in it, mainly forums), both auto-hidden. My Quicklaunch area on the taskbar has 80 programs in it.
As for managing open windows, I use a Cirque touchpoint mouse (have used touchpoint mice for 15 years) which allows me to merely touch the upper right hand corner and minimize a window. I use the TweakUI X-Mouse control which allows me to switch windows by merely mousing over them. If I want to look under a window, I right-click on the title bar because I am using WinRoll.
I run 1600 x 1200 resolution with icons set to 25 pixels in size on a 20 inch CRT. Why still using a CRT? Because I can choose to magnify or shrink web pages, word docs, etc. by merely sliding my finger up/down the left side of my mouse. I don’t believe you can do that with an LCD.
The icons on my desktop are ones that I either refer to frequently or want to follow-up on/test out (new apps). As I get around to testing the new ones out, they get removed and replaced by others. I could make an additional toolbar on the top or bottom of my screen with my desktop icons but then I would not have the icons in my face and would likely forget to look at some of them.
In the lower left of my screen I have 2 small performance monitoring windows, one for the system and one for the net connection.
My System tray shows 32 icons right now. FF has 50 open tabs right now.
Most everything I want to get to normally is no more than couple of clicks away. I find my way of working and the helper apps/tools I use to be very efficient. AND MY SYSTEM IS STABLE. I haven’t had a BSOD in ages.
install? i don’t remember the last time in installed something. portable freeware for me!
all i have installed are my alt shell, my file manager, and a few other apps that can’t easily be made portable.
anyway, most installers can be unpacked with Universal Extractor so you can put the files where you want them, not where someone else thinks they should go.
and if, heaven forbid, an installer can’t be unpacked, then it gets installed in Sandboxie so i can see exactly where it puts files and what it writes to the registry.
so to answer the question, NO, i am most certainly not a next-next-next kind if guy!
Jojo: why are you lowering everyone to the lusers’ level? In my opinion X-Mouse behaviour is for noobs. :P
If you don’t write long texts/develop the code, you don’t need to maximize the windows. :P
Don’t put everyone into one category and make yourself the best of. :P