PCWorld, I hate you

http://www.pcworld.ca/images/logo/pcworld_ca.gif

While looking through the comments at the link in Major Attitude's thread, The software awards scam, I found this comment:

And I thought, "Darn, someone I can relate to!" I've always like ITWorld and NetworkingWorld, so I thought PCWorld would be of similar quality when I subscribed to their newsletter. Boy, was I wrong.

I recently got an article titled, 14 great programs you didnt even know you needed, and was amazed at the inaccuracies (at best) or lies (at worst - actually my suspicion, will explain why), and propaganda.

Let's look at a few of the recommendations (keep in mind I don't necessarily disagree with all of them):

Hmm... last I checked, xcopy had this ability, and that shipped with Windows. Who needs this? Oh well, maybe he just doesn't know about this app, or maybe the switches needed to be used.

Wow, that could actually be useful - IF Spybot had this information for more than 1/10 startup programs. I prefer Majorgeeks' reason for using this program, the immunization feature.

Oh well, I can write that off as a difference of opinions.

This is downright WRONG.
1. You can capture JUST the active window by holding ALT and pressing PrntScrn
2. Windows doesn't make a file at all. It just copies to the clipboard. Its the program that you paste it into that determines what filetypes you can save it as, and even if you're using one as rinky-dink as MSPaint, you can save as .GIF, .JPG, .PNG

This is when I started to get upset. Don't BS your readers, dude! But wait, there's MORE!

Huh? Whaaa?

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8570/advancedsoundsj2.png

You CAN turn down just .WAVs, amigo. Why do I need your program taking up my resources to do it?

After this, he really starts to fall apart...

What a LOAD. :crap Funny, I'm writing this in a precompiled build of Firefox, on a Windows machine, nonetheless.

Why is Maxthon better? Opera and Firefox can do the same, Opera by default, Firefox with the proper options set. Even Internet Explorer has something like this (though I must admit that I think it's a little clunkier than the rest)

At this point, I'm seriously pissed off at this guy. Yet another n00b who thinks its stylish to bash Microsoft without having a frickin' clue what capabilities they have provided him. And he has the nerve to give advice to others??

Here's why I think they are CONSCIOUSLY lying to their readers: I called him on it. I wrote a comment similar to the above, and within a few hours it was deleted. Oops! Can't let the truth undermine our credibility!

In Conclusion: PCWorld - Technology Advice You Can Trust

MY :kissmy IT IS!!

 

Many valid points here Mada, certainly the PrtScn/Alt-PrtScn just copies to clipboard in no particular format. There is a load of rhetorical padding at that site bringing in mythology and so on like a "little pony caper than a herd of horses performing Tristan und Isolde"

I expect Ron's problem with XCOPY is that it doesn't have a GUI: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/xcopy.mspx?mfr=true

 

GUI standing for Good for Uneducated Idiots??

 

That's a good assessment. Enjoyed reading it and I think you're right on target.

 

I got into an arguement with a PC World editor one time when I comnmented on their article, when they were bashing windows. The editor lost all composure, and looked like a complete moron.

This was when my PC knowledge was minimal at best, but certainly more than the editor roflmao.

Thanks for the read Mada. Not to steal any thunder, but I think the tab recovery thing requires ie7pro addon. and yeah, its a little clunky.

Great read, dead on points. I can see why they deleted the comment, it made them look bad

Would you like access to post rants on my blog?

 

It's not surprising to me that they would delete any critical remark. There is a myriad of reasons why you would do this.

 

Just gotta remember, PCWorld isnt for the technically inclined. Its for those people who think Windows still runs on top of DOS

 

Yes, it requires IE7, and I should have said that.

But, an add-on? I just reviewed add-ons in IE, and can't see this?
Or are you saying it needs to be on a Professional workstation?

 

Nonono, thats the name of the addon

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5453.html

 

Oh, slick! That might be better than what I was talking about:

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8080/ietabswj1.gif

Advanced options when closing multiple tabs at once.

 

Oh gotcha. I disabled that prompt so long ago I forgot about it

 

Well, I may have compared him to Joseph Goebbels, and suggested that he was getting commission for his recommends.... :innocent

 

Bwahahah, roflmao

 

There was a time it was a decent rag, those days seem to have gone. I have purchased it in the past, on occasion, when it had material I was interested in. Was also an avid visitor to the web site. What with the plethora of information now available on the web, I no longer have a need for it. Too bad, it really is a shame, but, out with the old, and in with the new...

Bug

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

Thanks for the critique, Mada. Now I remember why I stopped wasting my time reading P.C.W. some time ago. Nothing worse than a so-called expert, that is big on rhetoric and criticism, but falls way short on actual facts.

Did this guy even bother to learn Windows properly? Doesn’t look like it. rolleyes

 

As usual Mada a great post, I have learned so much from your post's keep it up Bro...............Oh yea and he's a Canuck too.....Eh

 

I unfortunately got a years subscription when I bought something from Newegg. I shudder every time I flip through it because the entire magazine reminds me of one big endorsement. Every other page is a full paged ad, and I can't help but wonder how much any given company paid for a good review of their product. Now a days, it goes straight into the recycle bin. I canceled my subscription, but they keep sending them!

 

Ditto.

I got a subscription as a gift from my wife. I was not impressed with the magazine, and canceled the subscription after the first couple of issues. The last one I got I didn't even open . . .

 

DONT GET ME STARTED ON PCWORLD.. has anyone heard of TECH-GUYS? if you take out a warranty on a pc you get from pcworld it's these TEC-GUYS that carry out the repairs. well my hard drive failed and i rang these guys to replace it. the first two guys they sent out did'nt turn up to do the repair. the third guy came replaced the hard drive then stood on my recovery disc and broke it. it took them over a month & 8 phone calls from me untill they finally replaced them. pcworld SUCKS.....

 

ever notice when you buy a pc the first thing they ask is... (would you like to buy norton antivirus it's half price ) i wonder why it's ALWAYS half price LMAO...

 

Must not be a new sensation for this guy.