Pop-up messages. Arghhhh. If your anything like me when your using a computer (regardless of OS) the incessant harassment of pop-up messages goes beyond belief. One thing I’ve sometimes thought is how little software vendors think about the real usage of a computer from the end-users perspective. It seems entirely reasonable to have helpful pop-up messages. The trouble is you may have 20-30-40-50 programs on your computer, not including the other bits of chatty software such as your AV, and pop-ups from helpful applications like Facebook and Twitter and your email – and once they are all being “helpful” you wind-up shouting – **** OFF, and LEAVE ME ALONE!
One word I’ve coined for this sort of intrusion is “Nagware” (it’s actually a term used to describe free software that nags you to pay – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagware) but for me the term can be extended to all software that bugs the living **** out of you.
For me a classic example of this week was an experience my beautiful wife (she told me to write that) who I adore tremendously (she told me to write too) when she was away from her computer – she was only away for 10mins…. Apparently, we need new toner on HP Printer. That’s another one of IT great IDBI – the whole rip off surrounding printers, cartridges and being told your out of ink or toner.
I have an idea for a start-up called “NagAway” which blocks all these pop-up messages. I bet I’d make an absolute fortune!
