a) Cannot install it while offline (just finished d/l’ing at the office desktop and wanted to install on the laptop while traveling)

b) You cannot install it when you are missing a particular Windows Update.

In my case those two issues rendered Beta 3 unusable, because my laptop doesn’t go online often (and if so only via a slow 3G/EDGE connection) and my office desktop doesn’t allow me to run ActiveX from Windows Update.

It worked to install offline without a particular Windows Update in Beta 2 but apparently somebody has decided to change the installer.

Bummer!

Off to find another free solution to blog offline…

Just as if they made it opt in, most people would not be bothered, etc etc.

I’m in the camp who thinks these practices are unethical, but I suspect I’m in a minority.

Having said that just because Yahoo! and Google are behaving unethically, that is no justification for Microsoft being unethical too.

Especially when Microsoft is trying to clean up a reputation sullied over many years anti-competitive practices.

@Tom: I’ve seen Steve’s comment and again, whether it is wrong or not is another discussion, I only stated this opt-out is common practice in the industry so not only how Microsoft deals with it. If this is artificially pumping up traffic then we’re not the only search engine to blame.

- Kris (Microsoft)

Microsoft know that the vast majority of people when installing an app just click Next, Next, Next until it has installed. Furthermore, most people have no idea how to change their default search engine.

Knowing this, Microsoft have set about artificially pumping up traffic to Live Search.

I’m happy to see that Steve Clayton agrees with me on this.

@Zoli: I’ll have to find out how you got to get Desktop Search with it though, that sounds weird to me but let me check on that.

- Kris (Microsoft)

Conor, your experience is interesting, ie, you didn’t see the other apps offered as default-yes to install. That’s the total opposite of my experience - everything was pre-selected as ‘yes’ to install, requiring a manual de-select in each case.

Maybe Microsoft has listened somewhere along the line and updated the installer by the time you got it! Wishful thinking

In contrast, I find the constant attempts by free software to install Google Toolbar far more invidious.

The WLW installer also did not pre-tick all the other apps for me, I had to select the ones I wanted. My only disappointment was that they didn’t explain what each app did in-situ, I had to click a link to a page.

The whole Live thing finally seems to be coming together for them. I think they should do a mainstream advertising blitz in Ireland as a test for the rest of the world to see if it increases usage. Live Local is a far superior product to Google Maps in Ireland, they should shout that from the rooftops.

I really hope they bundle WLW with Vista SP1. Whilst I’ve been disappointed with the lack of progress on end-user benefits, it is still the best offline tool there is.

It’s not like there’s a big conspiracy or something. And I don’t see it as unethical behaviour. Not very good practice, to be sure, but that’s about all.

That said, what Microsoft ought to do when offering all these additional options is to have the default as unchecked, so if you do want them you have to expressly select your choices.

Zoli, the installer I ran didn’t install Windows Desktop Search. I didn’t even notice any option for that. Maybe I just clicked on everything to deselect without really paying attention to what everything was.

@Neville - I spotted that too. They are obviously desperate to get the Live apps out there.

Good to call it out.