data.pif from intel@shrapnelgames.com????

[Roanon]

So due to the very remote "danger" of accidently renaming a file extension M$ has decided to try to hide yet another important information from the user which is inconvenient at best and even dangerous sometimes? To protect the dumb user - who will not really be able to rename a file with ease - M$ decides to make them even dumber?

What I do understand is that it is the M$ policy to keep as much information hidden from the user, so that they can interfere with the user's data and use hidden backdoors for their convenience and user control. Hail Big Brother M$ we worship you. This programming policy is the main reason for the virus vulnerability of especially M$ products, because virus programmers really like automated procedures that can be called without notification and supervision of the user. Despite all propaganda, I still doubt that this is beneficial for the user.

Rather than just taking yet another opportunity to glorify Microsoft, why don't you consider the issue from all angles? There are almost always bad reasons for why MS has chosen to do odd things...

[Fyron]

Yeah, whatever. Please explain how I in any way glorified Microsoft?

[Mephisto]

Easy, guys. We all know how Microsoft can get all parties all worked up.

[Karibu]

Originally posted by Krsqk:
Actually, I think it's because of yet another "helpful" idea from Microsoft. WinXP (and maybe Win2000 as well) ships with a default setting of "Hide extensions for known file types." [/QB]

Unfortunately it is in W2K also I understand that you can choose to use it, but why make it default? Like using big objects, web -scene (the space consuming, irrelevant, needless infopanel in the Windows explorer if you don't take it off) and all those things which efficiently prevent you from finding and seeing anything. Well, this was my flame against M$ and I don't do it again. What's the use of it anyway? Sorry guys

[ February 02, 2004, 06:37: Message edited by: Karibu ]

[Gryphin]

Microsoft does a lot of seemingly unusual things from an advanced useres perspective. Having done 3 years of direct support for Micro$ponge and an addtional 10 years of desktop support for a wide variety of Users I have found that there is usualy a logical reason for their desisions.
Hiding file extentions makes sence when you have seen as many files with the wrong extentions as I have.

[rdouglass]

Originally posted by David E. Gervais:
...Oh, and I keep my address book empty. I use the 'keep one e-mail from every sender in my in-box' technique of holding the addresses. This way I am not responsible for helping to spread viruses.

Unfortunately, this will not keep viruses away from those addresses. Most virii are intelligent enough to scan those locations as well as address books. Any file it can read will do....

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Yeah, whatever. Please explain how I in any way glorified Microsoft?

Please esplain how I 'bashed' MS. For a guy that is constantly compaining about people claiming you said something you didn't you sure like to do it to others.