Arrrghh! Bad programmers/uninstall scripts

Almo · 25th November 2009, 08:36 AM

I hate it when people write uninstall scripts with bugs. One just erased a load of stuff from my start menu.

Grrrrrrr.

I once had one delete my entire D:\Games directory.

laca · 25th November 2009, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by Almo

I hate it when people write uninstall scripts with bugs. One just erased a load of stuff from my start menu.

Grrrrrrr.

I once had one delete my entire D:\Games directory.

jnelso99 · 25th November 2009, 09:47 AM

Wasn't there some Apple application uninstall script a couple years ago that had in it something to the effect of "cd \SomeAppDir; rm .\*", but they forgot the "."?

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · 25th November 2009, 12:52 PM

My recipe for installation: Put absolutely everything in the product directory. Don't put anything anywhere else. You're allowed to add an item to the Start menu. And for crying out loud don't put a damn icon on my desktop without asking me, you cluttering bastard!

~~ Paul

Rrose Selavy · 25th November 2009, 02:06 PM

It's also when they add themsleves to startup as well I hate. Even tweaking msconfg it's back when next time you use the prog..
That's why I won't have Apple Quicktime on my system.

Yalius · 25th November 2009, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Paul C. Anagnostopoulos

My recipe for installation: Put absolutely everything in the product directory. Don't put anything anywhere else. You're allowed to add an item to the Start menu. And for crying out loud don't put a damn icon on my desktop without asking me, you cluttering bastard!

~~ Paul

I prefer having the program and program only in the product directory. Any user prefs, saved games, config files or anything that changes in the course of using the program to go into ..\AppData or ..\Application Data.

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · 25th November 2009, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Yalius

I prefer having the program and program only in the product directory. Any user prefs, saved games, config files or anything that changes in the course of using the program to go into ..\AppData or ..\Application Data.

Why? There's probably some good reason, so I'll allow it, as long as it all goes in an app-specific directory under Application Data.

~~ Paul

grmcdorman · 25th November 2009, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by Paul C. Anagnostopoulos

Why? There's probably some good reason, so I'll allow it, as long as it all goes in an app-specific directory under Application Data.

~~ Paul

The "program files" directory should be read-only to normal (non-privileged) programs. This is to prevent accidental or malicious (virus/malware) modifying application or system components.

Recent versions of Windows enforce this, but there are still a lot of applications that don't follow this (including newly created ones). This is why people often use only "administrator" (fully privileged) accounts under XP.

It is possible to change access to individual directories under "Program Files", but it is not easy under XP Home for the user.

ETA: In addition, placing modifiable configuration files in a user-specific directory makes per-user configurations automatic. The configuration files that should be shared between all users have a specific place as well (in XP, "Documents and Settings\All Users", various sub-directories.)

Further, Windows allows these folders to be moved to other locations (e.g. a 2ND hard drive for performance or ease of backup). A program that doesn't follow these rules makes life difficult.

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · 26th November 2009, 10:55 AM

Yup, those are good reasons. I'll allow it.

~~ Paul

25th November 2009, 08:36 AM	#1
Almo Masterblazer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 3,049	Arrrghh! Bad programmers/uninstall scripts I hate it when people write uninstall scripts with bugs. One just erased a load of stuff from my start menu. Grrrrrrr. I once had one delete my entire D:\Games directory.
	__________________ Almo! My Blog "God may not play dice with the universe, but something strange is going on with the prime numbers." — Paul Erdős Stop being so rational. It doesn't make any sense. - Gauthier Malou

25th November 2009, 09:40 AM	#2
laca Muse Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 739	Originally Posted by Almo I hate it when people write uninstall scripts with bugs. One just erased a load of stuff from my start menu. Grrrrrrr. I once had one delete my entire D:\Games directory.
laca Muse Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 739

25th November 2009, 09:47 AM	#3
jnelso99 Critical Thinker Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 253	Wasn't there some Apple application uninstall script a couple years ago that had in it something to the effect of "cd \SomeAppDir; rm .\*", but they forgot the "."?
jnelso99 Critical Thinker Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 253

25th November 2009, 12:52 PM	#4
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Looking for Fountain of Smart Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: a little toolshed Posts: 17,157	My recipe for installation: Put absolutely everything in the product directory. Don't put anything anywhere else. You're allowed to add an item to the Start menu. And for crying out loud don't put a damn icon on my desktop without asking me, you cluttering bastard! ~~ Paul
	__________________ Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. ---Susan Ertz pi = 3.1415926...19729715941700531415926095214704122509... Last edited by Paul C. Anagnostopoulos; 25th November 2009 at 12:54 PM.

25th November 2009, 02:29 PM	#6
Yalius Thinker Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 214	Originally Posted by Paul C. Anagnostopoulos My recipe for installation: Put absolutely everything in the product directory. Don't put anything anywhere else. You're allowed to add an item to the Start menu. And for crying out loud don't put a damn icon on my desktop without asking me, you cluttering bastard! ~~ Paul I prefer having the program and program only in the product directory. Any user prefs, saved games, config files or anything that changes in the course of using the program to go into ..\AppData or ..\Application Data.
Yalius Thinker Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 214

25th November 2009, 02:06 PM	#5
Rrose Selavy Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,156	It's also when they add themsleves to startup as well I hate. Even tweaking msconfg it's back when next time you use the prog.. That's why I won't have Apple Quicktime on my system.

25th November 2009, 06:22 PM	#7
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Looking for Fountain of Smart Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: a little toolshed Posts: 17,157	Originally Posted by Yalius I prefer having the program and program only in the product directory. Any user prefs, saved games, config files or anything that changes in the course of using the program to go into ..\AppData or ..\Application Data. Why? There's probably some good reason, so I'll allow it, as long as it all goes in an app-specific directory under Application Data. ~~ Paul
	__________________ Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. ---Susan Ertz pi = 3.1415926...19729715941700531415926095214704122509...

25th November 2009, 07:35 PM	#8
grmcdorman Muse Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 553	Originally Posted by Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Why? There's probably some good reason, so I'll allow it, as long as it all goes in an app-specific directory under Application Data. ~~ Paul The "program files" directory should be read-only to normal (non-privileged) programs. This is to prevent accidental or malicious (virus/malware) modifying application or system components. Recent versions of Windows enforce this, but there are still a lot of applications that don't follow this (including newly created ones). This is why people often use only "administrator" (fully privileged) accounts under XP. It is possible to change access to individual directories under "Program Files", but it is not easy under XP Home for the user. ETA: In addition, placing modifiable configuration files in a user-specific directory makes per-user configurations automatic. The configuration files that should be shared between all users have a specific place as well (in XP, "Documents and Settings\All Users", various sub-directories.) Further, Windows allows these folders to be moved to other locations (e.g. a 2ND hard drive for performance or ease of backup). A program that doesn't follow these rules makes life difficult.
grmcdorman Muse Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 553	__________________ "Hello. My name is Inigo Skywalker. You are my father. Prepare to die." Last edited by grmcdorman; 25th November 2009 at 07:38 PM.

26th November 2009, 10:55 AM	#9
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Looking for Fountain of Smart Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: a little toolshed Posts: 17,157	Yup, those are good reasons. I'll allow it. ~~ Paul
	__________________ Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. ---Susan Ertz pi = 3.1415926...19729715941700531415926095214704122509...