Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 Review

Hi, Everybody! 

I realize that the world owes a lot to Microsoft.  The problem is that Microsoft realizes this too and has finally reached a plateau of sheer corporate arrogance which is equalled only by Commonwealth Edison.  Your provider of electric power doesn't have to worry about what you think.  If you want to be able to turn a light on, you have to pay up and put up with whatever the electric company does.  So it has come to pass with Microsoft.

I have loved using my computer from the start but noticed that Microsoft incessantly bothered me with "upgrades available" which I usually gave in and downloaded.  I don't know what happened during the last upgrade but here is what is NOT happening now ... WHAM, BAM, ALAKAZAM, suddenly I can't send something to print from the WordPerfect program, which always worked perfectly before.  The frustrating thing is that sometimes it works and sometimes WP promptly hangs up and goes into non-responding when I hit "Print".  Only when I dicker around with editing settings and printer preferences can I (sometimes) get something to print. 

When I close WordPerfect after it has hung up, Microsoft invariably prompts me to "send an error message".  Here is what that error message contains:

SZAppName:  WPWIN 10.exe

SZAppVer:  10.0.0.696

SZModName:  hungapp

SZModVer:  0.0.0.0 offset 000 00000

Reporting Details:

This error report includes: information regarding the condition of WP(R)10 when the problem occurred, the operating system version and computer hardware in use, and the Internet Protool (IP) address of your computer.

We do not intentionally collect your name, address, e-mail address or any other form of pesonally identifiable information.  However, the error report may contain customer-specific information in the collectible data files.  While this information could potentially be used to determine your identity, if present, it will not be used.

The data that we collect will only be used to fix the poblem.  If more information is available, we will tell you when you report the problem.  This error report will be sent using a secure connection to a database with limited access and will not be used for marketing purposes.

At least, that's what the error report says but the plain truth is that apparently no one at Microsoft cares about these reports or even looks at them.  Thousands of these error reports have been sent by me and and no one has either fixed the problem or responded to me in any way at all.  And if I want to contact Microsoft and speak with someone in another country who undoubtedly will not be able to understand English, here's what it would cost me: 

$99 for an e-mail support contact, $259 for an online support contact, $259 for a support request by phone during business hours, and $515 for a support by phone request during non-business hours.  And those prices are charged, whether the support request resolves the issue or not. 

Everything except files from WordPerfect are still printing out perfectly so I know what you're all thinking -- I should contact the Corel Corporation which manufactures WordPerfect, right?  Actually, I would dearly love to do that but guess what?

A technical support call to someone at Corel costs $25 a call whether the issue is resolved or not and the issue of the price is academic because if you try to dial the number listed in the Corel technical support site, you are connected to some totally different company that has nothing to do with WordPerfect.  That's very upsetting but frankly, my dear, Corel doesn't give a damn either. 

It may be that someone else out there has experienced this problem also and I would appreciate whatever advice you can offer, as long as it doesn't involve uninstalling and reinstalling software.  I shouldn't have to do that, just because Microsoft couldn't stop pestering me about upgrades.  If only they would spend a fraction of all that upgrading effort on just giving a damn about what the rest of us think!