rec.autos.simulators

--
Don Burnette

But all this whining about DX7 being a malicious virus, "infecting the
system", being installed "without your permission", etc, etc. is the same
tired bs that happens at about every release of DX it seems.  Before
complaining, try updating ALL your drivers for audio, video and any other
*** periperhals.

And btw, when you click that "install ok" button in any installer program
you are giving that program your permission to install anything it needs,
period.  Try reading all the readme.txt and other information files that
come with a demo or other program to make sure agree for the most part with
what it is installing and the requirements, such as DX7, to run the
software.  If you don't agree with any of it, don't install the program.

The above paragraph is the only whining I've seen here. I'm speaking
about this version, which doesn't work on my system, and was installed
by a developer who would do well do learn the phrase "sufficient
incompetence is indistinguishable from malice". Of course people are
pissed off at them.

BULLSHIT. It's MY system. No software should EVER update drivers or
any other system files without asking me for permission. Fortunately
most developers know this. I'm surprised that one as experienced as
Microprose does not.

Joe McGinn
==========================================
Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
==========================================

<snip>

Yes. You're absolutely right. In fact, I've *never* seen any program, full
release or demo, which needed a certain version of DirectX, not to ask if I
want to install it. The installation *has* to inform me, when it wants to
make a major system change (which DirectX certainly is) *before* I click
that "install ok" button. And for a demo this is even more necessary. There
I don't have a box written on it "requires DirectX 7". I just want to d/l it
and fire it up to give it a try and not be forced to gather infos, if it
maybe could damage my system!
But all these problems wouldn't be there, if the idiots at Microsoft would
provide a way to uninstall DirectX (shouldn't be *that* hard, eh?). Are they
really so arrogant, that they think their newest DirectX version will work
with *every* hardware-driver-software combination out there? If not, why
don't they do it then?

Peter
Vienna, Austria

Joe McGinn
==========================================
Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
==========================================

: Yes. You're absolutely right. In fact, I've *never* seen any program, full
: release or demo, which needed a certain version of DirectX, not to ask if I
: want to install it.

  Masters of Orion II - by... Microprose.  And very annoying it was too
since (IIRC) it installs direct X 2.  (If you think DirectX 6 is bad,
those early versions were a ***y curse).

--
Richard G. Clegg       Only the mind is waving
    Networks and Non-Linear Dynamics Group
      Dept. of Mathematics, Uni. of York
    www:  http://www.racesimcentral.net/

Well, I didn't notice any problems other than my LWFF not being recognized
anymore in GPL (and in the SOS demo too, so I think in every game). My
system was (and *is* with DX7, except the LWFF problem) very stable before
the invasion of DX7. I don't blame Microsoft for creating problems with a
new DirectX version on some systems (there are so many different system
configurations out there, it's very unlikely, that it instantly runs on all
of them without problems), but why the hell don't they include an
uninstaller with it? And given that, why does Microprose install it for a
*demo* without asking for permission?
When I have a working configuration, I avoid to change it, if it's not
*really* necessary (i.e. a new program I 'must' have needs an upgrade, or
the upgrade really improves something like fps, graphics or sound quality,
etc.), but I'd never do a system upgrade for a game demo.

Yes, every new DirectX version seems to have had caused problems, when it
came out. I remember having DX3 on my old computer (a P133 without 3d
acceleration) and everything was running fine. Then I installed DX5 for some
game and it caused mayhem to my system. After a reinstall I didn't play any
game, which needed anything other than DX3 until I got my new machine and
installed 6.1 on it...

Peter
Vienna, Austria

Well..., OK! Of course I havent't tried *every* game out there. Didn't know
about this one. Seems, that Microprose doesn't care, if their customers get
problems with their proggys. I for one will be *very* careful with
Microprose games/demos in the future!
BTW, I don't think that DirectX *7* is bad, but I find it very bad, that it
can't be removed from your system without a hassle.

Peter
Vienna, Austria