My Biggest Beef with -Vista: Uninstall doesn't un-install anything
If there is one thing about advertising I despise - is when any manufacturer advertises better reliability from other versions to justify the upgrade.
The opening tone is serious because this is a serious issue, because unlike subscribing to take the risks with a BETA or Pre-Release version of some software product - I shelled out money to have to have Vista Ultimate. And while less the issues with video drivers, I could be happy with Vista less this one MAJOR issue...
Uninstalls are not uninstalls.
Yep, thats right. I have not yet to successfully uninstall any software product that I decided I could do without. The same software that I can install under XP - actually uninstalls under XP - but not in Vista.
One case in point: Yahoo Messenger.
I used the uninstall feature after realizing that I had mistakenly installed the Yahoo toolbar. I hate those toolbars that Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo insist on offering as part of some messenging application installation option. So, I did the Add/Remove programs from Vista - and uninstalled the toolbar, and subsequently the Yaho Messenger. Guess what....
All of the registry entries remained, the folder still remained with the actual application in Program Files, and now every time I use Firefox - I get a object leaked error any time a site spawns a new window and I close it. The leak comes from a ytoolbar chrome overlay error.
You would think then - must be an issue with Firefox. No sir (or ma'am)...
15 other applications have been installed and un-installed and while the start menu may be devoid of the application shortcut and folder, the apps still remained in the registry and the file system. The same apps installed on XP - got rid of everything as you would expect from an uninstaller with no lingering footprint of the applications.
Even running applications such as CCleaner after un-installs (and after rebooting) verifies the issues... And as a note - all of the applications used InstallShield or Microsoft's own MSI installer...and in one of the 15 cases included Microsoft Office (which now I can't get rid of as the uninstaller ran and something happened but it decided it uninstalled correctly - leaving everything still there with no actual uninstall occurring (and even worse left the taskbar / programs with all the shortcuts but only portions of the uninstall ran so nothing works anyways). The same occurred with un-installing Microsoft's Live One-Care - its all still there even though it was un-installed...So, it is not a random event with rogue applications - it is a Vista core issue...
For a $$$ Operating system - this is one of the quality control checks that obviously got missed, and makes my own use of Vista unreliable because why should I have to manually comb through the registry and file system to remove a application that supposedly un-installed successfully...