Category:
Computer
Comments: 2

Windows Live Hidden “Treasures”

Call me “old school” but I miss DOS. You remember don’t you?  The Disk Operating System. Commands started with C:/ more commonly known as the “dos prompt.” In those days (back in the 80s), it was relatively easy to find out what files were on your hard drive. And it was relatively easy to delete them as well. But, with the advent of the Windows platform, all of that changed.

For example. I use Windows XP. I like it. It is “comfortable” like an old, worn blanket. Sure, maybe there are a few holes in it, and sometimes it gives off a strange odour (ie it stinks). It’s faded and worn, but I know what to expect from it. At least, that’s what I thought.

I recently tried to uninstall Windows Live Messenger. I wanted to do a complete uninstall, then a reinstall to see if I could get better performance (sort of the computer version of hitting it with a hammer). I went to the control panel and then to the add/remove programs option. Scrolling down to where I thought it should be I found…well, I found everything BUT the program. I scrolled up and looked again. I hadn’t missed it, had I? I then went through each line. Still, I found nothing that read “Windows Live Messenger.” I did, however, find something that looked rather suspicious.

Windows Live Essentials…. hmmm….. I clicked on the item and then on the “remove” button and was pleased to find my lost messenger program. I was, at the same time, rather disturbed to see the other items that were “packaged” together with the download to my computer. I do not recall authorizing any of this stuff (or was it somewhere in that “end-user” agreement that I glossed over…") so I decided to explore some of the things.

Rather than ruin the surprise for you, I will let you explore them for yourselves. I am using one of the applications right now (the Windows Live Writer) to record this blog entry and I have yet to fully explore the others. I’d be interested to read what some of you think about these hidden “gems”.

Cheers

2 responses on “Windows Live Hidden “Treasures”

  1. Tania says:

    I would like to hear more of what you found as I am not very computer savey!

  2. I’d love to help you with your computer “saveyness”. Click on the Start button at the bottom left of your screen.

    Then, click on the All Programs choice. Search through your menu items until you get to the one that says “Windows Live” and let your mouse “hover” over it.

    And there you are. Some little goodies that came installed when you upgraded your computer to Windows Live. If you have young children, you may want to have a closer look at the “Windows Live Family Safety” program 🙂

    Cheers!

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