When I write a column I have, or rather 'had', several choices under the "Insert | Autotext | Normal" menu option. These choices would insert a layout ready to be filled with my golden, timeless prose appropriate for whatever I was going to pen … er, key.
That was until about a week ago. Suddenly, the result of clicking on "Insert | Autotext | Normal" was the message telling me to "Sign in to Office Live Workspace beta" to access this feature. I wouldn't mind that so much if all of my Autotext entries were still available, but nope, that message is all that appears under that menu item. Microsoft has usurped, nay, stolen, some key functionality of Word. Did it ask or warn me? No.
I uninstalled Office Live Workspace Beta in the full expectation that my menu options would be reinstated. Ha. Uninstall, reboot, launch Word, check the menu … same message. I still get an identical message but now the option does absolutely nothing. I have no idea why uninstalling didn't work. Perhaps I forgot to sacrifice a chicken or say the right incantation.
Microsoft apparently hasn't figured out that this kind of high-handed usurping of functionality is a huge breach of trust (which implies that Microsoft is being either simply evil or simply negligent). As a software publisher you can't just change how your software works in such a way that some service you are promoting becomes obligatory. Well, at least you can't unless you want to annoy a lot of people.
This kind of behavior is even more unacceptable when your users have invested time and effort in organizing how the software is configured. Then your new "initiative" obstructs their workflow.
So have you faced this aggravating situation, and, if so, how did you correct it?
My other interest this week is content management. I still owe you a review of the content management system (CMS) published by Interactive Tools, which I briefly a few weeks ago. I will make good on that promise in a few weeks but until then I have another CMS that bears a serious look -- a free, open source, PHP-based product called .
Installation is impressively easy. I installed the system on the Synology DiskStation a few weeks ago and, other than providing basic details, ocPortal installed without any trouble (note that if you are on an internal network and you aren't running an internal DNS server that identifies internal machines by a domain name you need to enter the ocPortal's IP address as the server name).
OcPortal is best thought of as a structured CMS. It implements a portal-style page construction although you can easily ignore this and create more normal site architectures.
OcPortal also supports just about all the types of content you might need: Page banners, search engine optimization, newsletters and mail campaigns, subscriptions, e-commerce, user support -- the is huge.
So far, I am enormously impressed. The software installs and runs without any problems, the features all work, the documentation is very good and voluminous, and the performance is excellent. I award ocPortal 4.5 out of 5. Check it out and let me know what you think. Heaven knows the price is right.
Gibbs is content aware in Ventura, Calif. Your content to gearhead@gibbs.com.
in Network World's Software section.