Nazi Software

Living, as I do, in a dual OS world, I often have occassion to reflect on the differences between Apple's OS X and Microsoft's Windows XP.  For example, I have Adobe Acrobat loaded on both machines.  Recently, my Mac informed me that it felt it would be important for me to install the latest upgrades to Adobe Acrobat.  I was reluctant because the enhanced functionality that I would achieve by doing so was clearly of no use to me.  I decided, however, to endure the upgrade process anyway.  I did this for a practical reason:  I wanted to put an end to the relentless nagging (computers can be so like small children).

On my Mac the upgrade of Acrobat was mildly annoying, but tolerable.  Time passed and I forgot about the minimal time I wasted installing an upgrade that I didn't need or want.  Then my Windows machine (perhaps feeling a little jealous) started bugging me everytime I opened Acrobat. Please install these useless upgrades.  I beseech you, kind sir.

Finally, at a sort of inopportune moment, I relented.  I attentively clicked through all the option/warning buttons.  I watched the various 'progress bars' and waited impatiently for the screen credits to roll and the lights to come up.  At the very end I was prompted with one last dialogue box: "Please Insert the Original Product CD."

What? You're kidding, right?  Now, after sitting through a parade of 'progress bars' and dialogue boxes that falsely led me to believe I'm going to receive an upgrade that I don't even want, I'm supposed to prove to you that I have a licensed copy of the software?  What sort of Kafkaesque world am I living in?  I focused on the 'Cancel' button and clicked it with maximum force.  No, I've changed my mind.  I don't want to upgrade my software to get useless updates just so I can buy some peace.  I don't care if you keep warning me in the future.  Just go away and leave me alone.

And just add this to my list of things that annoy the hell out of me in the Wonderful World of Windows.  I take some solace in the fact that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Update: Oh, and if you reset the screen resolution then you might need your Windows XP CD too.  Huh?