Slum And Gutter Ware

Often very good software in the beginning, but the author(s) and their minions suck. Sometimes the software is developed by a gang of punks, and this is not always apparent at first. These people lack social skills and tend to be dishonest. They try very hard to hide holes and bugs into their software, so they can take advantage of their paying and trusting customers. After their début software makes a name for them, you soon see who they associate themselves with, and realize that if you had known this from the start, you would have passed them by. They are often lazy developers and don't fix problems unless forced to by the masses. Rude, crude, and rip-off artists. Unfortunately, this is starting to become a majority, where at one time this was a small minority. When software is reviewed and listed, this new class "SlumAndGutterWare" should be affixed to such software to warn perspective customers.

People can only get away with this type of behavior in business when on the Internet, and even then it will catch up to them eventually. If only, that they develop such poor customer service/relations skills that it will keep them from reaching their full business potential, where they may have otherwise had the opportunity to become something greater. Young people today have had no upbringing, and lack such basic skills as "the customer is always right', "do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer", "without customers you are out of business", "your customers are your business", etc. Grandma and Grandpa didn't have a chance to teach them. Also, they think that because the net is something new, that none of the "old" trial by hard-knocks business wisdoms apply (biggest mistake of all!).

I'm thinking of eventually starting a list here of software and developers that fit this model. Why? Because, it is a real betrayal of trust by software authors, and it is something that needs to be dealt with instead of being ignored. Some authors need to be reminded, that the public is your customer, and if the public stops buying, the author makes no profits/income.

Companies accused of being "SlumAndGutterWare" shops:

MicrosoftCorporation and subsidiaries

Some would argue that they are the biggest offender of all.

SandBoxie? http://www.sandboxie.com/

The way new paying users (or customers pointing out problems/holes) are treated by the developer and minions in the help forums, certainly fits ScumWare?.

Could you post some specifics? From the forum, it appears the author and others are responsive to user feedback.

It has been a little bit better of late, but you have to hang out there to catch the scuttle, as threads are "cleaned" as they are moved to different locations in the forums. Over the last couple of years I have been shocked at what has gone on, how new users are/can be treated just for saying "hey, here's a problem". Whole threads get deleted if he does not like the outcome or the topic. Last real good one was a fellow pointing out how he is using BrotherSoft? as alternate download for his security product, when brother is a hell-hole of Trojans, spyware, and such. Author would have none of it, discussion over and thread gone "poof!", brother still alternate. Worst is new paying innocents needing help, just get shouted-down a lot of the time, then latter some minion finds the hole and they fix it without ever contacting the first person to say "hey, you were right". Even when people can prove they are right, they get treated like garbage, in my opinion.

What customer expectations would be appropriate for a company that sells a fairly complex specialized product for $20? Are you expecting world class customer service?

So, we should spread the word on the net (which is reported to be where good deals are) that if your purchase is thrifty: "expect that some of you may get treated like sh*t"?

digitalriver.com http://digitalriver.com

Scum-suckers: Sell M$ upgrade downloads to students. Customer service is real rip-offs, students have to go to credit card company to get charges reversed.

Don't Digital River sell e-commerce hosting? If so, I suspect it's one or more of Digital River's clients, rather than Digital River itself, that is to blame here.

I asked around, and this is the link that an upset student gave me: http://windows7.digitalriver.com/store/mswpus/en_US/DisplayHomePage?resid=S0Q8ygoBAkgAAFFFEWoAAAAh&rests=1262763209458 Note that at the bottom of the page it says: "Digital River Inc., is the authorized reseller and merchant providing e-commerce services for this store."
Indeed, that appears to have been a short-term promotion run by Microsoft and Digital River. However, I note the Terms explicitly state "no refunds". What were the specific circumstances here? Was it related to this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/26/microsoft_windows_7_digital_river_headache/ It certainly appears to have been mis-handled by both Digital River and Microsoft.
- That looks about right, as the complaints have been all over the place. Mostly, students did not, and could not, receive the product which customer service refused to help, which equals fraud. Most contacted digitbomb right away within hours or minutes. Credit card companies said fraud as well. Once charges showed up on accounts, students had no trouble reversing charges fast. M$ and that digitcrap, may get sued. It's all about customer service, and to try to say that you can take someone’s money based on false information, and then not follow-through on your end, that's is plain and simple fraud. Anyway, students were told the download was free, then they get charged $30.00, then hit with $6.00 download insurance, then when can't download, then hit with $13.00 CD charge for a 300mb file. Fraud, Fraud, Fraud, and I feel real sorry for those that got took all the way. Businesses that do this type of thing, clearly have no honorable intentions, and if they did then they would have a 3-day return policy for such things bought sight-unseen. They knew students would be impatient and easy to defraud. At the same time, this very same upgrade was being sold on eBay for $9.95, barf! Hope Google takes over and kicks Microsh*t in the b*lls!

FaceBook new no-privacy policies

No more privacy for FaceBook users? Not what you signed up for? You didn't agree to it.....? http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_pushes_people_to_go_public.php

Is it just a matter of individuals, or management and incentives? Human nature is such that if good behavior is not rewarded and bad behavior is, then people will do more bad behavior. The work world is a complex social system and has to be dealt with as a complex social system, not just a single individual or some "evil group" or conspiracy to create crap.

Mostly small individual developers (and small groups), they want the money, but don't want the responsibility of taking care of their program(s) and customers as promised. The deliberate hidden fraudulent/malicious intent of spyware and holes, this is criminal behavior in the real world, and is the worst kind of betrayal. Especially, when it is sold as being security software, etc.

In my opinion, your viewpoint is too narrow. I see it more as a systematic problem rather than a small batch of "criminals" or "The Jews" or whatever specific bogyman. Similar issues are explored in ProgrammersAreNotProfessionals.

Indeed, there is a systemic problem/disease, but there is also an acute unique cancer/infection for individual conditions/situations. When a programmer fills a great need, drums up a large group of "paying" users, then treats them badly (basically abuses them over and over without cause) knowing that they have few/no other choices, that certainly fits the bill of SlumAndGutterWare or ScumWare?.

I get the impression this page is motivated by a particular event and/or company. Would the original author consider posting specifically what has raised his/her ire?

CategoryRant JanuaryTen