Microsoft, please fix MSDN Feedback Center bug report form.

Disclaimer: rant straight ahead

Ok, I'm getting pretty fed up with MSDN Feedback Center, Microsoft's bugreport system. It uses a bugreport form that's unusable in Firefox and also is simply stupid when it comes to uploading files. I really wondered why my attachments weren't attached to the bugreports, while the files were uploaded when I submitted the form (checked that). Turns out, some brilliant 'programmer' cooked up the idea to add a button (I never saw that button, after spending more than 10 years with websites you get blind for these things apparently, but nevertheless, it's completely unlogical why that button is even there) which performs the attachment upload, but it's in the same form! While everyone expects the file to be uploaded when you click submit. And the silly part is: because it's a file upload input element, the file is uploaded anyway when you click submit! So the file is uploaded when submit is called (as it has been since, what, 1995?), but the file is ignored when the form submits. That's what I call Coding for the Customer.

In Firefox, people have to fill in the text in very tiny textboxes. This is just unnecessary, as it's very easy to create a textbox which is of the same size in IE as in Firefox without any browser sniffing. Furthermore, the discussion/feedback area below a report often flickers and keeps resizing in an infinite loop in Firefox. Should I use IE instead? Why? To fill in a webform that has a couple of textboxes and a couple of combo boxes on it? In the case where a site uses a unique Active X plugin... ok, like MSDN download center or Windows Update. But this is insane. The barrier to file bugreports should be as low as possible. It should be easy and straightforward to file bugs, so they get fixed a.s.a.p. and everyone has a better experience with your products, Microsoft. So, move the code from the Add Attachment button event handler to the OnLoad postback handler and all is well.

Vote for the bugreport here.

5 Comments

  • Frans, your wish is my command! :)



    I just validated it, people can vote for it now!

  • I have been having the same problems for a while now. I have mentioned this while posting bugs but no one seems to listen.

  • Frans,



    I don't understand why the bugreport form can't be mostly autofilled by the VS IDE. Atleast information such as .NET framework/OS/Language etc. should be autofilled.



    One thing MS could benefit a *LOT* from is information architecture. For instance, there is still a lot of confusion about the various "team system" editions. The MSDN downloads and the MSDN subscription management interface is simply retarded, it used to be a LOT worse, but it's still retarded. That is a great example of a developer coming up with workflow/user-interface. For all the time that they spent on creating and maintaining those tools, and providing mounds of information from various sources, I wish they would have simply stepped back, thought of a plan, a put together one easily digestible message or user interface.



    SM

  • This is just another symptom that is pervading Microsoft... the symptom of not developing for customers. Thinking how things SHOULD work, and opting for the easy way, and I blame ASP.Net for it.



    There's so many things that take longer than should in ASP.Net, (unless of course, I want to build a GridView that shows the entire Table Contents)

  • TAG: well you know, that entry showed me that it was possible to upload the attachment, which even more convinced me the product feedback website is clearly needing some make over.



    Kevin: I use the textarea resize extension for Firefox so you can drag the textareas wider, though it should be set by default. It's just plain arrogancy that they don't do that.



    Sahil: I'm with you man, you made very good points.

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