Does Connect Work?

The only thing I've found Connect to be useful as is to be the 'official word of god' from Microsoft regarding bugs in their product. Usually someone with more knowledge and/or better google-fu is able to point me at a particular connect time (although occassionally I find them myself) stating that something is FUBAR and either it's not going to be fixed or I need a new version or something else.

Otherwise, well, no. As a normal user it's pretty useless to me. It's not something I go scrolling through to see recent issue in or anything of the like.

I think it needs a reevaluation as it does not appear to work. I have submitted, voted and viewed far too many that appear to be valid that either have no response or shrugged off. It has failed to work from my perspective so many times that I often forget about it.

If there are too many being submitted then:

- limit the sources. MSDN/TechNet subscribers perhaps? (Maybe this is already the case - I cannot remember)

- make it easier to check for duplicates (and reward for submitting additional info)

If there are a number of submitters misusing the system then bring in a warning system/reward system (encourage people to want to behave).

If there are a number of reviewers inappropriately closing issues then bring in a warning system/reward system for them too. (Doesn't need to be public but stating that there is a system in place would give submitters confidence).

This is an opportunity for MS to help us help them help us. Ignoring the minority of abusers (which there will always be a few in any collection of people), we want this to work for MS and us.

Connect doesn't work and this is so obvious that I almost refrained from commenting as it's a waste of time.

Connect seems to me to be that classic failure of a behemoth Corporation where they know they have a problem so they create something that they tell themselves solves it, but they're kidding themselves and no one at the bottom of the food chain in the organization is about to tell the Emperor they are naked (aka "make a career ending decision").

Please vote for this on Connect.

I often forget, as well, to check for something on Connect because it has failed sooo many times.

I still upvote items that I think need to be fixed, but I wonder if it is in vain sometimes.

I brought Steve's editorial and this thread to the attention of PJ Hough, CVP. If someone can make it work better, he is the one.

I agree that Connect has at most one use: For those Connect items where someone from Microsoft has said "No, we're not fixing it", you can see that you're hosed and find what other workarounds regular users have posted.

Note that I've seen comments from Microsoft about "will be fixed in the next version" multiple versions ago when I can still replicate the bug, so I don't consider those comments worthwhile - Microsoft clearly does not re-update the comment when they change their mind.

As far as I can tell, Microsoft, like many corporations, devotes developer time based on Sales and/or Marketing desires, and fixes as few omissions, errors, kludges, or bugs as possible, much less makes improvements users actually want.

I use the RSS feed for the Most Recently Modified updates.

The quantity of updates is large - I have over 300 unread in five days. At that rate it's hardly surprising Microsoft doesn't keep pace.

I've flagged over 150 items as "Important" using Outlook's category. Updates to these get automatically "read" and get sorted in date order, so it's clear which items I'm NOT following are getting updates.

As has been said, the volume of "bulk updates by Microsoft, status WON'T FIX" is horrifying. It is clear that "the voice of the people" isn't being listened to when items are being consistently voted up EVEN AFTER MS SAYS "NO!"

Primary use: see if it's already noted as "broken". Vote up if so.

Be cautious about offering suggestions - largely closed-no.

Make sure your "Bug" issue is reproducible, with clear steps documented! If not, don't waste anyone's time!!!

Perhaps the volume of "noise" can be reduced by applying some common sense from US, the User Community? Maybe that way Microsoft would take more notice...?

Perhaps Microsoft would deign to give URLs to "where is the thing fixed!" This omission/laziness is probably the most peeving aspect after the arbitrary (it seems) "closed won't fix" fiasco.

One distressing thing I see all to often: issues raised by "big name MVPs" are ignored as lightly as the "unknowns". This is very odd. I would consider the voice of an MVP, especially where the issue isn't a whim but a duly considered serious issue or suggestion, to be worth far more in the ear of Microsoft than is currently evidenced.

Sure hope PJ Hough, CVP is up for making or promoting changes. If not, the RSS feed will be dropped and Connect relegated to "just one more not very useful site".

Can't even give Microsoft a "nice try" for Connect as it stands - sorry...

Just had a thought: I don't care if I can personally raise issues. If I can raise it in a forum like this and forums like this can have a way of raising issues then we can filter the rubbish, we can canvas opinion and we can get results. I am not interested in getting MS to jump through hoops for me as I believe most of us here are not. As a community we want better products and know that our collective opinions and knowledge count.

I have not used it. Might in the future but will continue to use other avenues to get the information to MS when appropriate.

M.

Microsoft has people who "own this line of communication." They need from time to time someone to let them know that their performance is under scrutiny.

I've largely given up on Connect. Sometimes I'll get a reminder about an item or a notification of something that could use some support, but too many I've submitted got a "Closed - will not fix" type response to make it worth my while submitting any sort of report. If I thought it was important enough to submit as a bug, then it should at least get some sort of pertinent comment indicating that someone actually looked at it and considered it.

I've also seen some things submitted that show up well after the fact as "fixed in the next version" which is just about equally useless if our company isn't upgrading to the next version so we can use whatever was fixed.

Sure it works sometimes, but on the whole I find it an exercise in futility to submit anything and just concentrate on finding a workaround instead.

I'm still waiting for an explanation of why hundreds of perfectly valid bug reports were recently deleted. Even if they were closed as "won't fix", it was useful to know that the bug existed, and to see any possible workarounds.

I've lost count of the number of links to Connect bug reports I've clicked on in recent months which return "page not found" errors.

And I've seen too many valid bugs closed with comments to the effect that "we haven't got time to fix this now; we'll look at it later" which have then never been fixed.

Far from professional behaviour. Corporate responsibility Microsoft? Eh?