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Comment by matheusmoreira | Hacker News Reader

The Windows computer I have to use at work takes over 15 seconds to start the new calculator app. The old calculator launched instantly.

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I've seen that too. I discovered Calculator was doing a DNS lookup for some reason, and that slow DNS resolution was the cause...

That's a why, but it raises more questions than it does answers.

Arithmetic may have updated.

Nah, analytics. Some PM needs to know which operands are most used so they can optimize the calculator layout to improve the UX. And for the least used operands, they'll take a pragmatic stance and remove them to clean up the interface.

The fact these people are probably making 300k/year is seriously starting to piss me off.

This sounds wildly optimistic. I buy the metrics compilation, but I'll be damned if there's any PM at Microsoft (or Apple or Google for that matter) who's interested in '[optimizing] the calculator layout to improve the UX.'

I need that Drake meme here, where he's negative about the idea "Optimize the calculator layout to improve the UX" and very enthusiastic about the idea "Find ways to get incremental revenue from users of Calculator with ads or selling of data"

Now with new Plus++

Have we considered math results in the context of GDPR? Maybe it needs a cookie configuration dialogue.

An LLM writes and compiles a new calculator app from scratch every time you open it.

Obliterating the performance of a calculator wasn't enough, they actually managed to introduce some all new usability regressions as well. They decided to localize inputs so now periods don't work depending on your locale. Copying numbers also includes the formatted and localized output as well instead of the raw value. Parsers are going to love those commas.

We're reaching Microslop levels we never thought possible. I actually think Claude Code would have done a better job.

Be grateful we are talking about a desktop OS where you are free to not use the built-in apps and even install an arbitrary calculator of your choosing. Unlike dozens of built-in "Apps" on mobile platforms that just exist and you can either use them all as provided, or switch to (Apple or Android).

I'm recommending your for a mid-level management role at my employer right now.

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