Re: [BLACKBOX] Big sums

From: [at]} <Wojtek>
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:12:02 -0400

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Robert:

   you can disable automatic Windows updates. Depending on the Windows
version you are using, you can find the relevant menu items in different
places. It should not be difficult to find them.

Rebooting is annoying. It happened to me that my data acquisition computer
was rebooted in the middle of the DAQ run. After that lesson I pay some
attention to the automatic update settings.

Concerning the big picture, it is not the OS or Mr. Gates who are at
fault. It is rather the users, who basically relinquished the deep
knowledge about their computer systems and how they are managed. And for a
good reason. Why would we want to dive deep into the OS management which
is a productivity black hole? We rather shovel all the dirty details to IT
departments, if we have these around. For those who don't, Mr. Gates and
his Evil Empire assumed the role of a remote IT department. And just like
our friendly Mr. Jack Geek from the office across the building, the remote
IT department is imposing their own rules.

The difference between Mr. Geek and Mr. Gates is that you can quietly
disable Mr. Gates' actions without yielling at him. You only need to know
how. There is a menu item for doing that, and there is no offense.

If you are using a computer for a mission-critical task, you need to
control it a little bit more closely than the one used to write the
e-mails to the BlackBox list. You are saying that two are the same? Yes, I
hear that. I am also using one machine for everything. But I am not
expecting the miracles. Either I want to be in control, or I don't. If I
don't, then I am not complaining that Windows Update has downloaded some
stuff and is scratching my disks, and then doing a reboot.

If you want to be in control then you need to read that thick book.

>From experience I can tell you that Linux is much worse. Much, much worse.
Using Linux in any nontrivial way you cannot avoid reading that thick
book. With Windows you can.

Hope I have dispersed your frustration. Happy computing.

Wojtek

On Fri, 17 Jun 2011, Robert wrote:

> I was running an extensive calculation in BlackBox on my
> computer when, about a week and a half into it, Mt Gates decided to
> reboot my computer last night without asking.
>
> How come people tolerate such arrogant vandalism?
>
> When can we have BlackBox ported to a sane (ie does the basics reliably)
> operating system?
>
> Is there a sane operating system?
>
>
> I guess I need to switch to BlueBottle or something?
>
>
> Cheers, from one not-so-happy customer.
>
> Robert
>
>
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>
>

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Received on Fri Jun 17 2011 - 15:12:02 UTC