Sunday, June 1, 2008

Here's an idea...

A friend of mine, yesterday:

"If software crashes and loses my data more than 10 times, I should get the next version for free."

15 comments:

Unknown said...

yea, but for the cheaper OS X, u also get less software, less hardware, less compatibly, plus your tied to everything apple....not a good idea

i say they make windows more affordable, esp for us students!

Unknown said...

If you are a student, there are several ways you can get cheaper software if you know where to look. First check your university, most have programs to get software free or cheap.

Belzecue said...

"If software crashes and loses my data more than 10 times, I should get the next version for free."

For a start, you can ALWAYS get your next version of software for free: Ubuntu/Linux.

That figure of 10 crashes seems arbitrary. Doesn't it depend on the criticality of the data lost and the interval between crashes? Would you put up with having your washing machine destroy your clothes 10 times in a month? Your fridge ruin your food 10 times in a year?

Most states have a consumer statute that say, "A product must be fit for the purpose for which it is sold, or the consumer can ask for a refund, exchange, or fix." Yes, it should also apply to software.

For example, with the horrible file corruption bug in Windows Home Server (still unpatched after, what, six months?) -- surely an operating system's most basic function is to store data and protect it from corruption. Clearly Win Home Server fails that basic test and therefore is clearly NOT fit for the purpose in which it is sold.

So that number should be exactly ONE: if Windows eats your data, and it is clear that it is Window's fault (as with Home Server), then yes, the consumer should get the next version for free...

But then isn't that like buying a car, having it break down ten times, and then getting a new car free from the same manufacturer -- a manufacturer who has already proven it cannot make reliable cars?

mrx said...

- 10 times for a software used once a month is totally different than 10 times for the operating system used all day long.

- wouldn't be a better idea to move to another software than praying for the next version to be more stable?

Anthony Lawrence said...

Ten times?

Spoken like a true Windows person.

A Mac or Linux user would have said twice.

Unknown said...

tru...i mean, i barely remember windows 3.1 so...its a shame tho. I mean, yea linux is nice, and OSX looks nice...but windows has unparalleled compatibility. this is also its downfall (aka outdated apis, software accessing things it shouldnt...etc). windows works well...its just soft developers (like aol) who do things they shouldnt and cause windows to crash...and then people blame microsoft. plus apple markets their products MUCH better (how long are you going to let apple do the mac vs pc commercials without firing back? cmon now...)

Unknown said...

I've been using Vista as my primary OS ever since the first Geforce 8 drivers came out. It has always done everything just fine, but I only use Microsoft products and some games. I've never, EVER, simply lost data on my computer except a couple of times of OH NO, I just emptied the recycling bin without thinking.

In Windows, I've developed this doctorine of doing things the way their meant to be done, which means little free software except 7-Zip and Blender. The only freeware I use is from Microsoft, except for ImgBurn and EasyBCD. I don't even use antivirus, and my system is always fast and stable.

I'm not loyal to Microsoft. It boggles my mind why anyone is loyal to any company. I just look at products. I don't care what company makes them.

But having a perfect system I can be productive on gets boring after a while. I use GNU/Linux for fun. Once, I had a totally stable, productive Ubuntu environment set up; but it was boring, and I could do all the same things and more in Windows. Now, I just have a partition for administrating my own GNU/Linux system I built entirely from source.

Lately, I've been considering a Mac (I like the combo of proprietary and free software), just to spice things up, but it's hard to justify. My current computer I built myself two years ago is more powerful than any of the current Macs for my purposes. Having an 8800 GTS 640MB, the only Macs I'm considering are the iMac with an 8800 GS and the Mac Pro with an 8800 GT. For $2500, I could get that iMac and some software (including Windows), or I could build my own computer, get a 28-inch monitor, and an Xbox.

Obviously, I'm straying from the topic. If software is murdering your dataa, STOP USING IT. The way I use Windows, I don't lose my data.

Soma said...

Anthony - good point.

Morgan said...

I love Ubuntu as much as any hardcore Linux person. But I think Windows gets too much flak from the stability people.
Install some mongy, badly written driver in the most stable linux and it will crash as fast and hard as windows.
Have you ever looked at the windows crash reports or memory dump files, 95% of the time it is some random driver or software that has nothing to do with windows. The other 5% is more than likely hardware that is at fault.
Stability is no longer the reason for going to Linux/Mac, a while back my WindowsXP work PC had and uptime of over 200 days. My home Ubuntu desktop is sitting at about 180 at the moment, this is not a measure of usefulness anymore.
I and I assume others use linux for what you get, 20minutes to install Ubuntu, and you have office, and im, and a whole heap of other apps. Linux supports MORE hardware than windows out of the box. Especially older hardware, I don't run the latest and greatest cause I don't see a need.
Take an example Vista on my home pc, after install I need to install network drivers, usb drivers, and sound and video drivers.
Ubuntu 7.10, no driver installs required.
Different strokes for different folks.

Anonymous said...

good idea, but how will microsoft figure out how software crashes when it's own operating system crashes with it's software. Microsoft should just make it's standards high like mac os. Ex: only allowing tested hardware to use vista and making vista run on atleast 2 gb of ram

Capp Zeta said...

/quote

10 times for a software used once a month is totally different than 10 times for the operating system used all day long.

- wouldn't be a better idea to move to another software than praying for the next version to be more stable?

quote/

If your software is crashing the OS, shouldn't you blame the software developers? Seriously. If the OS runs fine and THEN it starts crashing after you start adding software, who should be the blame, the OS developer or the software developer?

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Anonymous said...

testbegin We always convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, than another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more contet when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. we will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We always tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together. when we get a nice car, and are able to go on a nice vocation when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time than right now. If not now, when? our life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to ourselves and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred Souza. He said."for a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin-real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, someting to be gotten through firest, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.

Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have.

And remember that time waits for no one. So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school; until you get married, until you get divorced; until you have kids; until you retire; until you get a new car or home; until spring; until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy….

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.So, work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching. testend

Anonymous said...

testbegin We always convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, than another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more contet when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. we will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We always tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together. when we get a nice car, and are able to go on a nice vocation when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time than right now. If not now, when? our life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to ourselves and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred Souza. He said."for a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin-real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, someting to be gotten through firest, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.

Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have.

And remember that time waits for no one. So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school; until you get married, until you get divorced; until you have kids; until you retire; until you get a new car or home; until spring; until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy….

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.So, work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching. testend

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