The Silver Bullet
I am sometimes asked: "If there was one thing you could recommend to some one faced with a PC tantrum attack what would it be?"
My answer to that used to be: hmm...well...it depends...
Well not any more, sadly I think I found the answer.
You would not believe me if I tell you how simple it is.
But here it is (depending on your version of Windows):
Start/Shut down/restart
Or
Start/Turn off Computer/Restart
Or
If any thing else fails and your computer does not respond, push the reset button!!!
"What? Have you lost your mind again?"
Hmm...maybe but it's true, lets look at a brief history of Windows.
If you had the "pleasure" of owning earlier version of Windows(pre 2000/XP) or even Dos for that matter, you would probably recall that those operating systems used to be mostly toys, expensive toys, powerful toys, but never the less, toys.
No one in his right mind would depend on those operating systems for any thing more then playing games, doing basic word processing chores or making some rudimentary financial calculations come tax season.
As a typical toy no one really cared if you had to push the button once in a while.
I agree it might be annoying to have to restart your computer just as you are about to break your all time Tetris record but still no big deal right?
In late 1995 Windows 95 was released, it seemed like a promising dawn was upon home computer users. But alas when all the hype disappeared we were left with an operating system that was not only a toy but a dangerous toy; since it gave us the illusion of an operating system we could rely on.
Since no class action was field and no general recall of Windows 95 was ordered we were left with a reality that, when it comes to Windows operating systems, the best we could hope for is 95.
98(Windows) came and gone, followed by ME (Windows) but nothing really changed
We were left with the same toy, a more colorful toy, a more powerful toy but still a toy...
Meanwhile the NT(Windows) side of the family was making good progress towards combining power, stability and user friendliness but was not geared to or widely available for home users.
2000(Windows) came and actually brought a new dawn in Windows home computing. Finally some one at Microsoft realized that even toys need better foundations and lo and behold we were faced with a new reality of a Windows operating system that could actually be left working for more then a couple of days with out pushing the button.
The first time I realized I did not need to press the button every couple of hours I was shocked, I caught myself creeping my finger to the restart button and could barley hold my self from pressing it(Today I can admit that after so many years of pushing the button, I was addicted).
When I finally realized that I was faced with a real operating system that could be depended on I immediately started exploring the new possibilities, which at the time, seemed endless.
I started pushing 2000 to the limit, keeping it open for days on end, using it for real applications, business oriented applications, "serious" oriented applications....
My first bitter taste of the blue screen of death came shortly after the second straight week of non stop operation of my new 2000 machine.
I admit, when it first happened, I felt relief.
I was starting to feel obsolete, not needed any more. I used to be the center of my computer's well being. It was up to me, to kill misbehaved processes and press the button every once in a while.
After feeding my addiction and the initial excitement of pressing the button a couple of times, I realized 2 things:
- At least when it comes to Windows 2000, I am not obsolete.
- Windows 2000 is far from what I hoped it to be.
Disillusion was followed by new hope, as the mighty Microsoft machine, online patching mechanism, started working in full force; I once again started to see the light.
Windows 2000 service pack one took me to the heights of 2.2 weeks of push button free operations. Service pack 2 took me to the unbelievable 2.4 weeks and just when I thought it can't get any better than that service pack 3 and 4 came and swept me of my feet to an unprecedented push free experience. Yes folks. I could actually get my Windows 2000 service pack 4 to go for 3 weeks straight with out showing any signs of fatigue.
I loved my 2000 machine (I still do). But when Windows XP came out, I started to have those unfaithful thoughts of switching over.
Don't get me wrong I am very faithful but, the temptation...oh the temptation was so big.
All around me people were flaunting their new XP's and saying my XP can do this and my XP can do that.... But I held fast, I resisted as long as I could...until I had to buy a new computer and I felt it was time to let go of old believes and open myself to new experiences. Yes, it is possible to have a new type of operating system; Windows XP will deliver the promise of a trouble free Windows operating system, I believe...I believe...
Apparently there is a reason why older people are in general wiser, they have heard it all before, they were around when old promises were given and when the actual reality settled in, all in all it's just a cycle...
Windows XP opened a new can of worms and had to receive major overhaul in the form of service pack one and two, not to mention countless small updates since then.
But here are the good news, as of today my XP machine could normally work for 1 month straight with out needing my finger to assist it.
Yes, imagine that a Windows operating system that can work reliably for one month straight...
So what is my silver bullet answer to people who have computer problems?
Before you do anything else:
Push the Button
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