Tech Support HELL

Actually, I don't really see what is wrong with this. A quick google shows Windows Briefcase to be a sync utility, thus I presume it works like rsync. For a hot, easily accessible backup, what is wrong with rsyncing to an external disk? If I wasn't worried about offsite backups, I'd likely be using a stack of external HDD's which are rotated daily (that way, if a lightning strike toasts today's backup because it is still connected, we still have yesterday's backup.

I use a similar system as described above for home, where the backup process is about a "when I feel like it" frequency, and is just a 3rd level in case the RAID5 array dies and the hot backup which is done every 4 hours dies (mainly in case something toasts the whole electrical system on both servers).

So, can you explain what is so bad about what they are doing?

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Briefcase is rsync implemented by clueless morons high on crack. It simply doesn't work, even if it claims it has. Ghost is a better backup solution than Briefcase.

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Aaah.. Okay, so the issue is not with the philosophy as it is with the fact that MS can't program their way out of a bag. I'll buy that.

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Briefcase is legacy Win9x software, which is most of the problem. MS can do some pretty good code (Vista, after you reconfigure it to get around the mind-fuckingly stupid default install options, is actually pretty damned good, better than XP in fact)

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That might be so, but I refuse to even contemplate Vista because of the "we can blacklist your hardware" DRM protections.

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I simply don't use WMP at all or any media players which use overlays for playback, all of that DRM really only affects compliant software, which MPC and VLC aren't.

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That was not my understanding from reading the technical whitepapers and bug reports. Specifically, if someone exploits a flaw in some driver to steal content, MS can blacklist the driver until it is fixed, thus disabling the hardware.

That and I have too many machines to actually purchase licenses for OS's. I just throw more copies of Ubuntu on them and don't worry about it...

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That's correct, but that's HDCP-only and affects XP as well as Mac OS X if your hardware is HDCP compatible (IE anything with HDMI output). Note that MS isn't the only one who can do this, the content owners can too.

Of course if you use software that doesn't respect the DRM in the first place, this is irrelevant as the blacklisting will be ignored (if it's from the content provider, OS updates will matter but can only affect drivers, not 3rd party software).

Personally, I run a mix of OS's, but I've got more Windows licences than mchines these days (Last I checked I had at least 4 valid NT4 licenses floating around, along with 3 XP licenses and 2 Vista licenses). All came with machines or were comped somehow (MS ave NT4 Workstation licenses out like candy to students in the late 90's).

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Nice to see I'm not the only mutant who loves Vista!

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There'd be more if only the default install wasn't so stupid. I mean, why the hell is the iSCSI service _running_ by default on a Vista Home Premium machine? Especially when you can set it to start only when needed? And there's a shitpot of other services turned on by default that shouldn't be.

And the less that's said about UAC, the better. Even MS's Security Guru has admitted it exists specifically to annoy users.

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Well, if you had some list posted somewhere of the little thangs I should do, I'd look at it. Not asking you to make one, just in case you had one. :)

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Google 'Vista Optimization', there's a lot of good info out there, especially with regards to which services you need to be running and which are wasting memory and CPU cycles.

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Many thanks!

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yanni85.livejournal.com

I'm in that boat as well, again providing for optimization. Speaking of, I need to poke around for the latest of that stuff. Good reminder.

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hahaaa Tim Reid looks stoned as a bat in that icon. :D

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cjkline83.livejournal.com

What's wrong with GHOST?

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Nothing, great piece of software and a lifesaver for large-scale deployments. But a backup solution it ain't. Works in a pinch though.

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taleya.livejournal.com

Define "Backup" :P

I rebuilt a laptop for my sister and ghosted the HDD because I know she'll hose it. When she drags it pathetically before me and asks for it to work again, I'll ghost the system from the backup disk...and it will be exactly as it was when it left my hands in the first place, with all her programs and utilities intact. Shazaam.

Oh, I'm sorry, did you lose all your mp3's? Shoulda thought of that before you let your 13 year old son use it to surf porn

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That's an install image, backups include data as well. Images are very useful for large-scale rollouts as well as restoring idiot users machines to known-good states. But they aren't backups. I'd rather lose the OS/software install than the data, the former is reconstructable.

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taleya.livejournal.com

And the prior remark was what is known as "flippancy" and a deep burning desire to make her stupidity hurt her as much as it does me :P

(I've set up legitimate backup capacities, if she doesn't use them, I shall commence with the pointing and laughing)

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goose-entity.livejournal.com

you are assuming there.... dangerous thing to do. Remember, these people are so devoid of Clue that they use Windows....

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Heh. Fair enough.

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yanni85.livejournal.com

The problem with windows briefcase is that it was developed with windows 95 or so and is just not reliable.

Synchronizing to an external drive is fine if you're not worried about offsite but briefcase is not a reliable way to do that.

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Makes sense. Silly me, presuming that the app correctly did what it was supposed to do...

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