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Why Do Computers Still Crash?
geoff lane asks: "I've used computers for about 30 years and over that time their hardware reliability has improved (but not that much), but their software reliability has remained largely unchanged. Sometimes a company gets it right -- my Psion 3a has never crashed despite being switched on and in use for over five years, but my shiny new Zaurus crashed within a month of purchase (a hard reset losing all data was required to get it running again). Of course, there's no need to mention Microsoft's inability to create a stable system. So, why are modern operating systems still unable to deal with and recover from problems? Is the need for speed preventing the use of reliable software design techniques? Or is modern software just so complex that there is always another unexpected interaction that's not understood and not planned for? Are we using the wrong tools (such as C) which do not provide the facilities necessary to write safe software?" If we were to make computer crashes a thing of the past, what would we have to do, both in our software and in our operating systems, to make this come to pass?
load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.01
;)
easy to keep a computer up if you never use it
And, when the cocaine that let's YOU do all these things wears off, you'll crash!
"It's an erotic, spectacular scene that captures the thrusting, violent, vibrant world Bohemian spirit..."
Well... in my day I had to write games with just seven transistors and a piece of cheese! And I thought I was lucky. Kids today. Geez.
Granted, I'm 16, but that's not the point.
"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." -- Hanlon's Razor
Reboot? What reboot?
:)
Now, when was the last time you tested those init scripts?
Init scripts? You heathen!!
Rebooting is a special occasion, signalling the coming of the harvest season, or the installation of a new kernel. Accordingly, the High Priest shall bring the system up by hand, typing in the ancient incantations from the sacred scrolls.
Init scripts are for the weak of faith. Let ye not be tempted by the daemons of rc-dot-d!
I must be able to, I'm feeling flushed and my nipples are hard.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
"Accordingly, the High Priest shall bring the system up by hand, typing in the ancient incantations from the sacred scrolls."
Would those sacred scrolls, perchance, be small, yellow, and stuck all around the monitor screen?