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Microsoft to Turn to Driver Quality Ratings System

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the four-stars dept.

QT writes "Ars Technica is reporting that Microsoft is finally trying to do something about PC driver problems. A new crash-report-driven Driver Quality Rating system will be used in Windows Vista to rate drivers. Drivers that rate poorly in real world use by users will lose their logo certification status, which would be bad news for OEMs and the device manufacturers themselves. Maybe now submitting crash reports will feel more useful? This is long overdue."

6 of 333 comments (clear)

  1. I don't know about you by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    But I always submitted my crash reports when the crash was caused by my own buggy code. I just thought it was humorous I could even send that data in, so I did.

    --
    God spoke to me.
    1. Re:I don't know about you by Bob54321 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I submit Firefox crashes so the IE team feels a little hope...

      --
      :(){ :|:& };:
    2. Re:I don't know about you by pchan- · · Score: 4, Funny

      In my exception handling code, if I find that the crash is unrecoverable and due to fubar code by myself, I'm always sure to create an additional segment violation.  This way, the "Report error to Microsoft" dialog comes up and the user thinks the bug is Windows' fault.

      void pass_the_buck(void)
      {
        unsigned int *a;

        // blame microsoft (the loop is just for dramatic effect)
        for(a = NULL; *a = 0xdeadbeef; a++) ;
      }

  2. Re:'Long overdue'...or 'same shit, different day'? by gwhenning · · Score: 5, Funny
    Finally, will this new system possibly be subject to abuse? Will it be possible for rival manufacturers to submit bogus crash reports to Microsoft to poison the ratings of their competitors?


    I can see it already. Six months after Vista ships the iPod will be flagged as the worst device and lose it's windows certification.
  3. Re:Oh I wonder wonder who ohhh who... by Joe+U · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh yay, a technicality, the second-to-last resort of the troll.

    RTFA, it's about device drivers, not low level components.

    Since we're going to be technical AND troll at the same time:

    1. Your math works out to $5000, not $300,000.
    2. It's spelled unforeseen.
    3. You forgot a paragraph break between the quote and your text, a question mark after the word poorly, not to mention the lack of visits from our friend Mr. Comma.
    4. You missed the required "OMG M$!!!!!" at the end of your message.
    5. No lottery numbers.

    I'm disapointed in you.

  4. Bad code! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    That code is absolutely terrible and should never go in any production system!

    pass_the_buck() should be inline :-)