[Leaplist] Linux Advocasy: What they'll miss

[Steve Litt]

On Thursday 08 May 2008 02:47, Phil Barnett wrote:
> On Wednesday 07 May 2008 08:47:56 am Derek Konigsberg wrote:
> > However, I have *never*, I repeat, *never*, had those problems on *any*
> > of the Windows machines I've regularly used.
>
> I deal with about 40,000 windows machines at work.
>
> It is a fact of life that they decay. Your experience is not typical.

My experience with Windows machines is I had to defrag every month or so, and 
once a year I had to do a prophylactic format/reinstall, after which the 
machine would run faster and more crash free. I had this experience for 
Win3.0 thru W98. I've never used NT, 2K, XP or Vista.

I can't say whether or not Linux boxes decay, because a new Mandriva comes out 
once a year, so once a year I format/install for that reason, possibly 
preventing creeping decay. 

Before someone brings up upgrading rather than format/install, let me tell you 
that my 20th century experiences with Linux upgrades were ugly, so I stopped 
upgrading. My view -- the couple hours it takes to format/install is well 
worth possession of a known state.

SteveT

Steve Litt
Author: Universal Troubleshooting Process books and courseware
http://www.troubleshooters.com/