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News Microsoft coughs to Windows 8.1 RTM bugs

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 11 Sep 2013.

  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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  2. ChaosDefinesOrder

    ChaosDefinesOrder Vapourmodder

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    isn't this precisely why there is such a huge gap between RTM and general release?
     
  3. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    No. Traditionally, the gap between RTM and release is to manufacture and distribute stock; obviously, in these days of digital distribution, that's less of a concern - but there will still need to be discs pressed, boxes and documentation printed, and units shipped to retailers ahead of the launch.

    RTM is supposed to be "right, we're done. Ship it." Back in the day, you couldn't easily patch a product once it had been manufactured - we didn't have near-ubiquitous internet access. If your software had a flaw on floppy disk two, you needed to physically send a replacement floppy disk two to all of your customers - an expensive nightmare. If you were making console games, it was even worse - how the heck do you patch a game on a ROM cartridge on a console with no network connectivity and no local storage?

    While it's certainly easier to patch a product nowadays, you're still supposed to wait until you've fixed the known bugs before you actually press the discs - otherwise why even bother with betas? Just go straight from alpha to ship, and let the punters pay for the privilege of finding bugs.
     
  4. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    Gareth: Because everyone wants everything now not delayed by six weeks.

    Apparently bending to consumer impatience has taken precedence over releasing a well tested, well patched, release.
     
  5. Snips

    Snips I can do dat, giz a job

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    Sounds like it's a pretty easy fix and instant download for updates when upgrading. Doesn't it do that anyway when anything Microsoft is installed, it always asks "Do you want to go to Microsoft updates?" or whatever it's called during or at the end of installation?
     
  6. edzieba

    edzieba Virtual Realist

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    Hasn't this generally been the case with service packs? Previous fixes are bundled up into one installer, a few new features are added, and there's a handful of bugs that crop up between the RTM hold for manufacturing date and the release date.
     
  7. Paradigm Shifter

    Paradigm Shifter de nihilo nihil fit

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    I thought that was what most companies did anyway now...?

    Certainly seems that way with the amount of "new program/game release!" swiftly followed by, "day one patch to fix xyz!"
     
  8. Corky42

    Corky42 Where's walle?

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    QFT :thumb:
    More OT im starting to wounder if the techs at Microsoft are being over worked, what with all the problems with failed patches, and bugs in 8.1

    It seems quality is being sacrificed for this new faster release schedule, and the cracks are starting to show.
     
  9. lysaer

    lysaer Suck my unit! Kirk lazarus (2008)

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    The issues really don't sound that bad tbh

    Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
     
  10. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    Since when has MS ever released a well tested, patched product?
     
  11. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    Already when you install any Windows at release, you already have day 1 updates found on Windows Update. So I don't think it will be a concern.
    - It's not like companies will switch to 8.1, many companies are still in their transition of Windows 7, if we are perfectly honest.

    - Let's assume it the update will be 2 weeks later. The time anyone actually notices these bugs, the update will be released. IT will be busy checking out 8.1, learning it, let alone test company used software, let alone start reading up on the new features that interest them, to actually know about them, and test.
     
  12. jon

    jon Chief Phrenologist

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    Aren't all of the issues listed avoided by simply not using IE11?? :)
     
  13. DC74

    DC74 Doh!

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    Microsoft's board might as well go out back put a gun to their heads and pull the trigger. This is a massive issue. Over the past year they have repeatedly released patches that either created new issues or damaged the OS so badly it necessitated a re-install. Do they even bother testing stuff anymore? clearly not. To have some minor bugs is one thing but to produce Disc's with a lot of them in is another. Are they MAD! come back Bill Gates all is forgiven.
     
  14. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    No.
    :p
     
  15. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    If they didn't test, Microsoft would not mention it :)
    - The deadline is a year after Windows 8 was released.
    - Microsoft is still working on Windows 8.1. All the online stuff is not ready yet.
    - It's actually very minor issues.
    - If in 2013 you don't have the internet to download "day 1" update (pretty much), then well what can I say.
     
  16. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    Arguably never, but it's not just MS doing it sadly.
     
  17. Star*Dagger

    Star*Dagger What's a Dremel?

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    If you are using IE, you are en UTTER idiot and deserve what you get, period.
     
  18. lysaer

    lysaer Suck my unit! Kirk lazarus (2008)

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    Which bugs made you have to reinstall the whole OS last year?

    Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4
     
  19. fluxtatic

    fluxtatic What's a Dremel?

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    MS broke the hell out of "the internet" (users' words, not mine) when they pushed out IE10 for Win7. Suddenly everything sucks again, and all I heard from every site was how frickin fantastic IE10 is...fantastic for downloading Firefox version 185 until they increment up to 186 ten minutes from now...and yet, nothing's broken in FF.

    I'm not even crazy about FF. I don't trust Chrome, and Opera's a little too esoteric for the users I support. With FF, everything works and people leave me alone, so FF it is.
     
  20. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    If you installed MS13-036/2823324 before it was withdrawn and re-issued, then a reinstall was the only sure way to fix the constant crashing it caused - Microsoft's own recommendation of uninstalling the patch reportedly failing to work for many, even assuming the system stayed up long enough for them to try. That's from April 2013.

    Sadly, my mention that people will be watching to see if Microsoft can have a trouble-free Patch Tuesday has proved prescient: seeing reports of five (up from the three I'd had word of this morning) patches that aren't doing what they're supposed to. See this story.
     
    Last edited: 12 Sep 2013

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