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In engineering, we should assume the users will not adhere to instruction. This is why in physical engineering, tolerances for usage are often 3x their advertis

In engineering, we should assume the users will not adhere to instruction. This is why in physical engineering, tolerances for usage are often 3x their advertised value. In Microsoft's case, they have the means to know who their users are and ensure they upgrade. Forced upgrades should be an opt-out feature, especially with an OS as prominent as Windows.

pjc50 9y ago
The NHS had already opted out - because of the difficulties in upgrading.
- davidf18 9y ago
  The NHS had warned hospitals several years in advance that Windows XP would be discontinued and that they would have to upgrade the OS. The NHS took out a 1 year contract on Windows XP updates at great financial expense which gave responsible authorities plenty of time to do the system upgrades.
davidf18 9y ago
Don't know what kind of engineer you are, but I have BS EE with minor CS from top engineering school. Airplanes have to undergo preventative maintenance. We don't count on airplanes not being maintained. Sorry. Highway bridges and other structures undergo constant inspection. It is one matter for individuals in their homes choosing not to update a computer or for a privately held firm. But firms with stockholders, or governments must follow manufacturers instructions when they purchase equipment and that includes maintenance whether for their vehicle pool or other equipment.
- scott_karana 9y ago
  > Highway bridges and other structures undergo constant inspection. They are supposed to, but underfunding/mismanagement can abuse the overengineering (which thankfully existed in the first place!) and skip regular inspections, sometimes with fatal consequences. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22300234/ns/us_news-bridge_inspections/t/feds-let-states-delay-inspections-bad-bridges/ http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22300234/ns/us_news-bridge_inspect...
  - davidf18 9y ago
    Yes, you are absolutely correct. There was the collapse of an Interstate Highway bridge near Albany NY, the collapse of a bridge in Minneapolis, MN, and other cases. Since people die because of the lack of proper inspections, I wonder why management isn't held accountable for manslaughter or whatever charges.
MandieD 9y ago
And in Windows 10, forced updates are opt-out, and yet, prominent tech sites like C|NET publish crap like this without tons of caveats about why it's a terrible idea for most everyone who needs a C|NET article to tell them how: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/stop-windows-10-from-automatically-updating-your-pc/ https://www.cnet.com/how-to/stop-windows-10-from-automatical... They kind of acknowledge how bad this advice was: "Update, May 15: With the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft has largely addressed the forced updates that often resulted in lost work. And, while the the recent WannaCry ransomware does not (thus far) appear to affect Windows 10, you need to make sure your PC is kept up-to-date with security patches to avoid exactly those sort of attacks. To that end, consider the information below to be out of date, with a more thorough update to come."

pjc50 9y ago

The NHS had already opted out - because of the difficulties in upgrading.

davidf18 9y ago
The NHS had warned hospitals several years in advance that Windows XP would be discontinued and that they would have to upgrade the OS. The NHS took out a 1 year contract on Windows XP updates at great financial expense which gave responsible authorities plenty of time to do the system upgrades.

davidf18 9y ago

Don't know what kind of engineer you are, but I have BS EE with minor CS from top engineering school. Airplanes have to undergo preventative maintenance. We don't count on airplanes not being maintained. Sorry. Highway bridges and other structures undergo constant inspection. It is one matter for individuals in their homes choosing not to update a computer or for a privately held firm. But firms with stockholders, or governments must follow manufacturers instructions when they purchase equipment and that includes maintenance whether for their vehicle pool or other equipment.

scott_karana 9y ago
> Highway bridges and other structures undergo constant inspection. They are supposed to, but underfunding/mismanagement can abuse the overengineering (which thankfully existed in the first place!) and skip regular inspections, sometimes with fatal consequences. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22300234/ns/us_news-bridge_inspections/t/feds-let-states-delay-inspections-bad-bridges/ http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22300234/ns/us_news-bridge_inspect...
- davidf18 9y ago
  Yes, you are absolutely correct. There was the collapse of an Interstate Highway bridge near Albany NY, the collapse of a bridge in Minneapolis, MN, and other cases. Since people die because of the lack of proper inspections, I wonder why management isn't held accountable for manslaughter or whatever charges.

MandieD 9y ago

And in Windows 10, forced updates are opt-out, and yet, prominent tech sites like C|NET publish crap like this without tons of caveats about why it's a terrible idea for most everyone who needs a C|NET article to tell them how: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/stop-windows-10-from-automatically-updating-your-pc/ https://www.cnet.com/how-to/stop-windows-10-from-automatical... They kind of acknowledge how bad this advice was: "Update, May 15: With the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft has largely addressed the forced updates that often resulted in lost work. And, while the the recent WannaCry ransomware does not (thus far) appear to affect Windows 10, you need to make sure your PC is kept up-to-date with security patches to avoid exactly those sort of attacks. To that end, consider the information below to be out of date, with a more thorough update to come."