Quick question for all you techie people

[GlytchMeister]

Microsoft just pulled something that I don't understand one bit. They published 30 updates for Windows 8.1 all at once yesterday.

What I don't get is why didn't they publish it as one update?

Or did my computer just goof really hard and suddenly notice 30 updates that are all much older than 1 day?

[jwhouk]

I think there was only one update...

[Dave]

Microsoft just pulled something that I don't understand one bit. They published 30 updates for Windows 8.1 all at once yesterday.

What I don't get is why didn't they publish it as one update?

Or did my computer just goof really hard and suddenly notice 30 updates that are all much older than 1 day?

Updates are often packaged in a modular form - each one brings a specific set of components up to a particular revision level.

A particular update is often applied "all at once" or "not at all" - in order to be applied it requires that all of the components it's updating, actually be present in the system (and, in some cases, have to be present at a specific update level).

Doing it this way - keeping the updates modular - makes it a lot easier to test and package them. It also makes it possible to download and apply updates selectively, based on the characteristics of the machine being updated.

Trying to do 30 things in one huge update makes all of the above harder to manage... and it makes it harder to "roll back" changes if something goes wrong.

[GlytchMeister]

So...
They're keeping their eggs in several baskets. At least that's part of it.
And some of the updates are like the foundation for other updates, and some of them act like placeholders under other parts of the software while a better foundation is put in... Like when they put wooden scaffolding under overpasses while they repair the concrete pillar. Aaand some are simply addons, like putting a brick right on top of the wall.
(Sorry, my brain works kinda weird, forgive me if I make an unusual translation.)

Ok. I guess that makes sense now. Thanks! ^_^

[TazManiac]

Aaaaand sometime they come from different teams within Microsoft too.

The historical remembrance is that they ALL came modular, and it wasn't until later that something like a Service Pack came about.

Service Packs being a cumulative roll up of previous updates.

[GlytchMeister]

Service Pack

THAT'S the word I was looking for! Yeah, ok. Whew. Was gonna bother me all night. Thank you so much.
...
Also [stay on target]: ok. Yeah, so basically doing a service pack right from the start actually kinda makes no sense at all, when you know what you're talking about.
[scottish] See, this is why Im going into engineering. I only know enough about computers to really break them bad. Like, computer repairmen will take a look at my computer and say "what in the world did you DO to the poor thing?" [/scottish]

[TazManiac]

aach, the wee beasty...

[Atomic]

Some updates are like swapping expired soup cans in the pantry for fresh ones. Some are like replacing the shelves in the pantry. Some replace the entire pantry.

Ok, now I'm hungry. I wonder if I still have some soup.

[GlytchMeister]

Some updates are like swapping expired soup cans in the pantry for fresh ones. Some are like replacing the shelves in the pantry. Some replace the entire pantry.

So would changing the whole OS be like building a house? And then, switching between Windows, Mac, or Linux be like building a rustic, no-nonsense, spartan house with far too many drafty windows and suddenly finding it full of useless, bloated furniture...
Or a modern, minimalist, tasteful house with Pollacks and a sweet entertainment system...
Or...um... (I have no idea what Linux is like)

[TazManiac]

LINUX is the house you bought from IKEA...

[AnotherFairportfan]

LINUX is the house you bought from IKEA...

More like the ones you used to buy out of the Sears catalog.

[GlytchMeister]

Oooh, and iOS is like an RV, with sleek curves and a really smooth ride, but it can sometimes make people feel seasick.
Android is a camper trailer that you can either custom-order or change the parts out yourself.
[snerk] Blackberry is an abandoned mobile home.
And dumb phone OS's are basically tents.

[GlytchMeister]

Oh, one more question Fairportfan's post just reminded me I've been meaning to ask, about these forums.

Whenever someone posts a wide pic, like above, it gets clipped off on the right side. I keep seeing the first three out of four panels in posted comics, and I seem to be missing out on a good third of the art in the Fanart area.

Help? I'm using an iPad, if that's relevant.

[Dave]

Yeah, it's an iPad/Safari-ism. Haven't found any way around it in Safari.

If you use Chrome, you can press on the image and select "Open" from the popup menu... this un-embeds the image.

[shadowinthelight]

Oh, one more question Fairportfan's post just reminded me I've been meaning to ask, about these forums.

Whenever someone posts a wide pic, like above, it gets clipped off on the right side. I keep seeing the first three out of four panels in posted comics, and I seem to be missing out on a good third of the art in the Fanart area.

Help? I'm using an iPad, if that's relevant.

Yeah, it's an iPad/Safari-ism. Haven't found any way around it in Safari.

If you use Chrome, you can press on the image and select "Open" from the popup menu... this un-embeds the image.

I don't think it's a Safari problem as that will happen on any window of insufficient resolution. My (Android) phone web browser has a similar menu option to "View image".

[AnotherFairportfan]

Yeah, it's an iPad/Safari-ism. Haven't found any way around it in Safari.

If you use Chrome, you can press on the image and select "Open" from the popup menu... this un-embeds the image.

My Android devices, in Opera Mini (tablet), the Dolphin browser (Motorola phone) and in the Android browser [i think} (on nothing) do it too.

[TazManiac]

Wait, wait!, I have the answer!, oh, wait- what they said...

[GlytchMeister]

Aw, man. I don't wanna switch to chrome. It'll take me ages to move all my bookmarks over. *sigh of exasperation*

Thanks everyone.

[Dave]

My Android devices, in Opera Mini (tablet), the Dolphin browser (Motorola phone) and in the Android browser [i think} (on nothing) do it too.

Yeah. I think what's going on, is that the phpBB site's CSS layout code is looking at the value the browser sets for "device display width", reserving a fixed number of pixels of that for the stuff on the right, and limiting the article display area to a division on the left which uses the remainder of the screen. Linked-in images aren't marked as scalable or scrollable.

So, the browsers are doing what they've been told to do.

Unless you can rescale the whole screen, and then persuade the browser to refresh *and* to recalculate what its maximum screen width is, the right side of the larger images will probably remain in a cut-off condition.

[TazManiac]

Yes but cant he just press and hold a fingertip on the 'cropped' image and be presented a choice to "view image" ? (
Back button to return to the forum...]