Derek Neighbors wrote:
> 
> The keys here are....
> 
> a. Does more than one (user) account use the machine

Yes - five


> b. Have you installed anything on the machine outside of what came
> installed?
>   1. If so did it require a reboot?

That was three months ago, but I'm pretty sure it did.


>   2. Is this computer networked, if so did configuring the network require
> a reboot?

The OS was not fully configured.  Turn it on, it asks some questions, 
reboots and there you are.


> c. Is this machine used in a production capacity. (doing something at
> least 8 hours a day)

It is on continually, mostly as a virual fish tank (screen saver).  It
might get 3 or 4 hours of use per day.


> In general,  you get a windows box.  You fire it up.  You install 10
> applications 6 of which require a reboot.  Then you hook it up to the
> network which costs you another 2 reboots.  So already in the first 8
> hours of the computers life you have 8 reboots or average up time of 1
> hour.  Say windowsXP lasts 60 days that would be 60 up days and 9 reboots
> or less than a week of uptime record. :)

If you use that criteria, my current Linux workstation is sucking pretty
bad as I have to dual boot to use the video conferencing features in
Windows.


> Granted I hear XP has gotten better about requiring those other reboots,
> but Im curious.

I didn't notice much difference.  Maybe vendors have gotten better
about requiring reboots to load DLL's?  If you force Windows to reboot
and load all of your DLL's, it makes your application load much quicker.
It's a marketing ploy.


> That said I cant believe you married a woman who uses windows. ;)

She used to use DOS.  She actually used Unix at work.  She uses whatever
pleases her :)  Ooh - did I say that?

If I could get Reader Rabbit, Jumpstart Toddler, and Bob the Builder
to run under Linux, that would be another story.  I'm still working 
on it (thought mostly).


George