back to article Microsoft to spin out more non-update Windows 7 updates

Microsoft will release up to 10 test updates tomorrow to computers running the near-ready version of its upcoming operating system, Windows 7. The company will spit out the updates over the coming week to users testing the Release Candidate version of Windows 7. This is the second time Microsoft has decided to deliver dummy …

COMMENTS

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  1. Gareth Jones
    Thumb Up

    Seems fair enough to me

    Isn't that what Beta and Release Candidate software is for....for testing things?!

  2. Pirate Dave Silver badge
    Pirate

    I don't think they waited

    I installed the RC on Friday morning, and later that day there were 10 updates that had been installed and it requested a reboot. Good to know they were phoney though - I wondered how broken the new OS would have been if it had 10 updates 2 days after the download went live... but then, this _is_ Windows, so I wasn't totally surprised.

  3. Matt

    news? what news??

    Stop press, Microsoft to test pre-release software!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Wait a minute...

    Hang on, how big are these 'updates' exactly?

    and what is the point of replacing perfectly good system files?

    why not just put out a small .exe that reports back to Micro$h!t that it installed correctly?

    'cos judging by all their previous updates (Roughly 60Mb per update), that also requires a restart fior each and every update, this could prove quite troublesome.

    <Evil Mode>

    after all, this is MY BANDWITH, AND YOU AINT HAVIN ANY 'O IT!!!!

    *Evil Laughter*

    </Evil Mode>

    *sets Automatic Crapdates to Off*

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    RE: Wait a minute

    Then they wouldnt be testing whether the update system works, they wouldnt know if updating / replacing of system files is ok, and that the requesting of a reboot for required files is ok.

    If you have Windows 7 RC installed, them 'using your bandwidth' and hardware for testing is what you signed up for, thats the reason you are allowed to have windows 7. If its downloaded from your own MDSN account that you paid for, then as you said, turn off the updates, as you paid to get the apps to test against what ever you develope against. But if you dont, quit your whining, you downloaded an Release Candidate of an OS, which the whole point of said download is to allow microsoft to test it, in return you get to use the OS for free in that period, plus some extra time for you to either buy a release copy or format and install another OS.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    or

    "'cos judging by all their previous updates (Roughly 60Mb per update), that also requires a restart fior each and every update, this could prove quite troublesome."

    or you install them all at once and restart once.......

    then again you use the phrase "Micro$h!t" in your post so its obvious your "that" type of person

  7. SynnerCal
    Linux

    Nothing to see

    Microsoft's testing the update mechanism... big deal, definitely not worth getting into a lather about. Actually far from it, I applaud that they're being diligent enough to test a key maintenance process. When it comes to OS updates I want something totally bulletproof (as my Linux desktops are) and preferably needing to reboot only when absolutely necessary (i.e. kernel and device drivers only - updating Office, IE etc should not cause a reboot!)

    I dare say some out there will use this to castigate MS for crappy software (again), but hey as far as I'm concerned they can do this kind of polishing all they want. And heck, that's what Release Candidates are for!

    That said - apart from screwing around with the screen - the RC version seems to run pretty happily on my VMware instance (hosted on Ubuntu 8.04LTS). The installer promised multiple reboots, but there was only one right at the end of the process - which I think entirely reasonable.

    Think I'll hold off calling 'em a bunch of know-nothing bozo's for now - safe in the knowledge that they'll screw up the product launch! ;-)

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    RE: or

    AC wrote: "you use the phrase "Micro$h!t" in your post so its obvious your "that" type of person"

    A sensible realist..? A person who has used a previous release of Windows..? An average customer..? Elaborate!

  9. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    RE: or

    Well, I have no particular love for Microsoft myself, but 'Micro$h!t' and derivations thereof are just obnoxious. So if you use them, you run the risk of looking like a smug sort who is so insecure in their ability to form a cogent argument using words that they cannot avoid resorting to careworn typographical snidery.

    Y'know.

  10. Peter D'Hoye
    Dead Vulture

    Firefox 3.5beta has had the same

    This is not uncommon, at some point, I saw my my Firefox 3.5beta tell me it had a test update that contained no functional changes.

  11. Trevor
    Coat

    Re: or

    Sarah, could we have a compo to see how many letters of the word "microsoft" you can replace with numbers/symbols and still be readable? That can become the standard for these infantile little worms.

    M1c(050f1

  12. Andrew Fraser
    Pirate

    Meh

    It's a testing thing, I don't pay for my bandwidth anyway (Thankyou cluess neighbour with wireless), and I have auto updates set to notify.

    I installed W7RC1, on my crappy 18 month old lenovo, and I have to say, I am pleasantly suprised. After an update to grab all the drivers it needed, it functions fine, it's responsive and does what it should.

    I am not a hater of an OS, I am a firm believer in "Horses for courses*" But after the crapfest that was Vista, W7 is looking good so far.

    *Horses allocated as follows;

    * Department mainly draws pretty pictures, or develops synergies - Mac

    * Need a reliable, web facing server, that will be exposed to the Net - Linux

    * Office work, games, protected by 7 firewalls and IDS's - MS boxes

  13. Test Man
    Stop

    Re: Sarah Bee

    I fully agree with you. Idiots who use stupid childish variations of Microsoft, Apple and other company names really look like complete saddos for doing it and it simply downgrades their (possibly valid) comments.

    I also agree with many others who have pointed out the point of an RC - this isn't a final version of Windows so clearly Microsoft are testing various things, including how updates will be handled. This is a good thing and only fools will consider it a silly thing to do. If you don't like it, don't use the RC (or beta) version of Windows 7.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Careworn typographical snidery

    The word "snidery" seems apposite, but Careworn? Typographical? Unfortunately the initial 'cogent argument' of that sentence didn't make it as far as the full stop...

  15. Robert Moore
    Linux

    @Trevor

    Nice try... Not good enough

    |\/|1c(050f1

  16. Pierre

    Re: news? what news??

    "Stop press, Microsoft to test pre-release software!"

    There seems to be a bit of sarcasm in that comment of yours. As for me, I find the fact quite new and newsworthy. Hey, if they run proper tests, they might even get out a somewhat stable OS for once (not holding my breath though).

  17. Colin Millar
    Thumb Up

    Re: Re: Re or

    Nah - lets stir the pot a bit more and have a compo to come up with even more lolzing names for linux, mac and ms products

    Here I'll get the ball rolling

    Internet Exploder (Har de har - side splitting eh)

    Lackintosh (rolling in the aisles at my own stupendity)

    Jaunty Jackalope (

    Oh - hang on

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Jobs Halo

    Meh

    Since when did MS doing this kind of testing merit an article of it's own? Slow news day or something?

    BTW I want to see more people using terms like Micro$h!t in their comments since it obviously bothers everyone so much, and frankly the fact that is gets that far under everyone's skin makes it funny as hell.

  19. Jimbo

    to Trevor

    totally agree, I wish we could vote on posts and less popular votes would turn gray or small size font ... or even better the guy would get electric shock from his keyboard

  20. Henry Wertz Gold badge

    Sensible realist?

    "A sensible realist..? A person who has used a previous release of Windows..? An average customer..? Elaborate!"

    Well, I would just ditch it. I mean, I quit using WIndows over 10 years ago and lost the urge to call them Microshaft, Micro$h!t, M$, and so on, within a year or so afterwards. Although when they act monopolisticly, astroturf, and fudge stats to make it sound like everyone's buying Windows when they aren't, it does bring that urge back. You should ditch them too if you hate them that much, Ubuntu's nice, OSX's a cult but the members are happy, it seems to be only Windows where their own users fear and hate upgrades.

    Oh, and umm.., let's see... M!c40$h!t, only the "M" and "c" are factory original on that one haha. Not too readable though 8-).

  21. soaklord
    Coat

    How many non-letters?

    |\/| ! ( R 0 $ 0 F + ... That's the best I can do without special characters.

    So far, the system has been far more stable than my last attempt at Ubuntu. (Gutsy Gibbon as I recal) but then, the Ube has an eternal beta near as I can tell. Mine's the one with Flame On! written on the back.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Errr.. Sarah..

    Smug *and* insecure? Crazy mixed-up kids!

    ..just sayin'.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    @Ms. Bee

    Erm, you DO know you're just responding to a troll, right?

    Not the whip!

  24. Hardcastle
    Paris Hilton

    Who needs those phlippin' letters?

    Let's go all out and spell it without any letters...

    |\/|1(|2050|=7

    Paris, for she has an appreciation for a few well-placed digits...

  25. Trevor
    Go

    @jimbo

    electric shock from his keyboard?

    hmmm PoIP to a tazer circuit embedded in the keyboard itself? Graphite lettering maybe?

    How many volts/amps can you get through cat5, and still maintain adequate bandwidth to send the original post?

    @Robert, I think you have it, although soaklord is there too. You can have a cattle prod battle to decide who's first.

    I'm off to install U8un+u on my p3n+1um du0 c0r3 pr0c3550r, c0z 1m l33t 0r z0m3+h1ng...

  26. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: @Ms. Bee

    It is possible to be simultaneously smug and insecure. Look around you.

    I'm only indirectly responding to trollage in the forlorn hope of curbing future trolling. You have to see the big picture in this job, y'know?

    So very tired.

  27. Trevor
    Coat

    @Sarah

    "It is possible to be simultaneously smug and insecure. Look around you."

    Shit! who put that mirror there? oh, I did, and I did a better job putting it up than you did yours....damn I'm fugly...who'd want an ugly guy who's only skill is to perfectly hang mirrors (better than you) in offices....

  28. tony trolle

    Micro$oft 4 me

    I believe it was the standard spelling, way back in the late 80's.

    As was M$ Windoze 95.

    My memory fails me a bit (ECC error) but AFAIK there once was a virus that "helped" change all Microsoft spellings in a .doc to micro$oft

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