Quote from: Stoic Joker on March 15, 2011, 12:43 PM

I turned it loose in shotgun mode (because it matched the mood I was in)....

How does that line up with:

Quote

Warning:
So use it with care and only if you know what you are doing!

I think the name explains it all.  

A) What is shotgun mode?

Also called the Scattergun Approach: Pertaining to fault finding it, basically, means that when you have no idea where the fault lies you do something that changes a lot of things, (multiple component/board replacement, multiple software removal, etc), in the hope that what you do will fix it.

This is analogous to using shot cartridges, (not solids), in a shotgun where you hope that at least some of the shot will hit it's intended target.

Normally if this particular methodology fails you revert to S.O.P. #1, ie. hit it with a hammer.

B) I've never been a fan of USB.  It's convenient and I use it, but I've never been all that impressed with it.  I've always hated the idea of "safely" removing USB stuff.  What's the point of creating this kind of interface when we have to be so concerned about removing it safely.  Why not implement it in such a way so you can pull it out and put it back in   without worrying about it?

Because OS' cache the data they write to USB devices usually, therefore if you were to pull your USB device out immediately after a copy/move operation to the USB device without using Safely Remove, chances are the device may become corrupt.

Safely Remove flushes the caches of any waiting data writes, checks for any program/object locks and then tells you if it's OK to remove it.

ROFL ...I strongly suspect we may have both gone to the same diagnostics academy (BFHU).

Quoting Ray Tanner (Bruce Campbell):

[the vending machine finally dispenses coffee when Ray gives it a hard kick]
Ray Tanner: Hey, we don't take no shit from a machine!

On a side note: The printer decided to "celebrate" by taking a complete shit 20 minutes later...However it was printing a job when it died.

Obviously the shock of seeing it's lifelong friend back in action.

Stoic Joker: Bring out yer dead.
[a USB Port accepts a plug from a Printer]
USB Port: Here's one.
Stoic Joker: That'll be ninepence.
Printer: I'm not dead.
Stoic Joker: What?
USB Port: Nothing. There's your ninepence.
Printer: I'm not dead.
Stoic Joker: 'Ere, he says he's not dead.
USB Port: Yes he is.
Printer: I'm not.
Stoic Joker: He isn't.
USB Port: Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.
Printer: I'm getting better.
USB Port: No you're not, you'll be stone dead in a moment.
Stoic Joker: Well, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
Printer: I don't want to be recycled.
USB Port: Oh, don't be such a baby.
Stoic Joker: I can't take him.
Printer: I feel fine.
USB Port: Oh, do me a favor.
Stoic Joker: I can't.
USB Port: Well, can you hang around for a couple of minutes? He won't be long.
Stoic Joker: I promised I'd be at the Robinsons'. They've lost nine today.
USB Port: Well, when's your next round?
Stoic Joker: Thursday.
Printer: I think I'll do a test print.
USB Port: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Isn't there anything you could do?
Printer: I feel happy. I feel happy.
[Stoic Joker glances up and down the office furtively, then silences the Printer with a whack of his hammer]
USB Port: Ah, thank you very much.
Stoic Joker: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
USB Port: Right.