Why is Windows forcing me to reboot?

Despite being a Linux user who will probably never again buy a Microsoft product, I am not a Windows-basher. I don’t particularly like Windows, but it’s not terrible. If you force yourself to operate as a limited user (instead of the default administrator), it’s as secure as Mac OS X or Linux, and it generally gets the job done.

There are endless operating system wars among fans of all three major platforms (and even some minor ones you may not have heard of). Ultimately, though, for everyday use, they’re pretty much all the same. Click on the icon or use a keyboard shortcut to launch the program. Use the program.

Every now and then, though, something happens that just makes me want to throw my Windows computer at work through the wall (I must resist the urge to do so, of course, since the computer and wall are the school’s, not mine). Yesterday, I was in the middle of doing some work, and, as usual, I had about six programs open. All of a sudden, this message appeared:


As you can see from the screenshot, the Restart Later option is greyed out, meaning that Windows is basically telling me, “I don’t care if you’re in the middle of doing something important. Close all the programs in the next five minutes; otherwise, I’ll close them for you!”

Hey, I’m using this computer to do my job! Today, just today I’m going to bash Windows. Is that okay? Windows sucks!!!

Okay. Tomorrow I’ll be good and say people should just use whatever operating system works for them.

0 comments

  1. I get the impression that Microsoft coerces you into rebooting when it’s a security vulnerability that’s just been patched, so it doesn’t further stain it’s already-spotted security record.

    I agree with you regarding security for desktop users, but those who use an operating system in business might be a little more descriminating.

  2. This time it’s not a correction of some kind, it’s really a comment, when you say “If you force yourself to operate as a limited user (instead of the default administrator), it’s as secure as Mac OS X or Linux, and it generally gets the job done.”, that is not exactly true (the “getting the job done”, part), yes, I know you said _generally_, but still, not being able to use apps as a non-administrator, when the app itself has no good reason not to work as non-admin… You could also say that’s the developers fault, but it’s Microsoft who is to blame for “getting them used to it”, after all, if they do it with their own apps on their own operating system…

    http://www.pluralsight.com/wiki/default.aspx/Keith.HallOfShame

    That list specifically is kind of short, but you get the point.

  3. Haha, I love that! I’ve gotten that type of thing too… what’s even better is when the Restart Later option is enabled, you click it, work for a while, then leave to use the rest room, have a snack, use the phone, or whatever, and when you come back you have 10 seconds left to hit the Restart Later button, because it popped up again while you were gone.

    I try not to bash Windows too, because my family and friends know I’ve speant more time trying to get things to work in Linux than I ever did with Windows. But every once in a while, I’ll encounter something that reminds me why I switched to Linux. Latest example, the most recent time I booted Windows, it decided to inform me every ten minutes with a pop-up that my Network Connection signal strength was “Excellent”.

Leave a Reply to Chris (Gameryoshi600 of Ubuntu Forums) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *