The guys at Microsoft definitely dropped the ball this time. This is going to have serious consequences, and make people start contemplating other options.

Microsoft scrambles to solve global outage affecting Outlook and Teams but says fixes not going 'as expected'
View attachment 373150​

I predict griping, very few leaving, a few not buying—but mostly.a small glitch. The cost of changing for the average user is far greater than the cost of the outage.

What would that switch to, Google?

 

I am very close to buying a Windows 11 machine to run stuff that demands it. But I honestly have no idea what to buy. I don't need a powerhouse, but I don't want a dog either. It's quite confusing.

What type of applications do you need to run? Compute, graphics, gaming?

For technical stull like CAD I just use a VM on my Linux server in multi-monitor mode.

 

What type of applications do you need to run? Compute, graphics, gaming?

For technical stull like CAD I just use a VM on my Linux server in multi-monitor mode.
View attachment 373185

Mostly control/programming software for devices that only offer windows versions. Radios, diagnostic tools, dev boards, and the like, No gaming, no video, just basic GUI applications.

 

An Intel based/Nvidia graphics desktop PC system with reasonable processing speed that can be used for just about anything will cost $4K to $5K whether you build or buy. I recommend Intel Z890 CPU, RTX 5080 graphics for starters. This could be used for video rendering, Gaming, etc.

5K is way outside the value of the machine to me. I am looking for *basic*, I don't do games and I don't need high end video. I don't even need much compute.

 

5K is way outside the value of the machine to me. I am looking for *basic*, I don't do games and I don't need high end video. I don't even need much compute.

Then a generic machine costing less than $1,200.00 should be enough for what you want. For desktop machines, I always buy the separate components (motherboard, CPU, drives, graphic cards, etc) and put it together myself. I prefer it that way because I later install bare bones Windows, and skip all of the irritating adware that usually comes preinstalled in commercial brands.

 

Mostly control/programming software for devices that only offer windows versions. Radios, diagnostic tools, dev boards, and the like, No gaming, no video, just basic GUI applications.

If you don't have a requirement for internal board slots then on the higher quality mini-pc Intel or AMD boxes might be a good fit.

 

If one believes that losing Microsoft apps is bad, how about this?

https://apnews.com/article/flights-halted-airports-faa-f81b0904331dafad6133f291e5f531a8

 

If one believes that losing Microsoft apps is bad, how about this?

https://apnews.com/article/flights-halted-airports-faa-f81b0904331dafad6133f291e5f531a8

Top official says no sign yet of nefarious act

Yeah right ... as if Microsoft weren't nefarious enough ...

 

5K is way outside the value of the machine to me. I am looking for *basic*, I don't do games and I don't need high end video. I don't even need much compute.

Well. Now that you’ve qualified your statement, you could buy just about anything.

 

Mostly control/programming software for devices that only offer windows versions. Radios, diagnostic tools, dev boards, and the like, No gaming, no video, just basic GUI applications.

You can probably use any Win11 machine for that, including some that can be had for $200 at Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/browse/electronics/windows-os-laptops/3944_3951_8835131_1737838

 

They're not. They don't want to. They are being told they don't need to. It's the Cash Register Syndrome at work.

This is sad. My work in the ISF (Information Systems Facility) over two years was invaluable in helping me develop practical skills that I used extensively over the course of my engineering career. It made me a far better engineer, and allowed me to adapt quicker to technology changes later in life.

 

This is sad. My work in the ISF (Information Systems Facility) over two years was invaluable in helping me develop practical skills that I used extensively over the course of my engineering career. It made me a far better engineer, and allowed me to adapt quicker to technology changes later in life.

It is sad. Very sad. To be sure, there are still students that want to actually learn things, but they are being hindered by the increasing fraction that don't, in many cases who will put in far more effort to avoid having to actually learn something than it would take to just learn it. Of course, there have always been those students, as well. But between schools making it all-but impossible to fail those students out of the program and the increasing amount of time and effort needed to cater to them, combined with the consequent lowering of the quality of instructors that come out of the programs, it is a vicious cycle that may be impossible to break.

 

Dystopian future, indeed.
Sincerely Hope that humanity corrects its course. I worry about my grandchildren.

 

Dystopian future, indeed.
Sincerely Hope that humanity corrects its course. I worry about my grandchildren.

As do I. But I've long since come to the conclusion that civilization is a self-defeating concept. The very attitudes and drives that are needed to drag a society to a high level are the same ones that that society rejects and punishes once it gets there. So it falls and the process is repeated elsewhere, sometimes virtually from scratch.

 

As do I. But I've long since come to the conclusion that civilization is a self-defeating concept. The very attitudes and drives that are needed to drag a society to a high level are the same ones that that society rejects and punishes once it gets there. So it falls and the process is repeated elsewhere, sometimes virtually from scratch.

Imagine where we'd be today if Greek civilization survived:

 

Imagine where we'd be today if Greek civilization survived:

Likely the same place we are today, only worse.