I found something that you might dig: http://windows-get.sourceforge.net/index.php

Heh, I actually blogged about win-get some time ago.

I found something that you might dig: http://windows-get.sourceforge.net/index.php

This is the very reason why I ran BeOS for nearly five years as my primary desktop. From flip-the-power-switch to completely-loaded-fully-functional-desktop in 18 seconds. No HDD light flickering after that point. it was in memory, and ready for work. (This was in the days when Windows took several minutes to boot on 486 class hardware.)

This was also in the days when windows used to crash with monotonous frequency, so you’d see that several minute bootup time and time again

So I’ve just got a ‘prototype’ Shuttle to test before we get a bunch of them for our devs - Core 2 Quad q9450, 4GB RAM, 32-bit Vista Business - and it takes 65 seconds from pressing the power button to seeing the desktop, including 5 seconds of “oh shit, I’m timing this and forgot to be near enough the keyboard to log in”. So your BeOS still wins!

Interestingly the boot process doesn’t even start looking at what’s on the hard drive until about 19-20 seconds in.

It’s funny - I asked for a machine that can run Vista so I can learn it a bit more intimately before our Service guys start asking me support questions on it. Instead of getting a midrange computer, they gave me this monster. So here I am with the most powerful computer in the building as my permanent desktop, and I use it for email, web browsing, and a little light Officework. It’s weird… I feel like a senior manager or an admin temp or something…

and the CAPTCHA is ‘win’

Ultimately login-to-desktop is such a minor part of using a computer for most users, I think it’s making a mountain out of a molehill.

That’s probably true. Then again, the secretaries over here ALWAYS shut down their computers for the night. I mentioned that they could just leave them on so that they don’t have to reboot in the morning, and that it’s not really bad for the computers to stay on but they didn’t believe me.

when you typed “inherit”, I think you meant “inherent”.

Sigh… I really need a context aware spellcheck.

P.S. When are you going to go on a BSG rant? THAT I could contribute to. D

When I finally catch up with the show. I missed like the 4 last episodes and I need to watch them before I can get back into the BSG topic.

P.S. When are you going to go on a BSG rant? THAT I could contribute to.

I think the ‘hide the desktop until it’s ready’ approach is the right one for most users, but for me, I prefer the incremental approach - I know there are certain things I can do while everything loads, and I don’t hit the machine if I can’t do something because I know it’s busy.

I still think the general answer is ‘don’t shutdown’ Suspend, hibernate, leave running… but unless there’s a need, don’t shutdown. Ultimately login-to-desktop is such a minor part of using a computer for most users, I think it’s making a mountain out of a molehill.