IWETHEY v. 0.3.0 | TODO
1,095 registered users | 1 active user | 0 LpH | Statistics
Login | Create New User
IWETHEY Banner

Welcome to IWETHEY!

New Windows Stupidity Strikes Again
Client had folders with a large number of older files he needed to set aside. He dragged the folders to a server folder and dropped them there and deleted the folders from their original location.

Months later he needed a file and went to retrieve it. "Path not found". He'd dragged and dropped with the left button and Windows decided to just make links to the original locations. All data lost.

Not the first time this has resulted in total data loss and it won't be the last. I always tell my clients drag with the right button and make a choice or Windows will screw you but they forget.

One client "backed up" all her marketing files to a rewritable CD. Then she accidentally deleted all those files from her hard disk. Went to get them off the CD and there was nothing there but invalid links. Fortunately, in her case, they all fit into the recycle bin and she hadn't emptied it yet.

This default action is just criminally stupid, and I'd think litigable.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New ?
I drag'n'drop with the left button all day long, and it copies by default.

Executables get linked, though.


Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
New How about folders?
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New Yep.
And just for the sake of clarity, I am talking about copying to and from the network.

Your users are doing something odd.


Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
New I've seen Windows default to link for everything.
I haven't seen it in a while, but I suspect it was to do with something slightly funky with a network share. Or perhaps it was that some folders can have some Microsoft Magic that takes only links normally.

Wade.
"Insert crowbar. Apply force."
New I haven't.
And I'm willing to bet the other Windows support folks on here (Don, Thane, etc) haven't, either.


Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
New It caught me off guard . . .
. . and I started warning clients about it when I encountered it on their machines - particularly when backing up to rewritable CD but also often to server drives. If somebody hasn't noticed it, maybe they should look just to make sure.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New Same Drive == Move, Different Drive == Link
How it works here on eXtremePain. And on my 2K box at home. Everyone once in awhile I forget to right mouse and have to redo.

I take it back. Just tried it on XP, actually did a copy this time.

Hmmmmm

I have experienced the situation that Andrew described.
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail ... but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"
New Re: Same Drive == Move, Different Drive == Link
Different drive = copy, except for executables, which is link. That's the default behaviour.


Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
New Yes, but the point it that some have.
Obviously Andrew has seen evidence of Windows make a link out of an ordinary file when dragging instead of copying. I just said I've seen it, but it was so long ago I don't recall how it happened (and I can't test here because my PC runs Linux).

I believe you if you *haven't* seen it, but anecdotal evidence is pointing to it can happen. In the face of that, denying the possibility is not helpful.

Wade.
"Insert crowbar. Apply force."
New Brainwave
They haven't swapped their mouse buttons, are effectively right-dragging, ignoring the menu and thus linking, are they?


Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
New Nope
If'n they'd swapped the buttons they'd be get'n the context menu I told 'em about and they'd know what's go'n down. Most of my clients wouldn't have a clue how to swap the mouse buttons anyway.

These are people who's entire businesses depend on computers working, but who want to know absolutely as little about computers as possible because they have more important things on their minds. I agree with them completely and try to set up systems that require minimum computer knowledge. Unfortunately computers (or operating systems and software, anyway) are not suitable for business use.

The worst possible situation for these client is if they acquire an in-house "computer expert" (especially one with management authority). The owners don't know enough to control the "expert" and their systems get so thoroughly screwed they barely function (and of course the "expert" blames me). I generally drop clients when an "expert" comes on board. When s/he is gone they call me back.

My smartest client has everything on OS/2 - completely expert proof. Nobody he hires messes with it at all. Everything always works and it works the way it's supposed to (he has redundant Linux servers which are also still pretty "expert proof").
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New What kind of network?
Win2000/Active Directory/Novell/other? I don't remember ever seeing this behaviour on a Windows network or, for that matter, on Netware 3/4. If it's not related to some oddity with a different network, I'd have to say user error. I've never messed about with Workgroup-type setups though, maybe something there?

Nah. You said they were dragging to a server. Nevermind.
-----------------------------------------
No new taxes.
--George H. W. Bush

We don't torture.
--George W. Bush
     Windows Stupidity Strikes Again - (Andrew Grygus) - (12)
         ? - (pwhysall) - (8)
             How about folders? -NT - (Andrew Grygus) - (1)
                 Yep. - (pwhysall)
             I've seen Windows default to link for everything. - (static) - (5)
                 I haven't. - (pwhysall) - (4)
                     It caught me off guard . . . - (Andrew Grygus)
                     Same Drive == Move, Different Drive == Link - (jbrabeck) - (1)
                         Re: Same Drive == Move, Different Drive == Link - (pwhysall)
                     Yes, but the point it that some have. - (static)
         Brainwave - (pwhysall) - (1)
             Nope - (Andrew Grygus)
         What kind of network? - (Silverlock)

Ha Ha - just kidding. We're all Lumberjacks and We're OK!
118 ms