Re: [ProgSoc] SCANDISK

[Telford Tendys <telford@nospam.progsoc.uts.edu.au>]

> > > Does anyone know how to get rid of scandisk when the computer starts up.
> > > I'm using windows b and when i don't shut the computer down properly
> > > scandisk comes up. I want to get rid of it!! Thanks
> > 
> > Put a line 
> > 
> > AUTOSCAN=0 
> > 
> > in your msdos.sys
> > (you will probably have to type attrib -r -a -s -h msdos.sys  first)

I'm just wondering if this stuff is documented anywhere.
I mean there are lots of silly tricks similar to this and it can be so
frustrating trying to figure them out. Is there a web site somewhere?

I have been reading about the US govt and their actions against
microsoft. They discuss trying to force M$ to separate their browser
from their OS and allow OEMs to replace the boot up screen and various
other things that seem to me completely beside the point and only good
evidence that the US authorities have no idea of the computing industry.

The one single thing that could be done to cripple microsoft and boost
the entire computing industry would be to force microsoft to produce
publicly available DOCUMENTATION of all their system capabilities and
interfaces. If they were willing to accurately spec what they sell then
I'd be willing to buy it. The whole reason people have so much trouble
competing with M$ products when running on MS-Windows is that the
library interfaces are badly documented and not consistent. Installing
an upgrade or even an application can rewire system libraries so that
they behave differently but the user is given no clue that this stuff
is happening.

The reason that Microsoft would not like to be forced to document is
firstly that they generally don't seem able to keep track themselves
of what they are doing (as the Samba developers discovered) and
secondly that they would have no more dirty tricks up their sleeve.
If this law was broader and put forward a minimum acceptable standard
for ALL commercial software documentation (and that included spec of all
interfaces especially libraries) before such software could be considered
marketable then it could only be a good thing for us all.

	- Tel
--
You are subscribed to the progsoc mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a
message containing "unsubscribe" to progsoc-request@nospam.progsoc.uts.edu.au.
If you are having trouble, ask owner-progsoc@nospam.progsoc.uts.edu.au for help.

This list is archived at <http://www.progsoc.uts.edu.au/lists/progsoc/>