I haven’t used Windows since 2010. I abhor Windows and everything Microsoft. I’ve spent most of that time using MacOS but several years dedicated to running highly customized Linux. I adore Linux but for my work today, MacOS is better.
Since I stopped using Windows, I can probably count on one hand how many times any of my computers have frozen. I have a linux server that hasn’t been restarted in over 500 days and my Mac Studio was last rebooted over 250 days ago.
From what I hear, Windows has gotten a little better, but today shows how fragile it still is.
See, a company called Crowdstrike that is supposed to protect Windows machines from intrusions (since Windows actually needs that unlike MacOS) pushed a bad update worldwide that not only caused their own software to crash, but the entire system to blue screen.
First, it’s a fundamental design flaw of an operating system if an installed piece of software can essentially brick the computer. How Windows is still designed so badly is baffling to me and completely unacceptable for an operating system that is so crucial.
Second, from what I’ve read, this was supposed to be a test build that instead got pushed out to the public. Knowing how engineering departments work, I can almost guarantee you there was some engineer at Crowdstrike who foresaw this possibility a while ago and brought it to his manager. The manager then brushed it off as unlikely and it was never fixed. Well, that engineer is having the last laugh today. If I had $50 for every time my manager came to me sheepishly and said, “Hey, you know that thing you said we should do? Can we still do/fix it and could you do it now?” I’d be absolutely loaded.
Third, how in the hell do everything from airlines, to banks, to delivery companies, to hospitals, to it seems the entire corporate world all use the same security software and not realize they are all creating one giant single point of failure. This needs to be a wake up call that diversifying your infrastructure is as important as anything else. One person talked about how their law firm is entirely digital, no one can do any work, so they are all getting drunk hearing stories from senior partners.
Shockingly, the only system seemingly not affected is Microsoft Teams. YOU HAD ONE JOB CROWDSTRIKE!
Happy International Blue Screen Day everyone!