Comments

• coffee

  2009-01-01 18:50:10

  tough break indeed... first the X-box meltdown and now the Zune. I think most people aren't all that surprised anyway

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-01 20:45:59

  Video testimonies:
  
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDxa-GNWrs http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2NGI08hU2wY http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Wr2aUJOnI http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=feAuIhbFNTs

• Diamond Wakizashi

  2009-01-01 21:21:09

  "Like many other products, it only helps Microsoft bleed cash and generate press releases"
  
  We should hope Microsoft continues to make Zunes so they will go into debt faster.

• G. Michaels

  2009-01-01 21:40:24

  I don't think it was even their fault, although of course perception is firmly against them. When Ford recalls lots of vehicles because of a faulty seatbelt lock it doesn't really matter if that came from a supplier, Ford still takes the hit.
  
  Of course I wouldn't expect you to include that in your blog article. You're not interested in informing people, just criticizing.
  
  Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.

• David Gerard

  2009-01-02 15:43:21

  Oh dear Lord. What's the copyright on that photo? I want to use it on the Notnews I just wrote. Tom Davis, could I please have permission to use it? See http://notnews.today.com/ .

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-02 15:46:53

  Oh dear.
  
  http://notnews.today.com/2008/12/25/merry-thursday-and-a-happy-new-thursday/

• David Gerard

  2009-01-02 15:48:05

  You haven't read in that long? I thought you'd enjoy the January 1st one :-)
  
  Mind you, I needed my week off.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-02 15:52:00

  We all do. The question is, what do we actually do on that week 'off'?

• David Gerard

  2009-01-02 16:03:12

  I tried compiling Wine on Windows. This is actually a project with a point to it! Even if it's presently impossible. Newer Windows don't run older Windows apps, to the point where Wine is already a better Windows than Vista.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-02 16:07:21

  Yes, see:
  
  Linux has better Windows compatibility than Vista http://wine-review.blogspot.com/2008/02/linux-has-better-windows-compatibility.html

• David Gerard

  2009-01-02 16:13:58

  "Wine is a better Windows than Vista" is a useful phrase to repeat wherever suitable. Because it's true.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-02 16:16:56

  I'll add it to my quotes file, under your name.

• ml2mst

  2009-01-03 01:27:27

  Here is the reason for the Zune crash (starting at line 259):
  
  http://pastie.org/349916
  
  [quote] while (days > 365) { if (IsLeapYear(year)) { if (days > 366) { days -= 366; year += 1; } } else { days -= 365; year += 1; } } [/quote]
  
  Great piece of code huh? LOL :-)

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-03 01:31:10

  Almost nothing was affected by Y2K, yet Microsoft fails on... 2008.
  
  Windows Millennium Edition was no star, either.

• The Mad Hatter

  2009-01-03 09:40:16

  Yeah, that code is classic. Freescale really messed up, see this link:
  
  http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/zune-news/38143-cause-zune-30-leapyear-problem-isolated.html

• David Gerard

  2009-01-03 20:55:23

  It's interesting to see lots of really loud spin that this is NOT MICROSOFT'S FAULT even though they, ah, designed it, purportedly tested it,marketed it and (fsvo) sold it.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-03 21:02:59

  Yes, I noticed that too. I guess Microsoft can also also blame XBox failures on its contractors in China.
  
  "Nothing to do with Microsoft..."
  
  Ignore the logo.

• The Mad Hatter

  2009-01-03 21:31:20

  Freescale does appear to have been the author of the code, so they are most directly to blame, however Microsoft's inspection of the code (they did inspect it I hope) was also faulty.

• David Gerard

  2009-01-03 21:37:58

  Anyone using the reference design or code untested is insane. It's Microsoft's fault, not anyone else's.

• Roy Schestowitz

  2009-01-03 21:38:06

  Why should a date error render a device unusable (brick) for over a day? That implies that Microsoft designed badly on top of it. It made it clock dependent, possibly because of DRM.

• AlexH

  2009-01-03 22:07:52

  The code explains why it bricks, it's very simple.
  
  David's point is basically right, although it's not the first time anyone has been caught out like this by any means.