VMware Workstation update arrived today

[Sysman]

VMware Workstation 7.1.4 is a maintenance release that resolves some security issues and known problems. It also adds support for Windows 7 SP1 and Ubuntu 10.10 guest and host operating systems.

VMware Workstation 7.1.4 Release Notes

The update removes your existing version and reinstalls the new one, all by itself, with 2 reboots along the way.

[2BIT]

VMware Workstation 7.1.4 Release Notes

The update removes your existing version and reinstalls the new one, all by itself, with 2 reboots along the way.

yoink!

bloody reboots!!?!?! why do some companies have a mania for rebooting your machine after updates, adobe & Microsoft I'm looking at you

[doodab]

VMWare installs network drivers and suchlike so it sort of makes sense although I'm sure they should be able to do it without a reboot.

[Sysman]

yoink!

bloody reboots!!?!?! why do some companies have a mania for rebooting your machine after updates, adobe & Microsoft I'm looking at you

I think it's a hangover from early DOS days. It's certainly single user mentality.

VMware I can sort of understand because it installs low level drivers and modifies the network stack. But Adobe Reader???

At least VMware gave me the choice of doing a reboot now or later.

Yeah, I know. OS X requires a reboot for security updates, but it doesn't for your typical app installation or update.

Linux wins hands down in this department. 250+ updates installed after the last installation I did, and no reboot required.

[Sysman]

VMWare installs network drivers and suchlike so it sort of makes sense although I'm sure they should be able to do it without a reboot.

Agreed. A minor grouse here was that the installer took focus from the VMware client I was trying to shut down before continuing. So the installer set off and I still had a running client. I didn't know at that point that VMware would give the option of closing manually or automatically and choice of a system restart now or later.

A simple bit of explanatory blurb in the installation dialog would be appropriate.

[2BIT]

Agreed. A minor grouse here was that the installer took focus from the VMware client I was trying to shut down before continuing. So the installer set off and I still had a running client. I didn't know at that point that VMware would give the option of closing manually or automatically and choice of a system restart now or later.

A simple bit of explanatory blurb in the installation dialog would be appropriate.

I hate any application which does things like this, ones that force a reboot after an install and actually start to reboot your system. windows that pop up to tell you something is busy, requires an update etc etc when it should just flash in your task bar, any installer or updater that thinks you don't know better just put me off an app before I've even used it

[2BIT]

I think it's a hangover from early DOS days. It's certainly single user mentality.

VMware I can sort of understand because it installs low level drivers and modifies the network stack. But Adobe Reader???

At least VMware gave me the choice of doing a reboot now or later.

Yeah, I know. OS X requires a reboot for security updates, but it doesn't for your typical app installation or update.

Linux wins hands down in this department. 250+ updates installed after the last installation I did, and no reboot required.

adobe reader is just one of the most annoying apps ever, constantly trying to update, takes ages to load, interface hasn't improved in years - someone mentioned a lite pdf reader here but can't remember the name

windows updater is just an arse and should be switched to manual straight away so you can control your own updates, some numpty IT dept left auto updates on at a friends place and rebooted his server over the weekend- to say he wasn't best pleased would be an understatement.

other annoying apps are the ones big companies use in work pcs to try and force software updates and regular shut downs, the place i am at the mo provides laptops that take so long to boot that I never turn mine off - except that once a week some stupid app forces me to reboot by continually reminding me to do so - when a pop up screen has stolen the focus from your code page without you noticing for the third time in a row you begin to lose the plot

[Spacecadet]

someone mentioned a lite pdf reader here but can't remember the name

Foxit reader

I AM NEVER GOING BACK TO ADOBE

As for rebooting, most times it seems to be laziness on the part of the software packagers... many a time I've chosen the restart later option and found everything to be fully functional

[Sysman]

Foxit reader

I AM NEVER GOING BACK TO ADOBE

Except for client PCs I've managed to avoid it altogether since about 2004.

As for rebooting, most times it seems to be laziness on the part of the software packagers... many a time I've chosen the restart later option and found everything to be fully functional

I'm sure it is laziness. There's not much you can do if the underlying OS lacks a means of unloading/reloading a driver, but most software shouldn't need to muck around at that level.

[Spacecadet]

There's not much you can do if the underlying OS lacks a means of unloading/reloading a driver, but most software shouldn't need to muck around at that level.

If you're referring to windows, that has no problem with drivers being reloaded without restarting the system.
I've done it myself once or twice to fix a fault and I've not had to restart after windows reinstalled the device drivers.