Detecting exploding batteries, part 2

[Richard Hughes]

On 25/09/06, Danny Kukawka <danny.kukawka at web.de> wrote:
> On Monday 25 September 2006 09:19, Richard Hughes wrote:
> > 1. Vendors (Redhat/Suse) can send out updates to a HAL package in a
> > matter of days.
>
> 1.) take a look at the release cycle of HAL
> 2.) take a look at the release cycle of the distributions (6 months - 1 year
> or more for business products)
> 3.) take a look at the rules for updates of the distributions. For SUSE e.g.
> we only offer official updates for (security) bugs and not for such stuff. No
> distribution send out a update for such stuff.

Well, that's SuSe policy. I can tell you for 100% certainty that
*every* affected user will not have realised before the 6 months
next-release of HAL (and that's if the distro can't roll a trivial
update).

> > 2. Useless? If it saves one person from having his/her laptop blow up
> > then isn't this a good thing? Most users won't send off the battery the
> > moment the press-release is announced; some may never be aware there is
> > a problem at all.
>
> How many laptops blowed up? One or two?

Over 10,000 batteries are affected just for the DELL problem. HP and
Apple are likely to have a smaller recall, but still significant.

> No, IMO most users participate on the recalls and the call was in nearly every
> newspaper, newsservice and in several tv news.

My girlfriend (typical non-technical user) didn't know *anything*
about exploding batteries before I discussed the g-p-m UI with her.
She graduated last year so she's not stupid, she's just not techie.

> What's the next key in HAL? computer.your_disply_can_fail or
> storage.you_harddisk_die_maybe_in_2_years?

If there was a hard-disk recall due to hard-drives blowing up then I think

info.may_be_subject_to_recall

is also a good idea.

Richard.