A computer program consists of a (mostly) sequential series of simple
instructions such as: get the number stored at memory address A, get
the number stored at memory location address B, add the numbers from A
and B, store the result at C, compare that to what's at address D, if
the result is greater than what's at address E then spit a blob of ink
out on Walt's printer.
Now let's assume there is a really simple bug in the program. Let's say
that the instruction to compare what's at address D should have said to
compare with what's at address X. Perhaps it turns out that what's
actually stored at address D is the estimated number of silver grains
exposed on all the film ever manufactured in the world. In other words,
a very large number. Whatever the size of the numbers stored at A and B
it's unlikely, but not impossible, that their sum will exceed the number
of exposed film grains stored at address D. In all probablility your
printer is never going to spit out that blob of ink except that, on very
rare occassion, it might.
In computerese, a "patch" fixes the program to behave as it should. It
could be as simple as altering the single instruction in this case that
says use memory address D instead of the correct address X. Generally,
however, patches are much more complicated than that and may require a
fairly extensive revision to the program.
To a software developer the operating system is a tool box. It
contains important software "tools" that perform important functions
like printing text, graphics, controlling the paper flow, checking if
the printer is ready to print, etc, etc. Sometimes the tools contain
bugs and don't behave as advertised. Sometimes, the description of how
they're supposed to work is ambiguous. And sometimes a new release of
the software or the issuance of a patch causes the ambiguity to be
resolved... in all the wrong ways. Or, the documenation might simply
have been wrong on the last release. It said to use address D when it
should have said X. Now there are 2,375,456 copies of QuickBooks
version 57 that expect the right number to be stored at D when the
latest version of XP says it's really at X. In a case like this
Microsoft might be convinced to change it back to D with a patch.
This is a pretty simplistic and contrived example but I think it
illustrates what a "patch" is and why it might be needed.
From your standpoint it seems to be very specific to something like
QuickBooks or another similar third party program. If you don't have
this program don't apply the patch.
An unwritten rule of software development is that patches are rarely as
thoroughly tested as major new functional releases. Any time you modify
software, given the complexity of the interactions of tens of millions
of instructions, it's quite possible that you introduced a new problem
that is as bad or worse than the one you think you just fixed. And it's
always worse because this is a problem no one knows about yet.
So, when offered a patch, if you don't see yourself specifically
affected by the problem it purports to fix you should eschew it with vigor.
Chuck Norcutt
Walt Wayman wrote:
> I have rearranged the area that was formerly my home office into what
> is now my home playroom. I have the new super Dell hooked up to two
> scanners and three printers, among other goodies. One of the
> printers is a freebie that came with my wife's computer over three
> years ago and which hadn't been out of the box until I decided I
> could use it for those times when color was more appropriate than B&W
> from the Kyocera laser printer, but not worth the waste of ink from
> the Epson 2200 -- stuff like maps, etc.
>
> Anyway, I decided to check the Epson website today and see if there
> was an updated driver for this little toy. Upon doing so, I found
> that there's one from only a couple of weeks ago denominated as
> "Third Party Accounting Software Patch," and described thusly: "This
> self-extracting file contains the Third Party Print Accounting
> Software Patch for Windows XP. This patch improves compatibility with
> selected third party print accounting software in Windows XP."
>
> I admit, when it comes to computer stuff, I'm dumber than dirt, but
> I've got to ask: What the hell is "third party accounting software,"
> and why does it need a patch? Is it leaking air and going flat? Do
> I need it? And if so, what the **** for?
>
> Walt
>
> -- "Anything more than 500 yards from the car just isn't photogenic."
> -- Edward Weston ============================================== List
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