| When you get a new computer, you'll want
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| | not. If your older programs won't runwell
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| to install yourfavorite software and get
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| | enough to suit your needs, you may be
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| everything running just the way youwant
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| | forced to upgrade tolater versions.
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| it to. Then you'll likely add some new
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| | Unfortunately, this may not solve the
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| stuff, possibly over a period of the next
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| | problem if the older DLL is still in use.
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| couple of months. Beyond this
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| | A Horror Story
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| point,hesitate to add more. Here's why.
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| | I personally do not install upgrades
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| Shared Library Files
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| | unless literally forced to do so. (And I
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| Many software firms use DLL (Dynamic
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| | do not install new software except when
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| Linked Libraries) indeveloping programs.
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| | absolutely required.) Some time back
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| They are kind of like a tool box from
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| | while using an earlier version of IE, I
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| whichthe programmer chooses the one
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| | was forced to upgrade. The results were
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| needed. Even though the programbeing
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| | disastrous.
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| created may need only a couple of "tools"
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| | I first tried upgrading IE to the latest
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| from this DLL,using them saves
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| | version, 5.5. But I never could get it to
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| programming time, which is expensive.
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| | run. I dropped back to version 5.1, which
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| This is a safe and efficient procedure,
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| | ran, but unpredictably.
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| for the code in the library is well
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| | My system became unstable. Lots of memory
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| tested and will run reliably.
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| | collisions (GPFs)that crashed some
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| Other software developers use the same
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| | program maybe two dozen times a day. Even
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| library. Some DLLsare used in many
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| | IEwas not running properly and became the
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| programs. For you, this means less disk
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| | program most likely tocrash. Other stuff
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| spacerequired on your system, for only
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| | was happening that required restarting
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| one copy of the library isneeded.
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| | thecomputer 5-6 times each day. If you
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| You also benefit in that you pay less for
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| | have been there, you knowhow much this
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| the software and it runs reliably. It's
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| | slows you down.
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| hard to see anything negative in such a
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| | Further, several of the programs I use
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| procedure. Or in software using any other
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| | routinely, such asEudora, began failing
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| shared procedures.For example, you might
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| | with troubling regularity. And two
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| have several programs that use a common
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| | wouldno longer run at all.
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| routine that is part of connecting your
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| | My only option was to retire a perfectly
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| system to the Web over a phone line.
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| | good computer lessthan two years old and
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| All About Versions
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| | buy a new one. Then install all thelatest
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| Most companies developing software will
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| | software all at once. This meant chucking
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| use the latestversion of a DLL. It
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| | some stuff I liked, then hunting up
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| contains changes and enhancements over
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| | replacements. Both time consuming and
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| earlier ones. Thus differences exist
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| | tedious.
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| between them.
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| | So What Went Wrong?
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| This is true of different versions of
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| | I have no idea, really. But the most
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| other software. Thelatest version of IE
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| | likely cause of thisfailure was in
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| (Internet Explorer), for example,
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| | overwriting one or more DLLs with later
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| containschanges and enhancements over the
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| | versionsrequired by IE that my other
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| previous one. Migrating from the current
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| | software could not handle. That is,my
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| version to the latest, can mean
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| | other programs were designed to run on
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| installing whatamounts to almost a new
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| | the previous versions,not the latest.
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| program.
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| | What This Means To You
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| The Catch In Upgrading Or Installing
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| | If you are a casual user of your
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| Software
| |
| | computer, and load upsomething new about
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| When you install an upgrade or a new
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| | once a month, the chances are you will
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| piece of software, anyDLLs used will also
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| | neverface the problem described above.
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| be installed. Windows makes the rules
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| | The worst that is likely tohappen is that
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| inthis. An older version of a DLL is not
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| | as new software is added, older programs
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| allowed to overwrite alater one. But a
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| | do notrun in quite the same way.
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| newer one IS allowed to overwrite an
| |
| | If you are a serious computer user, and
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| older one. Here's how things can go
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| | depend upon one as an integral part of
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| wrong.
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| | your business, take the position you
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| Suppose you have a program call SPLAT,
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| | won'tupgrade or install new software
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| another called SPRANG,and a third call
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| | unless you are absolutely forcedto do so.
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| SPUNK. Suppose they all use a DLL called
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| | My tale is not an isolated case. All
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| STUFF. If you upgrade SPUNK, and the
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| | heavy users ofcontemporary PCs have had
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| upgrade includes a new version ofSTUFF,
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| | this experience, even if not quite so
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| then quite suddenly SPLAT and SPRANG may
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| | severe.
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| not run properly. That is, they are now
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| | If you need a program, by all means
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| forced to use a version of STUFF
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| | install it and go. But be hesitant in
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| theprogrammer had not planed for.
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| | playing the game, "I think I'll try
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| While it's quite likely a new DLL will
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| | this." Why risk it?
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| run just fine witholder programs, it may
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|
