MS Windows time.

I noticed long time ago something about Microsoft Windows, be it 2000, XP, Server or any other Windows OS. Anytime I am installing anything, or copying a large file or folder a timer appears informing you of how long the process will take, the funny thing is the timer is never accurate, it is actually very inaccurate.

Take note next time you are copying a file, or installing a program (sometimes this displays a timer as well) the progress timer is quite interesting to pay attention to. Initially it might say there are 5 minutes remaining until the file is finished copying over, however a few seconds later (real world time) the timer will display a remaining time that has changed drastically from the original. So it may go from 5 minutes initially to maybe 2 minutes in the span of a few seconds.

Then a few seconds later it will change again, but not to a shorter amount of time remaining but to a longer time remaining then originally displayed. Probably it will change to 6 or 7 minutes, then drop again and basically continue fluctuating until there are about 20-30 seconds left. At this point it will actually display the correct time remaining.

But when the timer reaches 0 seconds left it will sometimes linger there for 20-30 seconds, basically lying to your face. It shows as being done, the status bar and the timer showing the process being completed, however the window displaying the status of the progress is still opened and you can clearly tell the computer is still processing this.

I call this Windows time, or Microsoft time, an inaccurate and totally untruthful display of time on your computer when it is performing certain operations. I would think by now, in 2007, Microsoft would of fix this, or come up with a way to implement a timer that does not lie to your face. I am sure they see it too when they use it at work, everyone sees it. I mention this to people sometime and when I do they usually pause for a moment, think about and agree with me, 'you're right, I never thought about that, but yea it does lie to you' is their usual response.

I guess people don't think about it at all, but I work with computers, and usually deal with Windows time everyday and it does get annoying after a while. Windows lies to people.