[tex-live] ctan->tl updates caught up

[Yury Donskoy]

Reinhard Kotucha <reinhard.kotucha <at> web.de> writes:

> 
> On 2012-08-01 at 21:13:57 +0000, Yury Donskoy wrote:
> 
>  > TL>echo [01/08/2012  6:54:37.30] failed self update: texlive.infra (27258 -
> 
>  > 27262) 1>>"C:/texlive/2012/texmf-var/web2c/tlmgr.log" 
>  > The process cannot access the file because it is being used by
>  > another process.
> 
> If you're using a virus scanner, turn it off while updating TeX Live.
> 
> The Windows file system doesn't allow two processes to access a
> particular file at the same time.  Multitasking is supported by all
> operating systems available today, except Windows.
> 
> Regards,
>   Reinhard
> 

Thank you for that.

First of all, how does one go about turning off a virus scanner that does not 
involve uninstalling it? Every single piece of software for Windows comes with a 
warning to disable the virus scanner prior to installation, and it is NEVER 
necessary. The software packages all understand that sometimes files will be 
locked and not updateable, and therefore will require a reboot to complete the 
installation. Every single Windows user understands this.

Secondly, I have been using TeXLive since 2010 on Windows(before that on Linux). 
Before TLive on Windows, I was using Miktex. A virus scanner has NEVER been a 
problem with Miktex. Since I switched to TeXLive'2010 back when it was current, 
I have been updating it every single day with TLMGR UPDATE --SELF --ALL, and a 
virus scanner(the same one, AVG) has been active through all that time, and it 
has NEVER needed to be turned off before.

As a programmer who has worked on UNIX machines and mainframes, as well as on 
machines whose manufacturers no longer acknowledge them(or no longer even exist 
as corporate entities), I recognize that there are differences between various 
platforms. Nor do I fail to recognize that there are deficiencies in the 
Microsoft platform, especially when compared to machines and associated OSes 
costing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars.

To tell me to turn off my virus scanner to make work a command which I have 
successfully used every day for 3 years running is a slap in the face. This is 
especially egregious since there were no problems until certain packages and 
infrastructure were updated earlier this week. Since it continues to function on 
my Linux box, I have to say that the updates to the command and certain packages 
were never tested on a Win32 box prior to their release this week. This is a 
problem, but not the point of this post.

I realize that I am new in forum, that I don't have established STREET CRED, so 
to speak. That doesn't mean that I'm willing to accept subtle insults regarding 
my chosen work platform(same one as that of hundreds of millions of users 
worldwide) or that I don't expect us to come to sort of resolution for this 
problem that doesn't involve taking the easy, Microsoft way out of problems: if 
doesn't work, go see your manufacturer.

Thank you.
Yury Donskoy