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Comment by tvb12 | Hacker News Reader

This is such an annoying change. I work in a production facility and I don't get to choose what is installed on the computers. It's either WordPad, notepad, or open a browser for Word. WordPad is obviously a step up over notepad if you need any sort of formatting.

Now imagine a machine is malfunctioning and you need to look up the last known "good" settings to see if anything changed. First open a browser, then go to the office site, then fish out your cell phone because you're going to need the authentication code to log in, then dance around for a bit because you're in a warehouse and the reception is terrible, then open the Word app, then wait ages for it to "work on it".

All I'm trying to do is quickly read some text. I don't see how this is better than clicking a text file icon on the desktop.

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Yes, in the automation world living on level 2/2.5 wordpad is great for doing things like taking screenshots too. In a GMP facility it could take some significant effort to get a screenshot tool or a rich text editor installed. Also, taking pictures with a phone is usually a huge no no.

Occasionally, you have to document something with…screenshots. Now, some versions of Windows Server come with snipping tool, which lets you save a screen shot. Others you still have to use the print screen key. Then what… well, you open wordpad and paste.

Luckily most of the systems we interact with now we get to install Office when the system is being qualified. Could be a huge PIA though otherwise.

edit: level 2/2.5 means no internet connection and therefore no browser based editors.

Can't you paste into Paint for the screenshots?

Yes, one by one. It’s just tedious. There’s always a solution.

Often time screenshots correlate to steps. You open wordpad and start a numbered list. Write what action you perform and the screenshot. Repeat until you’re all the way done. Take it off the system, print it, sign and date it and attach to an MOC and your done.

I supposed you could copy and save in paint. Then do the same thing in Word off the system by dropping in all the images. Idk, doesn’t sound like that much more work, but it’s annoying enough.

the last known good settings needs to be stored in a format with clip-art, headlines, bold letters and embedded images? :)

Most of the machines have hundreds of settings divided across a dozen different sections. Simple things like bold and underline make it much easier to visually parse the sections.

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