{"video_id":"CvkOWb1U-LI","title":"Why Are Progress Bars Wrong So Often?","channel":"Techquickie","show":"Techquickie","published_at":"2018-05-06T14:58:16Z","duration_s":292,"segments":[{"start_s":0.08,"end_s":5.2,"text":"thanks for watching techwiki click the subscribe button then enable","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":3.2,"end_s":8.72,"text":"notifications with the bell icon so you won't miss any future videos","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":7.52,"end_s":12.24,"text":"5 minutes 3 hours","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":10.559,"end_s":16.48,"text":"20 seconds well if you've ever installed a program","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":14.32,"end_s":20.4,"text":"updated your os or moved files from one location to another you've probably seen","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":18.56,"end_s":24.0,"text":"how the estimated time remaining can jump around wildly sometimes to the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":22.48,"end_s":28.64,"text":"point where you feel like Windows is just guessing like someone at the roulette","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":26.48,"end_s":31.92,"text":"wheel and perhaps even more perplexing is the fact that this has been an issue","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":30.08,"end_s":34.719,"text":"for 3 10","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":33.2,"end_s":39.52,"text":"30 years well you know what a really long time","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":37.12,"end_s":43.6,"text":"since at least Windows 95 and it hasn't seemed to have gotten better at all i","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":41.6,"end_s":47.2,"text":"mean we have cortana learning anything about our lives but Windows somehow","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":45.84,"end_s":52.079,"text":"isn't smart enough to tell us when the file transfer will be done what gives","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":49.84,"end_s":55.6,"text":"well as it turns out that progress bar is only given a limited amount of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":53.92,"end_s":59.6,"text":"information to work with when you're trying to copy files it knows how many","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":57.84,"end_s":63.359,"text":"files are being moved around and how much data there is overall which at","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":61.52,"end_s":67.439,"text":"first glance might seem like enough to give an accurate reading given that you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":65.199,"end_s":71.76,"text":"think that Windows would also know how fast your computer's hardware is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":69.68,"end_s":76.08,"text":"but the reality is that your system's throughput can vary significantly over","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":73.76,"end_s":79.28,"text":"time for example if your file transfer has been going for a minute but suddenly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":77.68,"end_s":83.2,"text":"a different process also starts hitting your disk with lots of data say Windows","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":81.439,"end_s":87.36,"text":"grabbing some unscheduled automatic updates or steam downloading some hot","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":85.04,"end_s":91.36,"text":"fresh overpriced dlc well when that happens your transfer","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":89.04,"end_s":95.52,"text":"speed will go down but the progress bar had no way of anticipating that so that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":93.84,"end_s":100.0,"text":"estimate it gave you to start off with is now way off especially since it's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":98.079,"end_s":104.56,"text":"common to see spikes at first when the data hits your drive's high speed cache","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":102.56,"end_s":107.68,"text":"then a sharp drop off after the data gets transferred to the main part of the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":106.64,"end_s":113.439,"text":"disk now this obviously doesn't account for all situations but even if you ensure","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":111.84,"end_s":116.72,"text":"that you don't have much else going on in the background your speeds could","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":115.28,"end_s":120.24,"text":"still take a hit if whatever you're trying to move is split up into pieces","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":118.479,"end_s":124.399,"text":"all over your drive whether you're working with large files which have","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":121.68,"end_s":128.0,"text":"become heavily fragmented or just lots of smaller ones","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":125.84,"end_s":131.76,"text":"this causes your hard drive or SSD to have to spend more time looking around","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":129.679,"end_s":135.2,"text":"for all those small bits of data and again the progress bar doesn't know if","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":133.44,"end_s":139.52,"text":"the remaining files are scattered all over the place so it doesn't know how","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":137.2,"end_s":143.36,"text":"long seek times will be let's say though that you're installing a program instead","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":141.2,"end_s":146.56,"text":"of just copying files why aren't the estimates you get from your installer","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":144.959,"end_s":150.48,"text":"program much better well they too suffer from a similar","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":148.64,"end_s":154.16,"text":"inability to anticipate in that they often work off of a checklist of things","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":152.319,"end_s":158.72,"text":"they have to do to get the program completely installed and some of these","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":156.16,"end_s":162.0,"text":"things take far longer than others like decompressing several gigabytes of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":160.4,"end_s":166.48,"text":"high-res textures if you're installing a video game versus changing a small","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":164.08,"end_s":170.8,"text":"handful of registry entries but many installers treat these tasks merely as","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":168.48,"end_s":174.64,"text":"two things on a longer list that will add a certain percentage complete to the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":172.879,"end_s":178.4,"text":"bar when they're done instead of actively thinking about how long each","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":176.56,"end_s":182.56,"text":"task will take well hold on a minute john that last one just sounded like","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":180.08,"end_s":187.68,"text":"excuse making so why can't we just make progress tracker smarter well we could","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":185.519,"end_s":191.04,"text":"but to do so would require more complex coding and algorithms to keep track of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":189.92,"end_s":194.8,"text":"all these different variables that affect throughput and that still doesn't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":193.12,"end_s":198.48,"text":"solve the problem of not always being able to anticipate changes in speed","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":197.04,"end_s":202.959,"text":"caused by other things your system is doing and although there are third-party","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":200.72,"end_s":207.28,"text":"file transfer programs out there that are better at giving realistic estimates","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":205.28,"end_s":211.04,"text":"spending tons of time trying to optimize an installation progress bar just isn't","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":209.36,"end_s":215.2,"text":"a priority for many developers compared to polishing up the user interface","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":212.799,"end_s":219.12,"text":"security or stability of their software you know the stuff that can profoundly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":217.12,"end_s":223.519,"text":"affect your user experience so next time your computer gets stuck at","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":220.799,"end_s":227.92,"text":"75 or whatever remember that unless it's actually frozen the devs have probably","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":225.68,"end_s":231.2,"text":"just stuck to the old dodge of a watch pot never boils and use the time to go","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":229.84,"end_s":235.519,"text":"do something more productive than stare at your screen like watching techwiki","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":235.76,"end_s":241.68,"text":"and speaking of watching things do you want more people watching your website","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":239.76,"end_s":247.04,"text":"check out squarespace simple powerful and beautiful they have 24 7 support via","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":244.4,"end_s":250.64,"text":"live chat and email it's only 12 a month and you get a free domain if you buy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":248.799,"end_s":253.84,"text":"squarespace for the year it has a responsive design and your","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":252.159,"end_s":258.4,"text":"website will scale to look great on any device pc tablet or mobile it has a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":256.88,"end_s":262.32,"text":"responsive design so that your website will scale to look great on any device","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":260.72,"end_s":266.0,"text":"it comes with commerce features every website comes with a free online store","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":264.24,"end_s":269.52,"text":"you get cover pages a feature that allows you to set up a beautiful","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":267.28,"end_s":273.52,"text":"one-page online presence in minutes and new for 2018 eight view website","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":271.919,"end_s":276.639,"text":"templates you can start a trial with no credit","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":275.04,"end_s":280.32,"text":"card required and start building your website today and when you do decide to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":278.56,"end_s":284.4,"text":"sign up for squarespace make sure to use the offer code techwiki to get 10 off","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":282.479,"end_s":288.0,"text":"your first purchase okay guys thanks for watching you know","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":285.919,"end_s":293.28,"text":"the drill like dislike comment with video suggestions check out our other","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":289.36,"end_s":293.28,"text":"channels and don't forget to subscribe","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"thanks for watching techwiki click the subscribe button then enable notifications with the bell icon so you won't miss any future videos 5 minutes 3 hours 20 seconds well if you've ever installed a program updated your os or moved files from one location to another you've probably seen how the estimated time remaining can jump around wildly sometimes to the point where you feel like Windows is just guessing like someone at the roulette wheel and perhaps even more perplexing is the fact that this has been an issue for 3 10 30 years well you know what a really long time since at least Windows 95 and it hasn't seemed to have gotten better at all i mean we have cortana learning anything about our lives but Windows somehow isn't smart enough to tell us when the file transfer will be done what gives well as it turns out that progress bar is only given a limited amount of information to work with when you're trying to copy files it knows how many files are being moved around and how much data there is overall which at first glance might seem like enough to give an accurate reading given that you think that Windows would also know how fast your computer's hardware is but the reality is that your system's throughput can vary significantly over time for example if your file transfer has been going for a minute but suddenly a different process also starts hitting your disk with lots of data say Windows grabbing some unscheduled automatic updates or steam downloading some hot fresh overpriced dlc well when that happens your transfer speed will go down but the progress bar had no way of anticipating that so that estimate it gave you to start off with is now way off especially since it's common to see spikes at first when the data hits your drive's high speed cache then a sharp drop off after the data gets transferred to the main part of the disk now this obviously doesn't account for all situations but even if you ensure that you don't have much else going on in the background your speeds could still take a hit if whatever you're trying to move is split up into pieces all over your drive whether you're working with large files which have become heavily fragmented or just lots of smaller ones this causes your hard drive or SSD to have to spend more time looking around for all those small bits of data and again the progress bar doesn't know if the remaining files are scattered all over the place so it doesn't know how long seek times will be let's say though that you're installing a program instead of just copying files why aren't the estimates you get from your installer program much better well they too suffer from a similar inability to anticipate in that they often work off of a checklist of things they have to do to get the program completely installed and some of these things take far longer than others like decompressing several gigabytes of high-res textures if you're installing a video game versus changing a small handful of registry entries but many installers treat these tasks merely as two things on a longer list that will add a certain percentage complete to the bar when they're done instead of actively thinking about how long each task will take well hold on a minute john that last one just sounded like excuse making so why can't we just make progress tracker smarter well we could but to do so would require more complex coding and algorithms to keep track of all these different variables that affect throughput and that still doesn't solve the problem of not always being able to anticipate changes in speed caused by other things your system is doing and although there are third-party file transfer programs out there that are better at giving realistic estimates spending tons of time trying to optimize an installation progress bar just isn't a priority for many developers compared to polishing up the user interface security or stability of their software you know the stuff that can profoundly affect your user experience so next time your computer gets stuck at 75 or whatever remember that unless it's actually frozen the devs have probably just stuck to the old dodge of a watch pot never boils and use the time to go do something more productive than stare at your screen like watching techwiki and speaking of watching things do you want more people watching your website check out squarespace simple powerful and beautiful they have 24 7 support via live chat and email it's only 12 a month and you get a free domain if you buy squarespace for the year it has a responsive design and your website will scale to look great on any device pc tablet or mobile it has a responsive design so that your website will scale to look great on any device it comes with commerce features every website comes with a free online store you get cover pages a feature that allows you to set up a beautiful one-page online presence in minutes and new for 2018 eight view website templates you can start a trial with no credit card required and start building your website today and when you do decide to sign up for squarespace make sure to use the offer code techwiki to get 10 off your first purchase okay guys thanks for watching you know the drill like dislike comment with video suggestions check out our other channels and don't forget to subscribe"}