... but, in some respects, based upon past experience, I'm not surprised.
OK, not surprised, but still, I'm impressed....
I'm listening to tunes this evening via JR Media Center.
There's the MC server on my main desktop PC (using my FreeBSD data server to store stuff). There is a MC client in the entertainment center, feeding the TV.
OK, while I'm listening, I note it is getting near midnight. My home infrastructure goes into "we're doing backups" mode just after midnight. So I want to power down the desktop because the power down script backs it up.
When I shut down the desktop PC, it does a backup snapshot to the main data server, and I want to capture 'today' onto that data server's backup.
So, I wait for the MC client to start a longish song, and while that song plays, I shut down the MC server (a.k.a. main desktop PC). I've done this before, and all was happiness. The desktop PC was able to come back to life before the MC client played through its cache.
But there was a plot twist this evening. ...
When I started the MC server (a.k.a. the desktop PC), it noted that there was a new version of Media Server available and started to install it (as I have configured MC to do).
The new version installed without a hitch (no surprise, based upon my experiences).
And when the MC client (remember the client in this story?) finished playing its song, it seamlessly went on to the next song of the playlist.
Wow, just friggin' wow.
This sort of seamless continuity does not occur by accident. It is planned.
I know I have said this before.
And I will say it again... major props to those who have designed and developed Media Center.
When there is such an amazing accommodation of a very significant interruption in the infrastructure, and MC just deals with it as best as can be expected, that is great.
Let me say that again, that is great.
Kudos (and thank-you!) to the developers.
