mcsnee

You're sure it didn't say charge???

It said change.

That was my first assumption, too, but I double-checked.

Your work is fine, as you saved everything, then shut down before swapping batteries, as you had no other power source.

In truth, my work is fine because I do it all in OS X, and I was actually just playing Civ IV in Windows, which is about all it's good for.

I think it's a ridiculous error message, though.

I believe if you put your system into hibernate and then switched batteries, you'd be fine without having to go through a restart. Honestly, though, I've never tried it.

I see why Windows wouldn't want to put in a full explanation of how to switch your battery without losing your work, but I also see why Windows should (because a lot of people would read that and, without even thinking, take their battery out... although how many people who don't think that through really have an extra battery?).

Some, albeit OLDER, laptops have two battery bays (a spare usually hidden within the optical bay), so you could "change" your batteries. Still, the message falls in line with the "Error: This operation completed successfully."

You know the 5 second rule where you can eat anything that touches the floor as long as you get to it w/in 5 seconds? Maybe there is a 5 second rule for macs that as long as you get the battery changed in 5 seconds or less, it doesn't lose any of your work.

you studied the classics, right? ;)
http://ken-jennings.com/blog/?p=915

This made me think of you. =) Hope things are well.

Latin, yes. 16th-century Italian, not so much. But now I want to go to the library and look it up.

Yeah, I knew you didn't know 16th-century Italian, but I thought I might tempt you anyhow! I'm a wannabe seductress.