I feel like I've ranted about this before but I searched and couldn't find it so maybe I just thought about it and then didn't.

I am absolutely sick of having to eject USB hard drives before undocking my computer. Obviously this rant comes with a complete lack of awareness of the low level implementation of hard disks over USB but I am utterly sick of needing to move my laptop, and having to sit and wait whilst my computer fails to make this happen.

When I grudgingly disconnect hard drives, that is the last I want to hear on the matter. I'm not interested that Time Machine is in the middle of something. Time Machine had better stop what it's doing right now and get with the programme because I have other plans. I am not going to force eject via software, I am going to force eject by yanking the cable out and I will accept the consequences (of which there should be none because it's 2022 and if we can land on the sun, I should be able to unplug a hard drive as I see fit).

Here's what I want:

If I don't use a connected external drive for a little while, then go into some sort of brace mode where you're functionally ejected but if I decide I want a file on you, you spin right back up and get on with it. If I pull the plug you don't complain at me.

If you're some sort of backup drive then you had better always be ready to pull the cord and eject and deal with it. Everything you do should always be immediately resumable if I decide to pull the plug because I'm done having to care about this. Always know where you are, and you'll always know how much work you have left. The fact that you're not done is not my problem (OK it is but it shouldn't be).

And that's it. If I yank a drive and there's an app open still accessing that drive; show me an error telling me that app needs to quit or something. If I'm stupid enough to pull the plug when I'm actively using it, there's probably a reason (even if that reason is I'm an idiot and I didn't realise).

Honestly I am so sick of "oh hey I know you tried to eject this drive but are you really sure because there's a backup running - there's only two hours left are you sure you don't want to wait?" obviously no I do not want to wait I'm trying to leave my house stop being difficult.

And that is why I hate hard drives.