I don’t usually use this blog as a sounding board for frustration with trivial matters, but today, there isn’t much else I can bring myself to think about.
There are three things I need my computer to do:
2. Run Photoshop
3. Don’t throw a temper tantrum
For some inscrutable reason, mine won’t do either. Frankly, I’m not surprised. It spends more time not doing what it’s supposed to be doing than otherwise. Every six months some computer component demands some decent chunk of money from me. About once in every four times that demand is made, I nearly lose sensitive information and lots and lots of time attempting to correct the problem, or at the very least to damage control.
It seems that this will be no exception. You see, last week, one of my hard drives started to click. Now, for those of you who don’t know what that means, I won’t explain. I’ll just say this: it’s a very bad sign. Something like your computer physically screaming, “the British are coming, the British are coming!”
So I responded tactfully, I went online and purchased replacement hard drives. I also purchased an external hard drive to run automatic backups of the important files. Wise thinking, if I do say so myself. Of course, I was kidding myself to think this would go over smoothly. There’s no way. It’s never happened in the past and it’s certainly not going to happen now.
I installed my new drives today. The computer has come to a standstill. It still starts up, but has become quite useless. Like a body rejecting an organ transplant. The computer just sits there looking ill and being totally unproductive. My best efforts cannot seem redeem her.
There is little doubt in my mind that this has something to do with Microsoft. I run a shotty Windows XP 64-bit, which it turns out is the pinnacle of incompatibility a poor planning. When software runs, it’s amazing. When it runs without error, it’s a miracle. Now, who would have thought that this great new Windows XP 64-bit system would have trouble with a few minor hard drive upgrades?
I will say it again. Microsoft is a joke. They make a joke product and if it weren’t so expensive for user’s to switch platforms, they’d be out of business. I’m getting a Mac, the first chance I get. Scratch that, I’m getting two.
September 24th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Working in the IT world for a couple of decades has taught me a very important lesson. Never run Release 1.0 of ANY product. ANY Product.
Wait. The cutting edge is called the cutting edge because well, people get sliced up on the cutting edge.
Window 2000. Hog. Flaky. Incompatible. Windows 2000, SP2? Great. But sometimes they can’t fix the hog. Windows ME comes to mind. Windows Vista Basic is MS’ latest boondoggle.
64 bit OS for the mass market is an oxymoron. I think you and 3 other users are running 64bit at home.
MS is the GM of computers. Some of their products are solid some well, you should buy the extended service plan.
Mac is the Honda. Well, maybe BMW or Mercedes. The number 2 company can’t compete on the mass market price front so they have to be high-quality. They have no choice in the matter.
Now one could construct a box of reliable parts and sw that rivals the Mac … but in the end it will probably cost more or take longer.