Computers

Computers, they annoy me no end, but its not only the computers themself's but the complete IT industry and I work in that industry, if I am fed up with it how does the normal guy  put up with it.

Here an example, I bought a new computer for work, it was delivered straight from the factory as opposed to being in storage for several months first. During setting it up I was unable to get one of the options to work. So I ended up e-mailing the support desk with the details of the problems and all the relevant version details of the software. First reply said if you go here and look here you will find the option you require, well they were wrong the option was not there. So I emailed back and stated that their suggestion was incorrect and listed the options I had when I went to the place they suggested and again included all the relevant software version. Next reply stated if you have version x.y or lower then you need to install the latest version z. Had I not told the manufacturer twice what version of software I have in the previous two e-mails? Not only that there were no instruction on where or how to download this software so off went another e-mail to support requesting help again. This all took over a week and it not exclusive to just this manufacturer, you buy a new PC and the first couple of hours is spent updating the installed software.

Now would we stand for this if we had purchased a new TV, it was not working correctly out of the box and we had to update it before we could use it correctly?? I don't believe we would so why do we accept it for PC's?

Then we move on to the operating system on these PC, there are 100's of operating system, most will know Windows XP or Vista, some will know Apple OSX and the an even smaller number will know (the various version\distributions) Linux. While it is fair to say that the majority of users will be using windows based software they are also the one who face the biggest job keeping there computers up to date and protected compared to those using OSX or Linux but to use one those two operating system your knowledge of computers tends to be greater. If you don't update and secure your computer you will fall foul of those that take pride in hacking\infecting your PC. Then you will need more in depth knowledge to get out of the mess you are in.

I could go on and on about this and bore you all to tears, but the point is that with the technology we have available today we should not have to spend hours of our time and money updating our PC's. The IT industry's is to busy protecting it own little corner of the market and would rather rip its customers off rather than sit down with fellow IT industry manufacturer and sort these problems out.