Nuke Richmond (Long)

From: McFadden, Mike <mmcfadden_at_cmh.edu>
Date: Fri Jan 12 16:02:56 2001

Since we are all in asbestos shorts/panties mode I might as well join in.
My neighbors think I know all about new computers because I have a garage
full of old computers. My most recent inquiries are similar to the
following.

Neighbor Q: I was trying to print a word document that I hadn't saved when
my computer locked up.

My Q: What else was running?
Neighbor A: All this stuff that runs when my computer starts up.

My Q: Any other programs?
Neighbor A: Well I was also dialed into AOL and running Napster.

Neighbor Q: Don't you have these same problems.
My A: I don't listen to music when I program and I don't use Napster.

My Q: When is the last time you purged any files?
Neighbor A: Does it do it automatically?

My Q: When is the last time you did a backup?
Neighbor A: Does it do it automatically?

My Q: Did you save the document?
Neighbor A: Does it do it automatically? I just spent 2 hours typing and now
I'm ready to print. When I'm finished editing I'll save the final copy.

My A: Leave it alone and I'll look at it when I get a chance.

I visit.

My Q: Why do you have both Norton and Macafe antivirus running?
Neighbor A: I need virus protection they start automatically.

MY Q: Why do you have AOL, AIM, and MSN running?
Neighbor A: Some came installed and I use AOL for access to internet, they
start automatically.

My Q: Why run Napster while you're typing?
Neighbor A: I always listen to music when I type, the computer is closer
than the stereo so I run Napster

System has 25 GB disk, 256 MB memory and 56% of resources available, no
keyboard response.

My suggestion: Don't do more than 1 thing at a time and you will not have
any problems.

Neighbor Q: I though computers allowed you to do lots of things at the same
time?
Neighbor Q: I really want to play games, download music and listen to it at
the same time

MY Q: Do you want to burn CD's?
Neighbor A: Yes
MY Q: Do you want to scan pictures and print them?
Neighbor A: Yes

My A: Get a CRAY computer
Neighbor Q: How much are they?

I feel much better now that I've vented.
People want a black box that works without them thinking, and that's what
they have been promised by Dell, Gateway and Compaq.

Mike
mmcfadden_at_cmh.edu
Received on Fri Jan 12 2001 - 16:02:56 GMT