Wednesday, January 14, 2004
RTFM for World Peace
Every time my husband buys a new piece of technology, I wish I could head for the hills.
He is totally seduced by new technology, but unfortunately it is more like a moth being drawn to the bug zapper than the sweet siren call of successfully installed software or hardware.
Within minutes of slitting the shrink wrap on a new application or freeing a new piece of hardware from its box, the muttering and cursing begins. Fist pounding soon follows. And if things get really bad, books fly, keyboards rattle, and the dog heads for the safety of the basement.
First he usually blames Apple. "Macintosh computers suck! I shoulda never bought this piece of crap. Six months after you buy it it's worthless. Why didn't I get a Windows PC?"
Then he usually blames the company who made the product he is trying to install. "This product sucks. I shoulda never bought this piece of crap. I read the reviews; none of them said this would happen."
He even blamed the washing machine once. "Why did you turn the washing machine on? It's effin up my computer!"
Frankly, I am surprised he doesn't blame the dog sometimes. "This dog sucks. We should have never adopted this dog. He smells bad and it's affecting my computer/concentration/mood."
Then he finally reads the manual and more times than not, figures it out. He emerges from his office grinning from ear to ear, the man triumphant.
If more people would just RTFM thoroughly BEFORE trying to install something, they would be more peace in the world, as well as in my home.
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He is totally seduced by new technology, but unfortunately it is more like a moth being drawn to the bug zapper than the sweet siren call of successfully installed software or hardware.
Within minutes of slitting the shrink wrap on a new application or freeing a new piece of hardware from its box, the muttering and cursing begins. Fist pounding soon follows. And if things get really bad, books fly, keyboards rattle, and the dog heads for the safety of the basement.
First he usually blames Apple. "Macintosh computers suck! I shoulda never bought this piece of crap. Six months after you buy it it's worthless. Why didn't I get a Windows PC?"
Then he usually blames the company who made the product he is trying to install. "This product sucks. I shoulda never bought this piece of crap. I read the reviews; none of them said this would happen."
He even blamed the washing machine once. "Why did you turn the washing machine on? It's effin up my computer!"
Frankly, I am surprised he doesn't blame the dog sometimes. "This dog sucks. We should have never adopted this dog. He smells bad and it's affecting my computer/concentration/mood."
Then he finally reads the manual and more times than not, figures it out. He emerges from his office grinning from ear to ear, the man triumphant.
If more people would just RTFM thoroughly BEFORE trying to install something, they would be more peace in the world, as well as in my home.
e-mail this writer
