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Peace with technology
Okay, I admit it, I’m up past my eyeballs in a new computer and things are not going as swimmingly as promised. Let’s leave brands and operating systems out of this equation. My situation prompted a question for me.
Does technology foster peace?
Today’s quote on iGoogle is by business wizard Peter Drucker, “The computer is a moron.” Put another way, a computer is only as smart as its operator.
Computers are designed to make our lives easier. I remember the days of Selectric III typewriters with their Heaven-sent self-correcting ribbons. Prior to that, there was white tape and white-out.
The operating system in my computer is new to me, and I spent hours yesterday in Computer Purgatory on the telephone to India just trying to get my new computer to do what my old one did. Patient, generous souls put me on hold for twenty-plus minutes at a time to call the manufacturer of the operating system and find out how I could accomplish my mission.
What I wanted was pretty simple. Email addresses that complete themselves from my address book when I write emails. I got a workaround for that one, and the assurance that it wasn’t just my computer that was at fault. A way to make the first page of a novel manuscript appear without a header. We found it but the path was treacherous. I spent the time on the phone blessing the diligence of the service workers who were temporarily mine.
I feel the same way about my computer as I do about the plumbing in my house. I just want it to work when I need it, and, frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn how.
Amazingly I went through the same experience. I completely dismantled my existing computer. Following the directio I started putting up the new monitor, etc. The monitor worked fine when I plugged it into the outlet. The moment I connected it to the tower it stopped working. The tower went on once then never again. The mouse wouldn't work, the remote didn't work.
When I contacted customer service, after endlessly being put on hold, the person wanted me to take off the back of the computer and start messing around. At first I considered it, then it occurred to me this was like the commercial where the doctor is telling the person where to make the incision. No way! I refused. I asked to speak to a supervisor and they couldn't.
To make a long story short the next day I was able to talk with a "customer care supervisor." At first she said in the fine print of the contract, that I could be expected to remove the back of the tower's case. After some discussion she said that they would look at the computer. Even though this was out of the box new I could't use any local repair person that they would pay for the service call.
I was told me it could take up to a month, after sending everything back, before I would get this same computer back.
Everything was boxed and waiting for Federal Express for the next day's pick up.
posted by cpgardener on 5/ 7/2008 4:14 pm