Computer Battering

Today I read an article that had me laughing. It was from a software vendor’s newsletter, and it was about being nice to your computer equipment. The article alleged that some people battered their computer. No! Horrors! Say it isn’t so!

Actually, I’m surprised more people don’t fling the frustrating pieces of electronics through the nearest window. I’ve been tempted, but the closest I came was tossing a wireless keyboard onto the floor. A few times.

Why? Because the darn thing kept losing the signal. I’d be typing along, look up, and see that a letter or two in every word was missing. Back I’d go to correct. Eventually, I was so frustrated that I slammed it to the floor. After I’d cooled down a bit, I connected a wired keyboard and moved on.

Sure, I know that it’s not smart to knock a computer about, but it sure is satisfying sometimes, but I don’t make a habit of it. Actually, that’s the one and only time I ever did that. I was on deadline and at the end of my rope. I think that can probably be illustrated by one of my favorite quotes about the machines from the mind of Mitch Ratcliffe: “A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history-with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.”

Takeaway Truth

I’ll take Eric Porterfield for the defense. He said: “The most overlooked advantage to owning a computer is that if they foul up, there’s no law against whacking them around a little.”

Tags: computers, eric porterfield, keyboards, mitch ratcliffe, Technology