I Don't Like Computers

[crokett]

and that is a somewhat surprising realization. I came to that conclusion after spending 1.5 hrs last night recovering from my Quicken problem. I am through the worst of it, but there is still a lot more to do. I like spending time on BT3Central and other sites, and I like my job, but I don't like tinkering with them any more. I used to love tinkering. At one point I had 5 computers in my apartment. Now I just want stuff to work.

[Uncle Cracker]

What is often amazing to me is that it only takes a millisecond to screw something up to the point where it takes days to fix... (Kinda like woodworking, if you think about it... )

[pelligrini]

I don't like tinkering with with them like I used to either. I never really enjoyed the software side, but I loved playing with hardware. Used to overclock everything and anything. I also jumped into the deepend of DC (distributed computing) and ended up with things like this:



There's about 40 CPUs in that enclosure, mostly all P-Pros.

[JSUPreston]

Same here. I've been working in IT full time almost 15 years. Been doing some sort of IT for nearly 20. Desktop/server/network/telephone system support. I used to build NetWare NDS trees at home when I supported Novell products, domains when I supported OS/2 and now NT/2k-whatever.

As far as home stuff goes, I'm tinkering with Cisco routers and switches, since I am sporadically working on my CCNA. I do have Windows Home Server running on an old box, but I don't tinker with much of that stuff anymore. I used to build all my own systems, but have gotten to the point that by the time I get home, I don't want to do any tech support, and just want it to work. My current primary machine is a refurbed Dell that I got dirt cheap from dell.com/dfo. Since I do play an occasional game or two, I did add RAM, video card and a new power supply, but I didn't build from ground up. Last 3 machines that I've put on the kids' desk (in my study where it is monitored) have all been refurbs. SWMBO is on her 3rd Mac in about 7 years. My old primary machine hasn't been turned on in about a year. I kept it since I built it for video editing. It's an old P4 2.8 w/1.5GB RAM, 40GB boot and 2x80GB SATA in RAID0 for render/scratch drive. I was actually considering getting rid of it, but may start doing some video editing again.

I'm starting to get like a lot of IT folks I've known. I do so much during the day, I don't want to do it at night. Kinda like doctors and lawyers and such. Plumbers' pipes always leak, mechanics' cars always break down, and my home wireless network has been on the fritz for 6 months. I did promise SWMBO that I would try to fix it this weekend, so that she can get on Facebook.

[BobSch]

When I was working I had a reminder on my desk:

People don't hate computers
They hate sloppy programmers.

[sparkeyjames]

I have been using and playing with computers since the early 80's. My first was a Vic 20 then a C64 blah blah. The first computer I built was an 8086 with 640kb of ram and had 2 20 meg hard drives. I still like building my own computers and a few here and there for relatives. I have 4 or 5 compters here in various states. Number 1 (it's name) is my daily user, does everything I need it to do and then some. Number 1's Lian Li brushed aluminum case still looks cool even after 6 years and 3 complete hardware upgrades. Then I have my old Dell Laptop a late 2003 1.6 Ghz P4 that sits around waiting to get used. I rsync my Number 1's linux user directories to it now. Then there are the projects. One is an old dual processor box with 2 AMD 1.4 Ghz server chips running in it. Hurricane is it's name cause with all the fans running in it it sounds like one. Has 160Mbs SCSI card and mirrored drives plus a dual port networking card in it. Was originally meant to be used as a lan game server. I rarely turn it on anymore. The last box is an old P3 1.3 Ghz box it is the last line fallback box if everything else dies it can still get me online.

After using and building computers for so long you would think I would have gotten sick of them. Nope. Then again I don't work in the IT field full time. So I guess I don't suffer from the burnout that can cause.

[pierhogunn2]

When I was working I had a reminder on my desk:

People don't hate computers
They hate sloppy programmers.

yeah, that may be true, but here is why I hate the hardware.

flaky capacitors,

the geniuses at Sun Microsystems installing processors in the E4500's 5500 and 6500's so that they hang upside down from the processer boards so that after about 16,000 hrs of continuous use the vibrations from the fans starts to cause the system to get random, non-repeating errors, oh, and that the darn things can run so hot as to cause the thermal cement that they welded the heat-sinks to the fireplane interconnect boards to fail so that the d@mn things fall off, so that when you remove the processor board from the chassis to see WTF is going on you start to shear the traces off of the board directly below it because the aluminum part of the heatsink is playing cheese grater...

the geniuses at HP decided that they would screw with people and put firmware on the ram for their D and R class servers, firmware, on ram, really... of course this meant that this ram ( it was EDO by the way, and 1.5" tall to boot) had ECC circuitry that was capable of running for a little while with no problem with ECC software of a different rev... but at some point the ram stops getting along with itself, so you have to miss a large portion of your christmas because you are on call, in the datacenter with the HP tech staring into the guts of a server while she is on the phone to her backline support trying to arrange a courier to go and bring back the right stuff that they just flew up from atlanta...

and my all time favorite... The geniuses at IBM who sent us power5 servers that had BETA firmware on it, and the wrong silk-screen printed on the back of the server so that what is labeled com1 is really com2... What makes this little nugget even better is that the guys on tier 4 support, basically the people who wrote the system firmware for this friggin box said and I quote "What do you mean firmware *.*.* that's not supposed to be released to the public... it doesn't work..." I could have killed the IBM sales team for that one... They bought us a very nice lunch for our troubles...


This is why I hate the hardware as much as the software, because after supporting it for the brief time that I have, I can see that stupidity is as hard to take out of computers, as silicone is out of wood.

grrr

[Ed62]

This thread kinda reminds me of Andre Agassi. He said his father always pushed him to the limit, when it came to tennis. As great as he was, he said he always hated tennis! It makes you wonder how anyone could hate the thing he was so good at.

Ed

[leehljp]

and that is a somewhat surprising realization. I came to that conclusion after spending 1.5 hrs last night recovering from my Quicken problem. I am through the worst of it, but there is still a lot more to do. I like spending time on BT3Central and other sites, and I like my job, but I don't like tinkering with them any more. I used to love tinkering. At one point I had 5 computers in my apartment. Now I just want stuff to work.

Same with me with cars and tools and RC planes. Used to enjoy the tinkering, building, modifications, now I prefer to just go, make, fly!

Back in the late 80's and early 90's, I loved tinkering with hardware and software to some extent.

I used to love getting into the code of simple games and changing the "high score" setting. Convinced lots of people of how good I was on games!

On the Mac, I learned quickly how to get a Japanese operating system (before unicode-multi languages) to display MENUs in Romaji (Roman letter alphabet). IN the system, I simply replaced the Japanese OS "Finder" module with an English Finder. Worked well and I did that for several foreigners over here who wanted English menus in a Japanese OS.

But now, I just want to get the job done and the OS to be as transparent as possible.

[leehljp]

When I was working I had a reminder on my desk:

People don't hate computers
They hate sloppy programmers.

I agree with that too. Our organization has its own proprietary software (personnel report) that is Windows only. About 5 years ago, all around the world, all workers had no problems with it . . . except for the workers in Japan. (Check boxes and drop down menu choices didn't work correctly.) We had a super IT fellow located in Singapore who kept an open mind to things. He would have made a great "systems engineer" - meaning that he loved to find the "real" problem rather than just announcing that "its a user" problem.

He endeavored to find out why it was not working well on Windows in Japan, so he sent out a note to all of us who had the problem. He named a couple of people here who had no problems. (I had that problem on my USA purchased IBM Thinkpad.) I knew the two fellows and also knew that they operated English on one computer and Japanese on another computer.

I turned the Japanese language OFF on my Thinkpad and the problem went away. Turned back on and problem came back.

Dirty Code! Not Unicode savy! Probably over simplistic but with a mindset of "Its good enough" - attention to detail is greatly overlooked in many cases. We have a phrase in our work - "Good is the enemy of Best!"

[crokett]

Well... it is a different mindset for me. I have two desktops at home, soon to be 1. The older Dell will get sold or donated or something, just because I want to simplify. The specs on it just about match those of my wife's laptop. I briefly thought about putting Win7 on it to see if it was acceptable for my wife's laptop, but then thought "Why? She is happy with what she has." Not too long ago I'd have upgraded her already.

[gerti]

When I was working I had a reminder on my desk:

People don't hate computers
They hate sloppy programmers.

But they rather keep wasting time and money than hiring good programmers...

[LinuxRandal]

This is why when everyone was trying to get me into pc work, I avoided it like the plague. I grew up with punch cards, Timex Sinclairs, Tandy's, etc...... Early on, you had to program your software to do what you wanted. I could do it quicker other ways, and didn't want to do others coding.
I got away from them until the 386/486 days, when I went back and started playing with them. I liked it, but inevitably, someone wanted me to fix their (whatever). People didn't listen to my advice (how to AVOID problems), and people like myself, were the reasons people like my father, started losing their jobs (why pay for support when you can have some kid fix it for the fun of it).
Yes there is buggy code, I can't help that. It finally drove me to Linux as it seemed to be more stable (from my research) and fewer people were using it, so I wouldn't be asked to fix their computer.

Cars, same way. I tried to help out a friend, and ended up working 7 days a week for three years, with three total days off in that time.
I don't mention woodworking outside of the forums, as ONE person found out I was into it, and started the trend all over again.
I seem to be a jack of all trades, and could work 7/24/365 if I wanted to and could get away with no sleep/food, etc.

[leehljp]

Cars, same way. I tried to help out a friend, and ended up working 7 days a week for three years, with three total days off in that time.
I don't mention woodworking outside of the forums, as ONE person found out I was into it, and started the trend all over again.
I seem to be a jack of all trades, and could work 7/24/365 if I wanted to and could get away with no sleep/food, etc.

I hear you! Hometown local auto dealer talked to me a few years ago about when I am retiring from Japan and returning home - for work there. Me - no way, had my fill of that in the 70's in sales, mechanical repair and body repair. They said that is why they wanted me back!

Several people from my hometown want me to "build wood fences, nice looking storage buildings, book cases, tables" etc because they know I can and did with my dad. I was home for a vacation in winter once when we had "zero temp" weather in N. MS, I was asked by a local hardware store manager if I wanted to do some plumbing work. Many people's pipes burst, including mom's and I fixed hers immediately. Same for welding! Farming too! Last time I was home, I was asked if I could troubleshoot computer problems. NOOOO thanks!

My very close friend (from AL) who lives in Tokyo - On numerous occasions, I have fixed things for him and his wife around the house. Last year, something dawned on me and I said: Randy, your dad was a house builder/contractor and I know that you helped him when you were young. Why don't you do these projects yourself. He said quitetly, If it EVER gets out that I can, I won't have a minute's peace!

[cabinetman]

I could say why do as a hobby what is done every day for work. Can that be enjoyable? I can understand the frustrations with computers, as we have four, but only use primarily two.

Carrying this thought into woodworking, in the beginning, I 'threw' in other services just to get the work, like doing the plumbing and electrical changes for kitchen renovations. That kind of 'tinkering' took some of the hum drum out of the work.

Now, with the codes and laws and licensing the way they are it's putting myself at risk legally and financially. Fortunately I don't 'throw' in extras like that. I just require the client to get an electrician and a plumber and make sure they are licensed and insured.

But, the fun things I make for myself are just that, and usually done with materials paid for by someone else.
.