# All technology sucks **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 10, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446 "2004-05-10T13:54:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/21 "2004-05-10T18:41:18Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > It’s not a fucking CPU. It’s a case, a box, the box, a computer. I just barely broke my mother of the habit, and now I see someone in the support induistry do it? Grrr…pet peeve. Sorry, bad habit caused by spending too much time with idiots. I shall henceforth strive to use the correct terms when refering to innerwebbing devices. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/22 "2004-05-10T18:42:52Z")
> [@Offensive](#): > > We’re calling the cases CPUs now?? I always called it a tower. But what do I know? You might want to explain to him that the computer is one piece of technology that doesn’t respond very well to ‘percussion therapy’. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/23 "2004-05-10T18:49:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Why can’t a heart surgeon figure out something as simple as a computer? Why does he need to? He’s got a secretary. Specialists (such as heart surgeons), get this, _specialize_. A guy with his valuable skill, experience, and education should be permitted to practice his skill to the extent his limited time permits. This guy’s only fault is that he’s got a bit of a temper and takes it out on the object of his frustration. He should simply turn over all his computer work to his secretary and go practice his specialty. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/24 "2004-05-10T19:04:44Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > It’s not a fucking CPU. It’s a case, a box, the box, a computer. I just barely broke my mother of the habit, and now I see someone in the support induistry do it? Beats my mother, God love her, who calls if a “modem.” The “computer” to her is actually the monitor. Even though I tell her the correct terms over and over and over again, she still reverts to this “the computer is the modem, and the monitor is the computer” thing. Where do people learn this messed-up terminology? ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/25 "2004-05-10T19:12:01Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > I always called it a tower. But what do I know? Only if it is in a tower configuration…it could be under the monitor, then it is called a “desktop” configuration. Or it could be a mini-tower. My point was : It. Is. Not. A. CPU. A CPU is a little Silicon and aluminum or copper thing on your motherboard. It’s your “chip”. > [@](#): > > Beats my mother, God love her, who calls if a “modem.” The “computer” to her is actually the monitor. Even though I tell her the correct terms over and over and over again, she still reverts to this “the computer is the modem, and the monitor is the computer” thing. Where do people learn this messed-up terminology? This used to be my mother as well. I think I finally win this battle…“Cut and Paste”, however is something she’ll never get down. :sigh: Sam ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/26 "2004-05-10T19:25:31Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > Only if it is in a tower configuration…it could be under the monitor, then it is called a “desktop” configuration. Or it could be a mini-tower. My point was : > > It. Is. Not. A. CPU. So what is the name of the thing whether it is desktop, tower, lunchbox (do they still make those?), or laptop? Is it generically called a “computer”? Back in the day we called it a “system”, but that would seem to imply peripherals as well. BTW, even though I have absolutely no responsibility for the computer/system/CPU/hoozamadiggly in question, said doctor has now made it my responsibility to get it fixed. So no matter how hard he kicks it, it’s now my problem. Fucking great. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/27 "2004-05-10T19:30:00Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Why does he need to? He’s got a secretary. Specialists (such as heart surgeons), get this, _specialize_. A guy with his valuable skill, experience, and education should be permitted to practice his skill to the extent his limited time permits. This guy’s only fault is that he’s got a bit of a temper and takes it out on the object of his frustration. He should simply turn over all his computer work to his secretary and go practice his specialty. All I can say is this. My girlfriend is currently a med student, and they stuff she’s learning twists my brain into a pretzel. The fact that this guy has obviously grasped some seriously complicated shit, yet can’t figure out Windows in 20 minutes, is a bizarre concept to swallow. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/28 "2004-05-10T19:40:20Z")
what we have here is your basic ID-10-T class DEU issue (Defective End User) replace the end user and the problem should go away ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/29 "2004-05-10T20:21:04Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > what we have here is your basic ID-10-T class DEU issue (Defective End User) The problem appears to be due to a faulty connection between the keyboard and the chair. D ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/30 "2004-05-10T20:23:28Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > All I can say is this. My girlfriend is currently a med student, and they stuff she’s learning twists my brain into a pretzel. The fact that this guy has obviously grasped some seriously complicated shit, yet can’t figure out Windows in 20 minutes, is a bizarre concept to swallow. “If you want to build a truly sophisticated computer system, get a child to do it”, I always say. While anybody can learn Windows, don’t discount age as a factor. It’s definitely easier to learn this stuff when you’re young. The doctors that do the best with our system here are the residents. The boss doc is around 71 and has a whole department under him, and in one of the finest cardiac hospitals in the nation. I don’t fault him for not knowing the intricacies of Windows. Then again, “don’t kick the machine” is hardly an intricacy. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/31 "2004-05-10T20:31:10Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > So what is the name of the thing whether it is desktop, tower, lunchbox (do they still make those?), or laptop? Is it generically called a “computer”? Back in the day we called it a “system”, but that would seem to imply peripherals as well. I would generally call it a “system”, or a computer. Peripheral implications or not. The fact is, you wouldn’t refer to your car as your tire, even though it has 4 of them, right? Same thing goes for your computer. It HAS a CPU, but that doesn’t make it a CPU. As for “lunchbox” computers, no they do not make them. When I was in the biz, the last lunchbox I could find on the market was a 100 or 133Mhz computer. And it was a very specialized unit meant for testing. Sam ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/32 "2004-05-10T20:42:22Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > All I can say is this. My girlfriend is currently a med student, and they stuff she’s learning twists my brain into a pretzel. The fact that this guy has obviously grasped some seriously complicated shit, yet can’t figure out Windows in 20 minutes, is a bizarre concept to swallow. Mebbe so. But this guy’s old. You’ll have to ask someone smarter than I why this seems to be true, but you can’t always teach an old dog new tricks. I used to work with an engineer/designer who was generally pretty damned good at producing elegant, efficient, and manufacturable designs. A very difficult balance to maintain. He could do wonders - on a sheet of paper. Stick him behind the computer though, and all that went away in an amazingly furious blaze of invective and anger. The computer just wouldn’t let him work in the fashion to which he’d become accustomed. This was probably a limitation of the software, rather than the hardware, but the idea holds. And I really think this instance of the doc’s frustration was over something more esoteric than the basic Windows commands that people can learn in twenty minutes. Surely the hardware and operating system are more complex than that. Otherwise there’s an awful lot of people out there making a very dishonest living. I mean, if the guy has no idea how a computer might work (and why should he, he’s a heart specialist and perhaps his curiosity and/or free time doesn’t extend this far?), CPU overheating is a difficult thing even for an expert to diagnose. All he knows is that someone gave him a computer, promised it could do all kinds of wonderful stuff that would simplify his most tedious and burdensome tasks, but all the damn thing keeps doing is shutting down and discarding his work. Frustration and anger are to be expected. Hell, I know how computers work (and sometimes **don’t** work, having toyed with them for about 30 years now, and _I_ get frustrated and angry with then at times. On occasion, I’ve even been known to punch the monitor, too. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/33 "2004-05-10T20:54:47Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The PC went through its normal boot sequence, and loaded a version of NT that was probably written in 1942 Let me guess… In 1942 I figure that NT was an acronym for “Not Turing”, right? 🙂 I have to admit that your line made me laugh out loud. Great rant **tdn**! ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/34 "2004-05-10T21:07:19Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Mebbe so. But this guy’s old. You’ll have to ask someone smarter than I why this seems to be true, but you can’t always teach an old dog new tricks. > > And I really think this instance of the doc’s frustration was over something more esoteric than the basic Windows commands that people can learn in twenty minutes. Surely the hardware and operating system are more complex than that. Otherwise there’s an awful lot of people out there making a very dishonest living. I mean, if the guy has no idea how a computer might work (and why should he, he’s a heart specialist and perhaps his curiosity and/or free time doesn’t extend this far?), CPU overheating is a difficult thing even for an expert to diagnose. All he knows is that someone gave him a computer, promised it could do all kinds of wonderful stuff that would simplify his most tedious and burdensome tasks, but all the damn thing keeps doing is shutting down and discarding his work. Frustration and anger are to be expected. Hell, I know how computers work (and sometimes **don’t** work, having toyed with them for about 30 years now, and _I_ get frustrated and angry with then at times. On occasion, I’ve even been known to punch the monitor, too. Yeah, you certainly make sense, some people are more comfortable with computers then others. Bit of a strange pill to swallow in this particular case, but hey, we live in a wacky world. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/35 "2004-05-10T21:48:44Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > He mends broken hearts. He’s a [handy man](http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/james_taylor/handy_man.html)? ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/36 "2004-05-11T01:05:27Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Why does he need to? He’s got a secretary. Specialists (such as heart surgeons), get this, _specialize_. A guy with his valuable skill, experience, and education should be permitted to practice his skill to the extent his limited time permits. This guy’s only fault is that he’s got a bit of a temper and takes it out on the object of his frustration. He should simply turn over all his computer work to his secretary and go practice his specialty. . . . he doesn’t delegate very well, either. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/37 "2004-05-11T02:58:04Z")
I’d be kind of concerned about how he treats the complicated machinery in the operating room. Does he kick the shit outta that too? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/38 "2004-05-11T11:49:46Z")
Is he Dr. Russell Clark? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/39 "2004-05-11T14:07:53Z")
Let’s not forget that we’re talking about a **surgeon** here, one of God’s chosen. If that’s the way _he_ chooses to do it, then that is by definition the right way. In his mind, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446/40 "2004-05-11T14:16:39Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Let’s not forget that we’re talking about a **surgeon** here, one of God’s chosen. If that’s the way _he_ chooses to do it, then that is by definition the right way. In his mind, anyway. I wasn’t aware surgeons were chosen by god. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-technology-sucks/244446.md?page=3)