The personal computer, in my estimation, is a sneaky device. I don't mean sneaky like it's at home messing with the thermostat or ordering mismatched socks from the Home Shopping Channel — I mean that it finds new and innovative ways to take over your life at every turn.
The PC used to be sold as a replacement to the typewriter. But I always preferred Courier font, so I was never able to get on board the Arial replacement train.
Then it became a communication device, with the advent of email and the Internet. In principle, I still think that these are fantabulous inventions and handy as hell. But now the machine is a DVD player. A jukebox. A dictionary. A teacher. Telephone. Scrapbook. Film developer. Food processor, toaster oven, daquiri blender, etc.
To be anthropomorphic about it: the bloody machine seems to think that it can be all things to all people. That's the source of my deep worry. I really don't think that it's a good idea to allow the PC to take a central role in how one interacts with the people, places, and things that accidentally collide to create a life. If anything, I think that we should be relegating gadgets to as submissive a role as possible in modern life, with an eye toward one day re-declaring our independence from the Industrial Revolution, v. 2.0.
Crazy stuff, I know. It makes my role as a programmer all the more odd, but I'm okay with it.
The fact of the matter is that I'm particularly bad at using the PC for little other than the Internet-based programming that I do. This is why I sternly maintain, in the face of enormous pressures from the Windows users of the universe, that I'm not a computer guy — I'm just a programmer.
Got a Windows question? Call Bill.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
Brilliant post - one totally understands:)
2 - Elvira Black
LOLOL!
Doesn't matter what you say, Brian--I will forever imagine you as that nerdy yet dishy "computer expert" from those AOL commercials (Spam? Blocked! Spyware? Zapped!). On alternate days, I will envision you parachuting down from the sky to save me and my ilk a la Geek Squad.
Um, do I get any points for using a Mac?
3 - Brian Sorrell
Mac = very cool, hence big points.
I like the vision of me parachuting, showering the world with frantic obscenities, wondering how I ever got in such a pickle. This is much like programming :)
4 - JELIEL
Sublime post. Well inspired.
But as a computer geek with a snappy title I'll say that most coders are not techies, they have delusions of techiness ;-) I couldn't code a hello world app. But leave the networking to me...
5 - Mark Saleski
great post. as a software engineer, i have the problem of convincing people that i'm NOT a techie.
folks assume that because i write software i'm the guy to ask when they have trouble installing a new soundcard or..well, take your pick of hardware/windows troubles.
no way. i stay away from that stuff.
ps. this browswer is running on a linux machine. maybe not as cool as a mac, but cool enough.
6 - Lisa McKay
Brian, as a New Havener, I'm interested in knowing one thing - Pepe's or Sally's?
7 - Mark Saleski
New Haven? woa...i haven't been to Toad's Place in years (ok...make that 'decades')
8 - Brian Sorrell
Lisa, I grew up just outside the south end of Hartford, so for me it was always Vito's or Luna. I can't remember now whether Pepe's or Sally's, but let me tell you, this California Pizza Kitchen is pure junk. Blech!!!
If you can send me just a slice of Vito's... Mmmmm, with roasted peppers :)
(Linux + Firefox = Internet heaven)
9 - reggie von woic
LOL!!!
That conversation-hillarious. I'd probably have swung a punch by the third question.
Well i'm not a programmer or a techie, but this post does apply to other stuff i go through.
Great Read!!
10 - Joanie
Bravo!
Rat fur pizza, indeed.
11 - jeckil
get the "No I wont' fix your computer" shirt from think g33k.. So far it has helped wonders.
12 - Niels
Nice article. One way to solve your problem is to wear this *wonderful* T-shirt ;)
13 - Abe Froman
I stopped telling people I work on computers and that I'm a proctologist. People don't ask me for help anymore.
14 - Ryan Azar
Very nice post. I aggree entirely. It is frusterating when someone asks me a question about an app I have never used before, then gets offended when I say "I don't know." Good to know it doesn't only happen to me :)
15 - Rectangleboy
you'd make a great teacher.
16 - dougie
I know your pain.
17 - The Crow
Yeah CPK sucks. There are plenty of small mom and pop pizza joints in Riverside that have great pizza. Sire’s? Seriously I hope you only go there because it is in walking distance. Loved the article.
18 - Brian Sorrell
True Crow, there are some good places for pie -- that I can't deny. I'm just saying that by-and-large, you have to search, unlike the east coast where everywhere is amazing.
Yeah, the Sire is so bad that it looped back to good -- after a few of their ridiculously stiff beverages. And what with the new plaza, there are better places to wash away programming-pain. Within walking distance. Thank god for walking distance!
Glad you all are enjoying the read :)
19 - Brian Sorrell
I can't tell if that's a personal attack or an attack on grammar....?? Hmmm....
20 - luckyrucksack
"ritious"?
Jeezus.
21 - Aaman
I like the idea of posting a 'blogabout' - the Australian aborigines have a 'walkabout', and one learns much about oneself from a 'walkabout' - perhaps a 'blogabout' can be similar
22 - Christian Gerefalk
I am a designer / light programmer in a windows enviroment and I to feel the pain, The difference is that I'm very knowlagable in the ways of the windows, Mosty due to lack of funds to aquire a mac.
I'm my family's, my friend's, my relative's my close family's friend's personal tech support.
While I most of the time can nail, and fix the issue really quickly most of them doesn't seem to realise I have better things to spend my time on. And most of them seems to think I'm some kind of magician since they at times demand I fix stuff beyond what a mortal can do. Like make this WinME install more stable and fast... O_o
Sorry for the horrid English, It's late and it's not my native language.
23 - Robert Accettura
I feel your pain.
I'm in the exact same position quite often. And really don't appreciate it.
24 - jojomonkey
LOL,
I know exactly what you mean dude!
I'm a complete Linux user (been for some 8 years now) and though in the beginning I used to like helping people w/ their computer problems (err, Windows problems) when asked about such things now I usually say the same : "I don't know". Now, it doesn't mean that people like us couldn't figure it out, it's more of an attitude like "Why, should I care, I don't spend my time stressing myself w/ an OS that never works when you want it and works somewhat when you don't need it".
I also agree that at times many of the computer gadgets around us are useless and we shouldn't be replacing IM w/ interacting w/ real people, etc...
Nice blog entry, enjoyed it.
Take Care,
25 - Emanuel
I find it odd that you answer all questions with a simple "I don't know", maybe your just lazy? You could always give an educated guess as to why their computer is acting up, when your profession is engineering software you do tend to have an understanding of it's inner workings.