Jesus Christ, I hate Windows.

I was a Mac user for years… and, to be clear, I’ve never been a computer ‘power user’ of any kind. I figure you can only be good at a limited number of things in life — I am fairly good at working with hand tools, plumbing, and other D.I.Y. construction projects, working with wood and metal, trapping animals like mice and squirrels, drawing and painting, etc. Pretty soon I’m going to start working on my marksmanship. To me, a computer is like a word processor that allows me to send email and edit digital pictures. Most people who consider themselves ‘computer experts’ probably would call me a ‘Luser.’ And that’s OK. When societal collapse (or zombie apocalypse) comes, all those grid-slaves will be totally fucked and I’ll finally have some skills of measurable worth.

A few years ago I needed a new computer (my Mac laptop had a bad video card and was ineligible for a 3rd replacement) AND I was taking some classes that required I use a couple of different programs that were not available for the Mac. So I said, “What the hell? How different can it be?” and bought a PC. And, 75% of the time, it was OK. But recently, every time I turn the fucking thing on, it tells me that it is ‘installing’ a program that I don’t use and didn’t want… and then it says it can’t find some resource needed for said program… so I hit ‘cancel’ and it does it again and again and again… up to a dozen times or more. First it was Norton Utilities. Then PDF Converter (which I do use (rarely)). Then ‘Sonic Media Author’ something or another. Then HP DVD something-or-another. Etc. I use ‘remove programs’ to remove the offending program and it usually does not work, so I have to search the net for a ‘removal tool’ or try to find the installer disc and remove it that way — all the while the computer is beeping and bonging at me and telling me that some resource is missing. What a pain in the fucking ass.

Plus, unlike on the Mac, system restore for Windows XP or Vista does not work. At least not for me.

Its true that the up-front cost of my XP machine and my Vista laptop were much lower. But now that both machines are out of warranty and the OS are (seemingly) less and less supported, the ‘pain in the ass’ factor is multiplied 100x.

I should note that I was a Mac user, but not a Mac lover when I had a Mac. If you had asked me at the time, I would have probably said the Mac was OK. Now that I’ve been using Windows for a few years, I love the Mac. Not because the Mac is good, but because Windows is so bad.