- Jan 13, 2007
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In the thread about having fun by beating a system builders price, it came up that for the majority of computer users, its wise that they spend the extra $200 having the support provided by a manufacturer because most people simply cannot work on a computer themselves.
Whats strikes me odd though is that building and understanding a computer is relatively simple. Take me for instance. I'm not a chemist, or an computer science major. I have zero understanding of how the processor communicates with the thingamabobs that do stuff inside the computer. I hardly even quite understand what makes a SATA link so fast. In fact, do I even know what SATA means? I think so: Serial ATA. What the hell ATA is, I dont know.
But I can still build a computer and maintain it! Most people who work on their own cars or are mechanics in the field have little understanding of the physics behind how a car works, but they can still change the oil, install spark plugs, fill anti freeze, etc. My point is, that even if Im not a genius, a computer is actually fairly simple to build. And in todays world, all you really need to know is how to turn a screwdriver, and use your fingers.
Installing a processor? Just put it in so that it matches the diagram in the booklet, and you are good. RAM? Do I even have to say to line up the RAM with the slot and press down firmly but evenly? Graphics Card? pop out the old one and press the other one in. Hard drive? Unscrew it from the case, unattach the cable, and then put the cable to the new drive and screw the new drive in to place.
Now I know that there are people who would say "where into place" when I talk about the harddrive. But really, how can those people exist I wonder, and how can anyone of moderate intelligence not be able to read a hardware guide like whats on Toms and do it themselves? Or just look at this forum community: a wonderful place to learn things.
And some people I know will need help with software: not being a software person myself sometimes I run into that. Well, just load up on high quality anti virus, run spybot everyday, and you are good. Mess your harddrive up on P2P programs? Harddrives are as low as $45 for 160 gigabytes, and if you have a retail version of your OS, just wipe out the harddrive. Its literally just button clicking and pressing, nothing is required in terms of intelligence.
I've read about people in tribal regions of Africa who can build a computer. And that has nothing against people living in tribal areas, but it speaks volumes when someone who has never gone to high school (no high school to go to) and may of lived close to starvation most their life can install RAM, and a soccer mom who went to college only to end up carrying the kids of some loser cannot.
Favorite horror story: "Allen, my computer is sparking right after I put in a memory chip. Is that supposed to happen? Umm it looks like it may have some fire on it now"
My response: "NO THATS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, WHY THE HELL WOULD IT? TURN IT OFF!"
Anyone else here ever feel that being of mediocre intelligence makes you smarter than half the world?
Whats strikes me odd though is that building and understanding a computer is relatively simple. Take me for instance. I'm not a chemist, or an computer science major. I have zero understanding of how the processor communicates with the thingamabobs that do stuff inside the computer. I hardly even quite understand what makes a SATA link so fast. In fact, do I even know what SATA means? I think so: Serial ATA. What the hell ATA is, I dont know.
But I can still build a computer and maintain it! Most people who work on their own cars or are mechanics in the field have little understanding of the physics behind how a car works, but they can still change the oil, install spark plugs, fill anti freeze, etc. My point is, that even if Im not a genius, a computer is actually fairly simple to build. And in todays world, all you really need to know is how to turn a screwdriver, and use your fingers.
Installing a processor? Just put it in so that it matches the diagram in the booklet, and you are good. RAM? Do I even have to say to line up the RAM with the slot and press down firmly but evenly? Graphics Card? pop out the old one and press the other one in. Hard drive? Unscrew it from the case, unattach the cable, and then put the cable to the new drive and screw the new drive in to place.
Now I know that there are people who would say "where into place" when I talk about the harddrive. But really, how can those people exist I wonder, and how can anyone of moderate intelligence not be able to read a hardware guide like whats on Toms and do it themselves? Or just look at this forum community: a wonderful place to learn things.
And some people I know will need help with software: not being a software person myself sometimes I run into that. Well, just load up on high quality anti virus, run spybot everyday, and you are good. Mess your harddrive up on P2P programs? Harddrives are as low as $45 for 160 gigabytes, and if you have a retail version of your OS, just wipe out the harddrive. Its literally just button clicking and pressing, nothing is required in terms of intelligence.
I've read about people in tribal regions of Africa who can build a computer. And that has nothing against people living in tribal areas, but it speaks volumes when someone who has never gone to high school (no high school to go to) and may of lived close to starvation most their life can install RAM, and a soccer mom who went to college only to end up carrying the kids of some loser cannot.
Favorite horror story: "Allen, my computer is sparking right after I put in a memory chip. Is that supposed to happen? Umm it looks like it may have some fire on it now"
My response: "NO THATS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, WHY THE HELL WOULD IT? TURN IT OFF!"
Anyone else here ever feel that being of mediocre intelligence makes you smarter than half the world?
. I am pretty comfortable messing with the guts of a computer. I get nervous inside them hoping I don't break off a capacitor or something, but I never have. I am not the type that is very careful inside a computer. I never wear the static bracelets and I do some of my own customizations like adding fans to things that don't really need it in my poor 4 year old rig. I run my desktop as a game server and it hasn't died in the 7 months that I have been running it. But basically, I'm not afraid to do my own work, and I'd rather do my own work rather than having a "professional" do it. I had one come out to replace the motherboard (due to my IEE1394 port breaking) in my laptop because I would void the warranty, and he didn't fully seat my processor. I called Dell and they allowed me to take it apart. I never had any instructions and I fixed it within 20 minutes.
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