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I would much rather dig into the registry and fix things, if necessary. But I can see where people might view a PC the same way they do a toaster or a microwave.. it either works, or it doesn't. And if it doesn't just replace it.
hmmmm, registration might be required to view the article. The first page was available from G News.
...desktop computer was overrun by spyware and adware - stealth software that delivers intrusive advertising messages and even gathers data from the user's machine - he did not simply get rid of the offending programs. He threw out the whole computer.
...an Internet industry executive who holds a Ph.D. in computer science, decided that rather than take the time to remove the offending software, he would spend $400 on a new machine.
He is not alone in his surrender in the face of growing legions of digital pests, not only adware and spyware but computer viruses and other Internet-borne infections as well. Many PC owners are simply replacing embattled machines rather than fixing them.
Regarding the subject matter, it may well spell the end of all that the industry has been working towards. You can now easily 'plug and play' most parts of your PC, even down to the CPU. Hotswaps, autoconfiguration, and automatic driver downloads are all geared around easy home upgrades and the addition of peripherals, not to mention making a computer technician's job easier for the more standard work.
If people start just throwing out a computer and getting a new one as soon as they have the smallest of problems then there is no need to have this high level of interchangability and standards compliance. May as well solder everything down and weld the case shut. (And let's face it, there was no need to spend hours removing viruses and adware infestations when a simple wipe and reinstall would have done).
I used to think formatting the hard drive to clean house was drastic . . . . :-)
