It's difficult to pick up satire coming from someone you're not familiar with. It's even more difficult if the person fits a stereotype (justified or not) of someone who would actually write a serious piece about the subject.
$20 says he uses a computer at work. And that computer most likely connects to the office network. And to get onto that network you most likely need a login & password. And you can even go one step farther. At my last job our laptops were password protected at start up.
And, as a frighteningly few number of ATOT'ers have stated, Rooney's piece was tongue-in-cheek. I found it funny, if a bit unoriginal at times (the "press start to shut down" line is probably as old as Win95).
Lethal
Rooney just needs to find something to bitch about every week. For a real bad mark on 60 Minutes find the transcripts from a piece they did a couple of weeks ago on file sharing. They need to stick with politics and social matters, computer tech is obviously beyond their ability to accurately report on.
edit: here it is
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/31/60minutes/main581153.shtml
edit: here it is
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/31/60minutes/main581153.shtml
Originally posted by: luvly
Jeeeeeeeeeeeeezuuuuuuuuuuus! Are you guys this geeky or nerdy that you take things that concern the computer personal and cannot even find humour in teases?Thank God I'm not forced to live with you guys!
No wonder many of you cry your hearts out about being unable to approach chicks. I don't think many sound girls would like guys with such dull sense of humour!
Oh my God, I agree with luvly. Kind of harsh on the guys though, aren't you?
AreaCode707
Lifer
- Sep 21, 2001
- 18,447
- 133
- 106
I don't know how to repair too many things on a car... but when I need to I either learn how to or let someone else handle it... I don't go buy a new car. I've never had a broken washing machine, so I can't say that I do or don't know how to repair them. Comparing a 15 cent ink pen to a thousand dollar computer is stupid. Additionally, a pen is DESIGNED that way. It's designed to be cheap so you CAN throw it out when you are done. Your whole argument got shot to hell when you said that because computers aren't designed to be replaced often.
It doesn't take any skill, save for knowing how to use google, to learn how to fix problems with computers, or at least get a good idea of what the problem is... enough to know you don't need a new one. It doesn't take any more than 20-30 minutes to find some sortof answer to your problem, or a start in the right direction. Even then, even if you lived next door to a Best Buy, it would still take twice that much time to go over there and drop down the money for a new PC, take it home and hook it up. Not to mention that you just used a few hundred work hours to pay for it. So while you are trying to make me look like some jackass just saying he sucks with computers, the truth is that any moron could fix the problem in less money and time than it would take to get a new computer. What was it he said, 7 computers in 6 years? That's just crazy. He clearly even broke your statement, that you could pay someone to repair it. He didn't. he just got a new one. People don't go out and buy new cars everytime it makes a funny noise or because they don't like the placement of the cup holder.
"Additionally, a pen is DESIGNED that way. It's designed to be cheap so you CAN throw it out when you are done. Your whole argument got shot to hell when you said that because computers aren't designed to be replaced often."
Define often? If Rooney's average of about once a year is too much, what's right? How about 2 years? That's probably low around here, high for an office. Three years? So he should have only replaced his once? Of course you can replace the CPU and upgrade the ram, HD, etc if you know how, or if you have a local shop, if you know that those things can be replaced - if they can be upgraded (looked like he had some laptops there and some that looked like luggage). And you'd still have to compare the cost of the upgrades against the purchase price of a new one.
"It doesn't take any skill, save for knowing how to use google, to learn how to fix problems with computers, or at least get a good idea of what the problem is... enough to know you don't need a new one."
First you'd have to know what google was. This is assuming you have internet access. This is also assuming your computer is working well enough to get on the internet. Then you have to have some idea what the problem is. Say you tried to copy a file and got "Cannot copy file.ext: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)" Ok, I'll enter that in google. Pretend I'm Rooney here.
37,000 results. First one from Iomega. I click it, it tells me to put another disk in. What's an Iomega? How do I put another disk in? This can't be the right page, I'll try again. Next listing is from a forum where Kevin Van Workum, PhD, is having the same problem. I click the followup, some other guy I don't know named Cliff Hones is telling this PhD who is having as many problems as me that his hardware is broken. This is the first sign I'm going to end up buying something anyway even after doing this google thing. Now Cliff is saying to run scandisk. He even tells me how "right-click the drive; select properties, then error-checking
under tools)"...right click the drive? Huh? Maybe I should go out in the hallway and ask someone else what it means to right click a drive.
You and I know what that means, Rooney and a heck of a lot of others don't. And scandisk isn't going to fix his problem anyway, though if he follows the advice he found on google he'd spend an hour or two doing that before finding he still couldn't copy his file and still wouldn't know what a CRC error is or how to get the file copied. Or why RealPlayer performed an illegal operation while he was listening to a Dance and Techno radio station over the net.
If he spends just an hour a week (reading and fixing time) - using that original six year old computer that's $22.40 he's 'saving' by fixing instead of buying new. $19.23 if he, like most, would have replaced it at least once. Now if Rooney's net pay is less than $46k and he could get by with a six year old computer then yeah, it makes sense for him to spend an hour a week learning how to fix his computer and spend the time fixing instead of replacing it. He doesn't get new computers, but he saves that much by keeping the old one going so it's like picking up an extra hour at work each week to research and fix. I suspect he probably makes more and values his personal time enough that it's really not worth it to him though or thinks twenty bucks a week is a cheap bill to avoid becoming a geek. Or maybe he is....idiot, ass, incompetent, dumb***, ignorant, senile....as described here. Personally I think he's amusing, but I get his style.
This is all assuming these are his computers, not CBS's, and that they were all retired because of BSOD, not coffee spillage or because that tiny keyboard aggrivated his carpel tunnel. And his humorous commentary on computers being screwed up would still apply.
Define often? If Rooney's average of about once a year is too much, what's right? How about 2 years? That's probably low around here, high for an office. Three years? So he should have only replaced his once? Of course you can replace the CPU and upgrade the ram, HD, etc if you know how, or if you have a local shop, if you know that those things can be replaced - if they can be upgraded (looked like he had some laptops there and some that looked like luggage). And you'd still have to compare the cost of the upgrades against the purchase price of a new one.
"It doesn't take any skill, save for knowing how to use google, to learn how to fix problems with computers, or at least get a good idea of what the problem is... enough to know you don't need a new one."
First you'd have to know what google was. This is assuming you have internet access. This is also assuming your computer is working well enough to get on the internet. Then you have to have some idea what the problem is. Say you tried to copy a file and got "Cannot copy file.ext: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)" Ok, I'll enter that in google. Pretend I'm Rooney here.
37,000 results. First one from Iomega. I click it, it tells me to put another disk in. What's an Iomega? How do I put another disk in? This can't be the right page, I'll try again. Next listing is from a forum where Kevin Van Workum, PhD, is having the same problem. I click the followup, some other guy I don't know named Cliff Hones is telling this PhD who is having as many problems as me that his hardware is broken. This is the first sign I'm going to end up buying something anyway even after doing this google thing. Now Cliff is saying to run scandisk. He even tells me how "right-click the drive; select properties, then error-checking
under tools)"...right click the drive? Huh? Maybe I should go out in the hallway and ask someone else what it means to right click a drive.
You and I know what that means, Rooney and a heck of a lot of others don't. And scandisk isn't going to fix his problem anyway, though if he follows the advice he found on google he'd spend an hour or two doing that before finding he still couldn't copy his file and still wouldn't know what a CRC error is or how to get the file copied. Or why RealPlayer performed an illegal operation while he was listening to a Dance and Techno radio station over the net.
If he spends just an hour a week (reading and fixing time) - using that original six year old computer that's $22.40 he's 'saving' by fixing instead of buying new. $19.23 if he, like most, would have replaced it at least once. Now if Rooney's net pay is less than $46k and he could get by with a six year old computer then yeah, it makes sense for him to spend an hour a week learning how to fix his computer and spend the time fixing instead of replacing it. He doesn't get new computers, but he saves that much by keeping the old one going so it's like picking up an extra hour at work each week to research and fix. I suspect he probably makes more and values his personal time enough that it's really not worth it to him though or thinks twenty bucks a week is a cheap bill to avoid becoming a geek. Or maybe he is....idiot, ass, incompetent, dumb***, ignorant, senile....as described here. Personally I think he's amusing, but I get his style.
This is all assuming these are his computers, not CBS's, and that they were all retired because of BSOD, not coffee spillage or because that tiny keyboard aggrivated his carpel tunnel. And his humorous commentary on computers being screwed up would still apply.
silverpig
Lifer
- Jul 29, 2001
- 27,703
- 12
- 81
Ever see his piece on the cans of assorted nuts? He did an analysys of how many you get of each type, what the prices for each nut were, and said it figured that there were a million peanuts in the cans because they were the cheapest, and the rest of the nuts were distributed in their frequency by the price per nut... yada yada yada, so he went on for a few minutes about this. Right at the end he says: "And if you're wondering what possessed me to do a study on the economics of nuts, let me just ask you one question: What did you do with your weekend that was really all that important?"
0roo0roo
No Lifer
- Sep 21, 2002
- 64,795
- 84
- 91
Originally posted by: silverpig
Ever see his piece on the cans of assorted nuts? He did an analysys of how many you get of each type, what the prices for each nut were, and said it figured that there were a million peanuts in the cans because they were the cheapest, and the rest of the nuts were distributed in their frequency by the price per nut... yada yada yada, so he went on for a few minutes about this. Right at the end he says: "And if you're wondering what possessed me to do a study on the economics of nuts, let me just ask you one question: What did you do with your weekend that was really all that important?"
yea that one was funny
which is why todays was so out of character, its like he didn't ask anyone with reasonable knowledge about computers. no research
Yeah, certainly wasn't his best. I didn't think he was 'way way' off, though blaming it all on Bill Gates was stretching the elastic limit of comedy even as much as it seems most everyone likes to blame Bill Gates for something. Thought the comments here were 'way way' though.
Originally posted by: luvly
"Is that your latest claim now? How do you explain the beard?"
Come on, come on now, dude! Show me your authentic picture now. I imagine you're as ugly as your attitude . . . not that you would be an exception to nerds. How much do you weigh again? I forget. My guess is that you weigh as much as the nerds who cannot believe there are naturally well-shaped people and those who work hard to look that way. You have pictures to go? Or are you too shy and camouflage with your nasty attitude and assumption that no one is hot-looking, intelligent and well-mannered?
Oh yeah, since you think I care what you think rather than laugh hard reading you make a nuisance of yourself, let's try this new story to please you: I'm a transsexual who considers herself lesbian. Happy now, hon'? Got a problem with hot-looking transsexuals who beat your appearance? Sorry, hon'. I'll tone down to make you happy.
This coming from someone who's gender cannot be distinguished due to the rolls of fat hiding all distinguising sexual characteristics, while also claiming to be female, a law student, and a super model? You ought to date PCResources, except he got killed in Afghanistan, although he was busted later when he logged back in to see how people were taking his death.
By the way, wouldn't transsexual homophobe be a better descriptor than "a transsexual who considers herself lesbian?"
"This coming from someone who's gender cannot be distinguished due to the rolls of fat hiding all distinguising sexual characteristics, while also claiming to be female, a law student, and a super model? You ought to date PCResources, except he got killed in Afghanistan, although he was busted later when he logged back in to see how people were taking his death.
By the way, wouldn't transsexual homophobe be a better descriptor than 'a transsexual who considers herself lesbian?'"
Come on, bring it on brotha'. Are you still so timid and ashamed to share your pic, knowing you're a reflection of the description you gave above? You can't stand to see tall, lanky people who're blessed naturally, thanks to their grandparents, eh?
Your attempted insults are so weak and don't make a single sense. You have 1 day to redeem yourself either by sharing your authentic picture, apologising or shutting your trap before you get [permanently] canned. Let the clock begin: 24 hrs 00 secs . . . 23 hrs 59 sec . . . 23 hrs 58 secs. . . .
By the way, wouldn't transsexual homophobe be a better descriptor than 'a transsexual who considers herself lesbian?'"
Come on, bring it on brotha'. Are you still so timid and ashamed to share your pic, knowing you're a reflection of the description you gave above? You can't stand to see tall, lanky people who're blessed naturally, thanks to their grandparents, eh?
Your attempted insults are so weak and don't make a single sense. You have 1 day to redeem yourself either by sharing your authentic picture, apologising or shutting your trap before you get [permanently] canned. Let the clock begin: 24 hrs 00 secs . . . 23 hrs 59 sec . . . 23 hrs 58 secs. . . .
Thank God someone else here knows Rooney is a satirist!
The rest of you in this forum are just showing off your own ignorance!
Read some of Rooney's other material. It's all satire, folks!
Yep, and a rather socially satirical piece at that.
Go Andy Rooney!
Oh yes. And old Andy Rooney has been at it for a long time.
This is offtopic to the thread, but I completely agree XZero. Standardizing computers without finding the best possible method first is a really really stupid idea.
As for the thread topic, satire is only funny if it is remotely accurate.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 24K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter