Walgreen's Drug Store shows a commercial which speaks of a perfect place where everything is as it should be. The world is not a perfect place and there are no perfect people in it. It stands to reason then that imperfect people in an imperfect world cannot make perfect products . Most people have long since recognized this and made accommodations for it, except in the case of computers and software. Some people believe that these items should not only be perfect but perfect in the sense of doing things their way: in concept, in technique, and even in the exact way the task is accomplished! It's never going to happen and failure to recognize it leads to huge emotional responses (panic, despair, rage, and all those various mixtures people are prone to). To enjoy a reasonably tranquil life with your computer some accommodations will have to be made. Since your computer cannot make them you're going to have to.

Making an accommodation is going to mean different things to different people and some will not even know what the word means. Many people (maybe most) will not give up their pigheaded rationalizations to save their lives. They will defend their positions come what may. They know what they know and that is all there is to it. These are the people who provide the deep sea of victims that allows malefactors to exist and flourish (make lots of money). A few individuals may be beat about the head (I'm told that is the way to get the attention of a Missouri mule) until a recognition of reality sets in, but not many. It's a sad thing but trying to educate people about anything involving protecting their computers seems to be an exercise in futility.

I've come to the conclusion that you cannot help people who, for whatever reasons, will not help their selves. Because of this, my articles for the coming year will be aimed at those who are willing to go a little further to achieve a little more. How much and how far is a matter for that accommodation I mentioned earlier. I'm sure that it will be different for each of you which is, I guess, as it should be. Just remember, you can do more than you think, so expect more from yourself. Most of you already do a great deal more than you realize when you use your programs. I hope that the articles I write will contain something to help each of those willing to stretch themselves make a little (or big) step toward that more tranquil relationship with their computer.

In this, I guess you can call it my position paper, I haven't said much about what needs to be done to achieve and maintain a stable, trouble free computer. Hopefully my upcoming articles will help you do that. I would, however, like to leave you with a little food for thought. It is said that 90% (some sources say 98%) of all computer problems come from some kind of misbehavior on the part of users. They do something they shouldn't or don't do something they should. This is usually done through ignorance, carelessness, or impatience. There is not much we can do about our nature so I suggest learning and following two rules: 1. If in doubt ____ Do Nothing, 2. Always Doubt.

You can resolve doubts and that's certainly easier to do than it is to clean up the mess that ill-advised behavior can create.

CAG