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We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

techxplore.com

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Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#221

Post by ilyt »

datavirtue wrote: post #29
IshKebab wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I have to really fight people when I try to write robust software. "Why are you writing a proper parser when a hacky regex that I thought about for 2 seconds worked the one time I tested it? You're wasting time." They don't understand that I'm not wasting time, I'm just choosing to spend a little bit of time earlier, because I don't like spending a lot of time later when debugging why everything broke.

Same here. I stopped suggesting robustness because no one cares.

I just include writing robust code in my estimates and don't tell anyone.

Shoddy code only happens in "the production is on actual fire, not manager-imagined fire" fixes and not for long.

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#222

Post by thunky »

figassis wrote: post #81

I know this will get some downvotes, but I'm the IT person in my close family. Used to get calls all the time to fix slow laptops, CD drives not working, keyboard not working, system not booting, popups everywhere, apps crashing, you name it. Each would take insane amounts of time to troubleshoot. And then sometimes their machines just needed to be upgraded because they were running the new office, and the new skype…

> Then I bought macs for everyone

Chromebooks would have been cheaper.

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#223

Post by ilyt »

jeroenhd wrote: post #105
figassis wrote: post #81

I know this will get some downvotes, but I'm the IT person in my close family. Used to get calls all the time to fix slow laptops, CD drives not working, keyboard not working, system not booting, popups everywhere, apps crashing, you name it. Each would take insane amounts of time to troubleshoot. And then sometimes their machines just needed to be upgraded because they were running the new office, and the new skype…

> they just wanted a quick fix, not spend $$$. > Then I bought macs for everyone I bet you would've gotten similar results if you spent the same amount of money on Windows computers. For example, my dad is using an 8 year old Windows computer that he got second hand. It works absolutely fine because it wasn't underspecced at the time it was produced. People underestimate the difference investing in good hardware make…

That's more to your dad not managing to install any crapware many computer-clueless users get baited into rather than hardware itself.

Even the bottom line machines nowadays are perfectly fine for "living" (internet, multimedia, office apps etc.).

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#224

Post by ilyt »

tivert wrote: post #133
globalreset wrote: post #9

Isn't that expected and natural? As performance of a system is being optimized, the relative size of un-optimizable parts goes up. Sure, your banking app crashes sometimes and annoys you. How about you delete it and instead take a bus to a postal office to pay your bills this way - no annoying apps involved, it will just take 1h instead of 1m.

> Sure, your banking app crashes sometimes and annoys you. How about you delete it and instead take a bus to a postal office to pay your bills this way - no annoying apps involved, it will just take 1h instead of 1m. Huh? Have ever actually paid a bill without using a computer? It doesn't work like you describe at all (unless you live in a really rural area or you're deliberately trying to make it difficult for yours…

The fuck is a "check" ? We don't have those here for decades.

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#225

Post by ilyt »

zapdrive wrote: post #97

As someone hosting my own smart home (Home Assistant), NVR for cctv (frigate), cloud (NextCloud), file syncing (Syncthing), plus various others things like pihole, etc. and giving tech support to all my family members who are using all these services, I think it's more than 20% of my time! But it's totally worth it.

I haven't touched my NAS for months. Just Debian dist-upgrade once every 2 years

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#226

Post by baremetal »

figassis wrote: post #81

I know this will get some downvotes, but I'm the IT person in my close family. Used to get calls all the time to fix slow laptops, CD drives not working, keyboard not working, system not booting, popups everywhere, apps crashing, you name it. Each would take insane amounts of time to troubleshoot. And then sometimes their machines just needed to be upgraded because they were running the new office, and the new skype…

I put my parents on Linux about 10 years ago.

They don't know the difference. And I rarely if ever have to fix anything.

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#229

Post by jay_kyburz »

manicennui wrote: post #177
jeroenhd wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> they just wanted a quick fix, not spend $$$. > Then I bought macs for everyone I bet you would've gotten similar results if you spent the same amount of money on Windows computers. For example, my dad is using an 8 year old Windows computer that he got second hand. It works absolutely fine because it wasn't underspecced at the time it was produced. People underestimate the difference investing in good hardware make…

Who exactly sells Windows machines with good hardware?

If you want a fair comparison with Apple laptops, you should compare them to Windows Surface laptops.

Re: We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study

#230

Post by nradov »

iso1631 wrote: post #91
gAI wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm detecting a lack of synergy here.

The helicopter view says that I need to implement my change and move on before the shit hits the fan. The next person to take over will blame everything on "the previous guy", quite rightly, but I won't care as I'll have taken my promotion and be to busy blaming everything at the new company on the previous guy.

Make sure to leave 3 envelopes for the next guy.

https://kevinkruse.com/the-ceo-and-the-three-envelopes/

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