Comfort Zone

Microsoft is coming out with a new version of Windows. There's bruhaha because the launch date has been pushed back and there was just breaking news about a massive restructure of the Windows group as a result. Who cares? The longer it takes for that new software to come out the happier I'll be.

I spend hours at day at the computer, live and die by my high speed connection and can't remember life before the Internet (thanks again, Al). But I'm also something of a Luddite. Or at least, I hate when The Spouse feels compelled to upgrade our software. I get used to things looking a certain way, knowing which icons mean what and how to get my computer to do the limited number of things I require of it. I'm not geek enough to get excited about Microsoft messing with my comfort zone.

From what I can tell, there have been no significant changes to Windows in the last 10 years. If ever. All they do is move stuff around, rename it, change the colors and maybe, just to justify the purchase price, add an animated paper clip or puppy dog as a "help" feature. (I type, "Dear John" and Annoying McAnnoyerson pops up and says, "It looks like you're writing a letter! What would you like to do?" Write the flippin' letter without your perky little dog butt in my face, that's what!) And I, so deeply embedded in my ways, get frustrated and inordinantly angry because I have to change my way of doing things, even if ever so slightly. (I hate when there's a new version of Quicken, too. Man, I hate that).

I don't like learning curves, however gently they slope. Left to my own devices, I'd still be using DOS commands. I appreciate certain technical advances, like that computer screens no longer glow orange and that laptops get sleeker and sleeker. I admit to having been the driving force behind the purchase of a very expensive set of Bang Olufsen phones for no other reason than they were sexy. I am a sucker for good design and pretty packaging. But that works best for toiletries and kitchenware. Microsoft could put their new Windows software in a Chinese rice paper wrapper, hand emboss it with a fleur de lis, wrap it with a grass green cloth ribbon and seal it with lavendar scented wax and I still wouldn't be excited about the fact that I have to relearn to use something that was working just fine before they decided to move everything around.

Omigosh. I am nettled by software upgrades. The Spouse sighs and rolls his eyes when I rearrange the house. The reason is pretty much the same: someone messed with what was familiar and comfortable. Right then. I will steel myself to embrace change. I will not be a stodgy puss when Windows Vista finally launches. 'Cause, honey, I'm sure as heck not going to stop redecorating.