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This evening I had a pleasure to attend to my mother’s “broken” computer. “Oh, the internet doesn’t work — I can’t access my e-mail”. You know, the usual statement you really don’t want to hear. Trouble-shooting is a pain in the arse, and it’s one of the most least interesting tasks you can perform.

I jump on to her computer to start the trouble-shoot process. Immediately, I realise that someone has loaded a new operating system on the machine. Low and behold, it’s a counterfeit copy of Windows Vista. WTF? This machine was previously installed with Ubuntu Linux, an OS that my mother is most familiar with. Furthermore, she also purchased a new ADSL modem on the recommendation of whoever “fixed” her computer. Funnily enough, the internet is *still* broken. My mother explained that the “tech” took the computer and returned it to her as-is. I’ve always stressed the importance of contacting me first, but she usually relies on the advice of her [misinformed] friends. Admittedly, my mother and I aren’t particularly close — it’s not often that we talk.

At any rate, if the “tech” had bothered to diagnose anything, he’d have noticed that there is no sync between the ADSL Modem and the ISP. Wouldn’t that clearly indicate an issue with the hardware, phone line, telecommunications company; or the ISP? I’m unable to conclude how wiping a perfectly legitimate Ubuntu installation in favour of Windows Vista would “solve” her internet connection issues. I also found that he had replaced the DVD+/-RW optical drive with a CD-R optical drive. To top matters off, he had incorrectly configured the resolution for the display.

In addition, he’s wiped all of her e-mails and family photo’s. Way to go, moron. He also recommended that mother should purchase a new computer, because her existing machine is incapable of utilising Vista to it’s maximum potential. Again, WTF? FYI, it’s an AMD Athlon64 something something, with 1GB of RAM and a 80GB HDD. Mother browses the web, reads her e-mail and occasionally chats on IM. Vista… yeah right.

I’m so angry at this tech. Now I have to wipe her computer and install Ubuntu Linux again. At least installing Ubuntu Linux is 10x easier than Windows.