Service pack and assembly necessary
Despite the occasional sore thumb, I tend to be what the software industry calls “an early adopter”. Ready to plunge in to unknown waters, I install products that are not ready for prime time. A beta player. Over the last few months, Microsoft has promised to provide a Service Pack for Vista (SP2), with the goal of improving my general life and making cheap food taste better (not exactly what they promised, but software is an incubator of dreams).
I did install the RTM version, but only because it was available (unlike the RC versions). No big deal, but there was a certain frustration that I couldn’t install it on my home machine without a complete disk reformat, and that wasn’t on my list of reasonable responses. Today, the official download of SP2 was released. I captured a copy and started the process: plug in your charger, close all other applications, cross your fingers, etc. After two hours of churn, I’m now finished. No difference noted, which is probably a good thing.
Have you ever assembled a whatchamacallit? One of those things that comes with “exploded parts views” and numbered lists of pieces? Were you frustrated? Be thankful that you understood the underlying concept of following instructions. The genies of curriculum planning have removed any practical courses from the local schools, which means that we’re raising a whole generation that have no experience in putting things together.
I watched one of my significant others (nameless to protect the identity) trying to fabricate a lawnmower handle this evening. A few oddly shaped bars, some bolts and locknuts, a plan. Think of this as valuable training for life, because the fun factor was missing in action.
