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When You're Windows Are Broken Don't Be Surprised If You Feel The ecolonomics Paul Mobbs' newsletter of thoughts, ideas and observations on energy, economics and human ecology http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/ecolonomics/ [email protected] When You're Windows are Broken don't be Surprised if you Feel the Cold Draught of Distress The phone rings; against the background noise of a call centre a young man says, “I am phoning about your Windows computer”. I reply casually, “I don't have a Windoze com- puter” (I always make an effort to nasally sound the 'z' consonant). He apologises and rings off. Later his simple statement begins to bother me; why would anyone assume an automatic connection between the concepts “Windows” and “computer” when clearly Windoze is one of the worst operating systems that you can load onto a computer in order to use it creatively? Banbury, Thursday 23rd December 2010. I'm sitting in my office below the skylight. This I don't want to be here. There are so many oth- pretty much typifies my existence for the last few er more interesting things I could be doing months. However, whilst usually I'm labouring here today; as I sit looking through my window on the on behalf of someone else today I'm labouring here snowy-white world I'd certainly rather be out- for myself. It's nearly Christmas and, as usual (it's side. I'm here for one simple reason – it's neces- the quiet point in the year), I'm conducting my annu- sary. Whether I like it or not, I need computers to al systems back-up, re-stall and reload pantomime. support my work; and, in order to provide that techni- I am sitting in front of three flat panel screens, cal support, I have to keep my information systems each connected to a computer; a fourth computer, organised, maintained and operating reliably. For my main file server, sits in the corner of the room that reason I continue to sit here when my desires without a screen attached; a fifth computer else- would have me be elsewhere. When this job is done where in the house is also connected into this digital I'll have the rest of the year free to do other things. menagerie. Together these computers and the Unlike many computer users around the world I cabled network that connects them make up my have an intimate relationship with my equipment. I “critical information infrastructure”; one main work build, service, install and maintain it myself – I pretty machine, one general data processing purpose much always have since I started using computers. machine, one slave machine and a file server. The We've recently bought a “new” machine for the fami- total hard disc storage capacity on the network is ly, but I've re-built it to make it a little more powerful just over four terabytes, but as part of this refit cycle and I'm now installing and configuring it to work with- I'm more than doubling that to over eight terabytes. in the network of machines it has now become a At the same time I clean and de-fluff the fans, heat member of. The old “family” machine will be stripped sinks and power supplies, and upgrade to the latest down and turned into a new file server. Finally, in version of my chosen operating system. An annual this shunting of roles, the old file server will be “put chore, yes, and a few days of tedium whilst I'm wait- out to pasture”, becoming the 'new' machine for my ing for data to move around the system, certainly, work teaching computer recycling and maintenance1. but it ensures reliable operation for the coming year. For most people computers are a “black box”2. As far as my computers are concerned 2011 is a You turn them on, they beep, give you a pretty pic- special anniversary – it's a decade since I stopped ture and – in perhaps the greatest deception of the using Windoze completely. I think I need to share a computer industry today – they show you the Win- little information about why that makes me so happy, doze splash screen (note, from now on I will use the and question why people use Windoze at all! term 'Windoze' deliberately in order to differentiate ecolonomics No.9, Thursday 23rd December 2010 page 1 Microsoft's™ Windows ™ 3 operating system from the arbitrary restrictions being placed on your work, not word usually associated with the fenestration simply a geeky debate over proprietary code13 ver- elements4 of buildings and other structures). Win- sus free software14. doze is not the only computer operating system; in As I wait for data to move around the network I'm my view it's not the best operating system; more typing these words on my main work laptop – a dual importantly from the point of what follows, loading core two gigahertz laptop running Fedora Linux 1215. Windoze is possibly the worst operating system any This will be the last job I carry out on this system as, person can use if they want to use their computer once I've cloned it's file system onto a directory with- cheaply, reliably and securely to enable them to be a in two terabytes of hard disc of the new “family” more expressive and creative individual. machine, I'll wipe the whole system and re-install I could talk about the Apple Mackintosh5, but I with Fedora 1416. Apart from the time sat here, and won't. For reasons I'll outline later, the development the time to make a couple of DVDs and download of Apple's operating system has taken an interesting some programs17 from the 'Net, this will cost me twist in recent years. Instead I'll concentrate on Win- nothing. Not only that, the DVDs I have created for doze because it raises questions about the role of this installation will be copied and freely distributed technology within society, and the symbiosis at computer training/recycling workshops over the between the latest trends in economics and employ- coming year; and again, I will face no charge or ment and the development of computer software; sanction for doing so, and nor will the people who perhaps more importantly, how individuals perceive use that software. How can this be? Well, it's all their own selves and their potential within this about freedom. greater technological system. My first computer was a ZX80 kit18. As a young The launch, last year, of Microsoft's “life without teenager I liked to go “skipping”19 – rifling walls”6 media campaign was an attempt to turn Win- through the waste skips of the local industrial doze into a lifestyle brand – rather like Apple, Sony estates looking for bits and pieces I could use in or Virgin. It's “I'm a PC”7 advertising campaign (inter- my engineering projects, or take down to the estingly, created using Mackintosh computers8) scrap yard and sell for money (today people use developed this association by directly identifying the the rather crude American phrase, 'dumpster use of PC computers with Microsoft's software prod- diving'). On one of these trips I found a half-assem- ucts. Like many other forms of brand management bled kit for a ZX80 computer. Getting it working, and (as I discussed in the last ecolonomics9), the infor- later that year using the “new” Apple II20 computers mation that brand advertising conveys is meaning- at school, and then getting the seemingly powerful less; it says nothing about the software, nor how well technicolour ZX Spectrum21 at home, launched me it performs the functions that people demand of it. into the world of computers. What was important Brand advertising is always self-referencing, or refer- about this process was that the relationship I had to ences an abstract or conceptual set of ideas that can this technology wasn't simply 'consuming' the prod- never be realistically demonstrated. In a world where uct; in order to do what I wanted to do with these economists believe that we all make 'informed' new gadgets I had to understand the electronics judgements to keep the market operating within. Strangely I found that they were even simpler efficiently10, is it any wonder that things have gone a to manipulate than the radio and audio circuits I was little weird lately? also experimenting with at that time. They were like The reality is that Microsoft is marketing an electronic stickle bricks – you connected circuit com- approach to computer systems that's not 'pro the ponents together and they'd usually work. individual', but instead puts emphasis on corporate Today I often teach novice computer users to values above the creative desires of the individual. It assemble a PC computer – the essential first stage is true that many responses to the Windoze versus to being able to recycle and reuse older computer Mac versus Linux issue can be equally shallow11, or equipment to meet your needs or develop more absurd12, because in practice this isn't about the technical/community projects. After I've given a short technology involved, or the programs, it's the eco- description and demonstration, in nine out of ten nomic and political paradigm within which these sys- cases when they 'go solo' they get it right first time. tems operate. How Windoze monopolises desk- Typically they'll spend a few minutes plugging top operating systems, and the way in which the boards and cables into the motherboard, and then software influences people's ability to connecting-up hard discs and DVD drives, and then use the computer hardware, has far they switch on.
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