Yes, tech companies suck!
Today’s my birthday (don’t ask), and I’ve decided to make another blog post here. (It’s been over a year since I posted on this blog, and I didn’t publish anything in 2023! 😲) What am I talking about today? I want to complain about Microsoft, HP, and tech manufacturers in general.
If you had asked me a few months ago, I would tell you I’d think about becoming an ambassador for Word and Microsoft Office 365. I pay $99 to use it annually (it sure beats the prices for Adobe), but I use Word daily because I rely on it for my research and writing projects. In short, I love the products (outside of Outlook and Calendar and the changes the company made to them) but hate the corporation that produces the suite. The problem has become more pronounced as of late.
This past week (years, really), I’ve had to deal with issues concerning two laptops. I use one daily and try to use the other at least once a week. They both have their own set of problems.
Here’s Some Background Information
The older computer (purchased in 2018) runs on the hard drive from the other computer (I bought it in 2021), which now runs on a solid-state drive (SSD). How did that happen? I stupidly spilled some Cran•Apple juice (or was it Cran•Grape?) on the 2021 laptop and had to rush to get a new hard drive. However, my nephew (who helped me with this issue) tested the 2021 hard drive and saw that it still functioned. He put that drive in the 2018 computer until he could clean the 2021 laptop and put the new SSD in that one.
The 2021 computer runs faster with the SSD, and the older laptop runs slowly. Due to the differences in operating speeds, I prefer to use the 2021 computer for watching videos, listening to audio, and playing games.1 Firefox also works better on the “younger” computer, and I can access Google products more easily outside of using Chrome.2
The 2018 computer has a better keyboard. So, I prefer to use the older laptop for writing, although I still use the younger machine far more. The juice made the 2021 keyboard sticky and some buttons, like the power button, ENTER, BACKSPACE, and right SHIFT keys, harder to use.3
Both computers have battery issues. The 2018 computer has a battery that hardly holds juice, so I need to have it plugged in while I use it or put it to sleep. The 2021 computer’s battery has expanded and caused cracks to develop on the laptop’s left side.4
And now both computers sometimes turn themselves on despite being in sleep mode. The problem is more pronounced with the 2021 laptop, but the one instance with the 2018 computer led to another issue and thus my rant.
And now both computers sometimes turn themselves on despite being in sleep mode. The problem is more pronounced with the 2021 laptop, but the one instance with the 2018 computer led to another issue and thus my rant.
Here’s What Happened This Past Weekend (and a Few Days Afterward)
This past weekend, I noticed that the 2018 laptop had turned itself on, so I had to open it to turn it off. But that job wasn’t so easy. It took a while for me to access the desktop, let alone do some basic tasks.
It turned out that the computer needed an update. However, I ran into some problems when trying to update the machine. For one thing, it took over an hour for the update to finish. I was so annoyed that I turned the computer off when the process concluded and left it alone for a few days. But when I tried to use the laptop again yesterday, I couldn’t open Microsoft Office 365 products.
I wasted a few hours yesterday trying to resolve that issue. That was time I could have spent reading and researching. However, that’s what I wanted to do on the 2018 laptop. And what did I try to do to resolve the issue?
- I restarted the computer several times, but that didn’t fix the problem.
- Finding available updates didn’t solve the problem, either.
- After finding help topics online, I tried deleting a driver, but that didn’t work.
I finally gave up on the 2018 laptop. Thankfully, Microsoft Word and other programs still work on the 2021 computer.
I think I might need to uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Office 365 on the 2018 laptop, but I’m not going to bother with that today.5
This Is Why This Incident Is So Frustrating
If you’ve read some past posts I made about my tech issues, you know that I’ve had a problem with the Windows operating system for years now. Among those issues were the automatic updates when I first got the 2018 laptop. It didn’t matter if I was writing a book, playing a game, or watching a video. Those updates would happen, and my computer would restart without my permission, thus making me lose any progress I have made. Eventually, I had to update my settings and stop those automatic updates.
Now, I realize that it is nearly impossible for most casual users to troubleshoot problems with installed software. Before (with Windows XP and even the Windows 7 operating system), you could troubleshoot specific programs with a right click on the mouse or mouse pad. Now, you must go through settings and Update & Security to find a troubleshooting apparatus that is hard to use.
Making matters worse, I cannot find answers to my issues on the computer itself. If I recall correctly, Windows XP practically came with a manual. I could press the help button (usually a white question mark in a blue circle) and get some answers without opening a browser. Then Windows 7 required a constant internet connection, so I had to find answers on the Microsoft help forums. Now, I can’t find answers to questions that are current. The posts I found addressing the Word issue were dated five or six years ago.
And Don’t Get Me Started About HP …
All my computers have been HP products, but it would be hard to get someone to fix those machines if I wanted to. Laptop repair can be expensive, but now we must deal with right-to-repair laws/conflicts, too. For one thing, I could have changed the batteries on both laptops years ago if not for the manufacturer’s machinations.
Before, the batteries on the laptops I owned were removable. Sometimes, I can address errors with my computer by turning it off, unplugging it, and removing the external battery before putting it back in and restarting the computer. And if I needed to, I could probably purchase a new battery and replace an old one with little problem. These 2018 and 2021 versions don’t have external batteries and require an expert to remove and replace them safely. One needs to remove the feet and screws to open the computer and get to the battery.
All this sucks because I want to use my computers the way I see fit. I only want to write, research, play games, watch/listen to content, communicate with people, and make art with my computer. Also, if I want to resolve problems with the hardware and software, it should be easy to find/implement a solution within an hour or send my computer to a repair shop. (An agent at HP once told me it would cost $199 to send in my laptop, and that price didn’t include parts and labor costs. $200!)
I’m not trying to commit crimes with my computers, but tech companies only want to squeeze every last dollar out of their customers while insulting their intelligence.
In Case You’re Wondering …
How was I able to write this post? Which computer did I use? I had to use the 2021 computer but added an emoji via my Android phone.
Also, am I thinking about migrating to Apple? No, but Microsoft is making that prospect tempting with its BS.
Links
“Cran•Apple™ Cranberry Apple Juice Drink.” Ocean Spray, https://www.oceanspray.com/Products/Juices/By-Type/Classic-Juice-Drinks/Cran-Apple-Cranberry-Apple-Juice-Drink. Accessed 27 March 2024.
“Cran•Grape® Grape Cranberry Juice Drink.” Ocean Spray, https://www.oceanspray.com/Products/Juices/By-Type/Classic-Juice-Drinks/Cran-Grape-Grape-Cranberry-Juice-Drink. Accessed 27 March 2024.
Fitzpatrick, Jason and Lewis, Nick. “What Is a Solid State Drive (SSD), and Do I Need One?” How-To Geek, Updated 2 August 2022 https://www.howtogeek.com/45359/htg-explains-whats-a-solid-state-drive-and-what-do-i-need-to-know/. Accessed 27 March 2024.
Louis Rossman. “Adblock bug, see pinned comment.” YouTube, 15 January 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkRlfB_iz3E. Accessed 27 March 2024.
“Our Mission and History.” The Repair Association, https://www.repair.org/history. Accessed 27 March 2024.
Footnotes
- On the other hand, I prefer using the older laptop for art projects.
- It’s next to impossible to use Google Docs and its other products on the 2018 laptop on Firefox. That is likely by design because Google thwarts users in other ways. For example, it causes a buffering delay for users who dare to use ad blockers.
- I must press the power button with extra pressure to get the laptop to turn on. That’s why I prefer to put the computer to sleep when I’m not using it. Of course, I restart or shut down the laptop every few days.
- That is potentially dangerous since many batteries use lithium, an unstable element. But there is virtually no way for me to replace and dispose of the old battery safely.
- I probably should have done this first before taking the other steps.
Shmaltz and Menudo 