“My” Computer
According to a story at TechNewsWorld.com, Microsoft is planning to drop the “my” prefix from many of the folder names in the forthcoming Longhorn version of Windows.
The “my” prefix was apparently added to make computers seem friendlier to users frightened of technology, it’s always struck me as condescending at best, childish at worst (not that, ironically, children would even need this kind of flimsy crutch).
This change is described as doing away with something that’s no longer necessary. I have another theory: it’s no longer “my computer”…
I can’t tell you how annoying it is to have paid good money to HP for my Pavillion, yet I have to suffer from periodic but very intrusive HP advertising — on top — of all other content, taking up nearly one-quarter of my screen! If it’s “my” PC, why does the manufacturer have the right to intrude on my work day with unwanted advertising??
Since it’s normal to pay for advertising placement, be that on a billboard, in a newspaper or in a TV show, where do I send my invoice to HP? And how much is that space worth?
Anyone who remembers the famous Microsoft EULA for Windows Media Player a few years ago knows that the trend is towards MS having the right to remotely enter and modify the contents on our PCs without your consent or knowledge.
My computer, indeed.
