A Computer Analogy for the End of the Year

I've this computer I've been using for quite a while. Once, it was new. I installed my choice of operating system and core programs on it. It was fast, efficient and never hung up on me. It was a joy to use then.

After a while, I installed more programs on it. Found some to be useless after a while, and some to be rubbish. So I uninstalled them. But traces of old programs are never completely wiped off from the system...traces of files are left hidden somewhere.

My volume of files from documents, games, music, video and pictures quickly grew over time. They accumulated over the years, some were copied from older computers. Many were junks, but I kept them there. Who knows I may need them one day? So, they were there for the sake of being there.

Seeing my computer was powerful, I plugged in new hardwares and gadgets. One example was I replaced the old mouse with a ball with the new laser one, and then later to a wireless one. Everytime a new hardware is upgraded, new drivers (software coded to send instruction signals to "enable" new hardware to function and behave) were needed. But old drivers were still there, merely being replaced by newer ones.

I was the owner, but there were a few users. Different users have their own preferences on various settings and file organising. As the owner I should set the common rules. I did in the beginning but as time passed by, you know....

Over time, the computer slowed down, took forever to do something which could be done in a breeze once upon a time. Sometimes it frowned on me, and had to be resetted. Sometimes it was sicked with viruses. I had to install antivirus. And many times, a newer antivirus was needed.

I also installed programs to sweep through the files and to make the system efficient. What do you know, there are a few competing programs out there that functioned similarly but in different ways. What the heck, I installed them all and run. The computer was fast again, at least for a while...

After a while, some critical problems began to surface. But a new operating system was available. Not wanting to throw away the old, I partitioned the hard drive and installed the new operating system in the same computer.

Finally one day, the computer inevitably had a serious crash and could not be started at all. Upon diagnostic, the problem was identified as what they called systems conflict. This instability was caused by competing signals from two systems (old and new) trying to undermine each other. The computer was pulled in different directions by various instructions coded to make it behave in conflicting ways. No wonder the poor machine suffered a mental breakdown!

I could install even newer and "better" programs with the latest tech which may appear to solve the problems, at least preventing them from surfacing for a while.

Or....

I could take the bolder step to REFORMAT everything. Done it quite a few times. Only the essential stuffs stayed on. I won't miss the rest. Sooner or later I'd realised that this was the best way. Then the computer was clear to function like how it was supposed to function.

Familiar scenario? Anyone?

Is this the new year,

Or just another desperation?

Nothing is okay

Till the world caves in

Till the world caves in

-Switchfoot's "The Blues"