Do you talk to your automobile? Maybe it needs gentle coaxing up certain hills, or a dash-rub on cold mornings. Chances are it has a name, and when it breaks down, even after a few compulsory curses, you feel sympathy and even empathy for this machine whom you rely on for so much.
Does your computer receive the same treatment when it goes blue screen on you? Certainly the cursing part, right!? If you feel frustration at all the mad things that happen over technology, maybe thinking of your computer as an imperfect beast of burden could help ease the rage.
Usually our relationship with our machine is like that between two embittered co-workers instead of trusted colleagues working toward the same goals. I know I don't want to spend much of my day in front a rival; if my computer is acting uppity, perhaps it needs a little love. While you may call this geek-emo, compassionate computing just might save my computer from a bullet-hole in the hard drive.
*photo courtesy Peter Barker, Flikr
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