Question: Why is it important to have a standardized computer system?

Answer: Cost of repair= (More variables * Easily modified)Time required to identify the issue! Time is Money, whether it is your time or a service persons time.

There are many logical arguments for and against such systems. The most powerful piece of the argument is COST. NOTE: A computer system is comprised of CHIPS, diodes, transistors, resistors, connections, wiring points, circuit boards, power supplies, interfaces, device drivers...

COST is the important on many levels:

COST of the original system may be lowered by the Original Equipment Manufacturer(OEM) by the use of non-standardized system parts or components. This can create limited expansion or compatibility issues with hardware or software, the result may cause you to purchase a new computer system sooner that you expect. It maybe that the parts were a great deal for the OEM at the time your system was assembled, maybe it was determined that the consumer would be unlikely to use a particular function or device. There are literally hundreds of reasons and ways to ***“Short-sheet” a system.

COST is important to the End-User. It is your money that is being spent, so a lower or discounted price probably seams to be a real deal. Let’s compare to your car: If your car is not an economy car, –why did you not buy the economy car? Your car only transports you from Point A to Point B or C. An economy car will perform these same functions, but Safety, Reliablilty, Serviceability, Cost, Insurance, Reputation, Performance and Status all played roles in the decision to buy for the Vehicle you now own. This will also be true for the next vehicle you purchase.

Your computer purchase may have been initially for sending E-mail Messages and Instant Messaging on the Internet or to surf the Web. That is only Where You Will OR Did Start, but You will find many more uses and reasons for your Computer to perform better or to do other tasks for which you had not planned.

There are other issues to be aware of: Viruses, Worms, Hackers, Back doors, Privacy, Shopping online, Cookies and many more issues that your computer will face when connecting to ANY network or the Internet. Some of them may happen when you load a disk or program. During a repair of the system there is a COST in time and money, the cost is higher when your system components must be analyzed prior to any repair or rebuild.

When you visit the doctor’s office for the first time, the office needs answers to many questions. You get to fill-out a lot of paperwork so that the doctor can come to an intelligent decision quickly, about what test to run, what to expect and what may cause you to have an undesirable reaction. The same goes for you computer, when something is wrong it takes a lot of time just learning about what the issues are and where to start looking for the problems to repair. The more that is known about how your computer is built and functions, the easier the repair as well as less time consuming(COSTLY) it will be the repair.

@Ask-James 2003

***The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

short-sheet

PRONUNCIATION: shôrtsht

TRANSITIVE VERB:

Inflected forms: short-sheeted, short-sheeting, short-sheets

1. To make (a bed) by doubling back a single sheet so that the bed looks properly made but will not allow a person to lie at full length in it. 2. To short- sheet the bed of (a person) as a way of playing a trick.