The Slow Computer thing

New research by SanDisk suggests that we lose quite a bit of time each year waiting for our slow computers to do stuff. The estimated times vary by country, with the US the best of those surveyed, losing “only” 4.9 days each year. The UK averaged 130 hours (5.42 days) per year, while the poor old Italians claim to lose about 7 (seven) days per year to their slowly reacting computers, although this may be exacerbated by them heading outside for a drink, a smoke and some highly animated conversation while it does its thing. And by their national propensity for procrastination.

There are no figures available for SA, but foreign readers must understand that we have the double whammy of slow computers and slow internet to deal with here, so don’t expect anything to get done quickly, thank you very much.

pcsmash

Says DVice:

The results of this waiting aren’t pretty, either. Nearly 20 percent of British folks surveyed admitted resorting to violence to relieve their annoyance, throwing devices against walls or stomping on them. This, of course, probably only increased their wait times. In addition, 33 percent of British and 37 percent of Chinese responders were left in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

I must admit that I have thrown a mouse at a wall on more than one occasion, but that had nothing to do with computers and they should never have let me back into the pet shop anyway.

But I’m glad that these statistics are out there, because canny employees can use them as leverage with the boss when requesting higher-specs on their next laptop purchase.

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