Why does my computer ________________?
It happens all the time. Something just isn't working right. Something isn't working the way you think it should. Or its not working like it was before. All you want to know is why, and what can be done to fix it. You don't want a long, involved technical explanation. You don't want to spend hours on the phone or in front of the computer. You just want it fixed. In other words, why does my computer _________? And how can I fix the ____________?
What is the _________? Well, its a blank that you can fill in with whatever problem you are having. And whatever that problem is, the odds are there will be no simple answer. Life would be great if there were a simple answer, and someone "in the know" should certainly be glad to tell you what it is, unless they are just plain mean! Instead, your call for help will probably trigger a series of confusing questions that seem to have nothing to do with your specific problem. Even though you may be frustrated and wish for the quick and easy solution, the odds are that it will take some digging, information gathering, and thinking in order to sort out your problem.
Why does it have to be this way? We will discuss computers running a Windows operating system here. These are certainly very common today and are used by both casual and experienced computer users.
Windows itself is complex
The exact size of Windows, for example, Windows 7, may not be readily available, but it certainly involves tens of millions of lines of computer code. Windows itself is a complex and vast software program, and it is also the program that needs to manage all of the computer's hardware such as the memory, video card, sound devices, and so forth. It can be debated whether its a matter of the "quality" of Windows or simply the end result of things becoming every more powerful and therefore complex. Either way, with so much complexity there is inevitably some degree of error that can crop up in the system, which in turn can cause unexpected problems.
There are many variables in computer hardware
Computers that run the Windows operating system can be built from a gigantic variety of parts. The basic parts of a typical computer are the CPU, motherboard, video card, RAM memory, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, and sound cards. Each of these components is offered in a variety of different forms by hundreds of different manufacturers. This means that there are literally an infinite number of combinations that are possible, and computers almost become like snowflakes with no two being exactly alike. The operating system needs to be able to properly functional not only with every different piece of hardware, but also with the combination of pieces which in turn can affect the behavior of each other.
Thousands of complex software programs
Now on top of the complex operating system which is installed on some combination of hardware, we have whatever software program you are using. You could be using any of the thousands of available software programs to do your work. Very few of these programs are "simple", they have thousands or millions of lines of code that are subject to the same issues of complexity that we have for the operating system. Now combine that with the fact that your computer may have any combination out of the thousands of available programs installed. Each of these programs has many variables and complexities, and there can be unknown interactions between the various combinations when they are installed on one computer.
Finally, we have the "internet"
The complexity of the operating system combined with the almost infinite number of possible combinations of installed hardware and software make the chances for error bad enough. But now things can get even messier since virtually everyone is connected to the internet. People are exchanging emails and visiting all sorts of websites that can download and run various programs on their own, either legitimate or not. Combine this with the fact that there is a whole army of people who have made it their mission to spread as much damage as possible to all of the computers on the internet through various viruses, worms, spam and other assorted malware. These are carefully constructed to deceive even careful users into installing malware onto their computers, which can cause all sorts of problems.
Conclusion - it seems a miracle that anything works at all
When all of the complexities of a modern desktop computer are taken into account, it seems almost impossible that anything could work at all. The system is so complex and there are so many lines of code and interactions among the operating system, installed software, and hardware that there are limitless ways for the system to malfunction or crash. Yet, on a daily basis, things do work very well; otherwise no work would ever get done! Sometimes there are random lockups that require the system to be rebooted or restarted, but generally things work fairly well, especially with the newer versions of Windows. And sometimes you will have the _______________ symptom. If you take your problem to an expert for help, you most likely won't get a quick and easy answer as to why you are having the problem and how to fix it. It has nothing to do with how much your expert "knows". It has everything to do with all of the variables that are discussed above. You may get lucky if you have a common problem that is well-known, but more likely the situation will need to be analyzed and then troubleshooting needs to be applied. There are a number of different ways to sleuth the problem, any of these could be used to get to the root of the problem. If you need to hire an expert to solve your problem, what you are really paying for is not "the answer", but the ability to figure out what the answer is. In any case, it will be best to be patient and thorough in the analysis of the problem, this will often lead to the best and quickest solution.