Of computers and software

We’re still working on the whole computer thing.  As you may have read, our computer had a bit of a meltdown.  So, it’s been repairing, installing, and even taking the machine into the shop for some professional opinions.  I do have the computer back, but there are still some rather big glitches that I’m trying to work out.  So I’ll let you know how it goes.

On the same topic, I finished my income taxes and did it using a popular software program.  Frankly, I think next year I’ll go back to pen and paper.  The nice thing about the software is that it can send your tax return over the net, and if you’re entitled to a refund you get it quickly.  As usual I checked it out on paper first, then entered it into the software.

So far so good.  But the software insisted that it knew the best way to input a certain number so that we would get the largest refund possible.  Problem is, it wasn’t the best way.  I tried and tried, talked to technical support, but to no avail.  The program insisted it knew the best way.  Finally I found a way around it.

Now I realize there’s a slight chance I may eat my words and find out the program was right all along.  But this is not the first time this has happened.  And the thing is, I would have been done in a third of the time if I’d just used pen and paper.  So next year, I think that’s what I’ll do.  Computers are great for some things, but there are still a lot of times they should just be turned off. 😯