I suspect the new Macs will fix it. P55 or otherwise.

It's no wonder people CBA with computers. It's all just hassle.

+1 and I know you can't plan for every eventuality, but I know quite a few people where the annoyances in general with computers got too much, and now they avoid them where possible. Which all leads to 'Can you put songs on my iPod?' or 'I dunno how to update my satnav', both are sheer laziness of course, but you can see it's genesis

Nobody fiddles with their car any more. Under the bonnet, there's just a big bit of plastic with a dipstick sticking out. You get in and turn the key. If cars required this much fiddling, nobody but enthusiasts would drive. You shouldn't have to be tech minded to operate this kind of technology and these kind of problems shouldn't be there.

The whole problem's psychological. From actually getting the right mix of features and intuitiveness in a piece of hardware/software for the mainstream, to the end user getting away from the fear of 'I'm not going near that until a friendly geek has tamed it for me'

When I was a teenager and a university student, I had the time to fiddle with computers, try different fixes etc. Now that I'm working, I have less time to spend messing around with things and just want to get on. I can now completely understand why people can't be arsed to meddle or tinker.

As for cars, you can remove the plastic cover.

Given your first 'graph, why would you want to remove the plastic cover?

I want everything to just work - damnit! Of course, the more separated we become from our tech, the more power it gains over us.

The option to remove the cover is there. But...

...given the increased complexity of car engine design, it becomes more and more difficult to 'tinker' or fix things under the bonnet. My grandfather was of the time when he was able to rip apart a car's engine and rebuild it. Engine designs were far simpler back then.

There is some truth in what you say - people expecting it to work, but as demonstrated by the revised learning test, you must have some rudimentary knowledge of computers. This lack of knowledge has been exposed by shows like the IT Crowd which exemplifies this. Thus, I know where the engine is (having removed the cover), I know where the intake is and where it goes, I know the PCV, the battery etc.

My view on this is in my sig.
v v v v v v v

My neighbour wants me to update his satnav - he has DSL, but no computer...

Is that you installing the satnav software on your machine then? Or is there another way of updating it?

Yep, I'll need to make the download and update on one of my machines for him.

His son used to live at home, hence the DSL, but he is at uni now, so they don't need the DSL line any more.

Dipstick? I’ve recently learned that I don’t even have to use that any more. I can get the info I need from the driver’s seat. The need to look under the bonnet is lessening day by day. Wait till they are all electric. You won’t recognise anything.

Electrical & Electronic Engineering degree FTW!

(8=þ

The problem is that dash sensors and displays still aren't accurate enough and a quick check under the bonnet on a weekly basis prevents problems.