Buyer's Remorse Over Windows

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I bought a laptop yesterday. I had to. I've been limping by using a little netbook with Windows XP for the past couple of years (I know, I know, it's the cobbler's children who have no shoes). I got to a point that I just couldn't get my work done on the little engine that could.

My original plan was to upgrade to a Macbook Air. In the end, I could not justify the expense or stomach the transition of moving from Windows to the Mac. I blinked and picked up a full-size Toshiba laptop with Windows 7 for $329.

It will do what I need to it to do. It's faster. The screen is bigger so it's easier to navigate large spreadsheets, view streaming videos and put together PowerPoints.

That being said, setting up my new laptop, transferring files and reloading my key applications killed most of my Sunday afternoon.

Before the sun set on the day of purchase, Windows 7 froze on me twice and I got the "blue screen of death" once.

Imagine buying a new car and having it die on you at a light on the day you roll it off the lot.

Imagine buying a new pair of pants that shrinks to a length on its first wash that makes them look like flood-waders.

Imagine going to a restaurant for the first time and getting food poisoning (would you go back?).

You get the idea. Too bad that Microsoft does not.

There are two infallible truths about PCs. When Apple creates a product; the end user's experience comes first, but they charge a King's ransom for it. When Microsoft creates a product; it's all about what new code (features) can we slap on top of the old clunky, Byzantine code and call it an upgrade?  And oh yeah, how cheap can we pressure the PC makers to keep their prices down? It is their only edge over the competition.

Mom was right; you do get what you pay for.

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio