For Forums? We’re soft on Software.

The weekend split into the usual activities of fixing/fettling mechanical, electrical/electronic and software issues or researching how to fix them.

There was very little to work through on electronics but there was much fettling on bicycles, a Landrover Defender TD5 handbrake to adjust, research to conduct on the noise issue on our Jaguar XJS and help out a friend with their WordPress website.

In working through the issues and problems over the years I am continuously astounded by the commitment of time and quality of content that people provide.

Let’s take some mechanical examples:

The defender handbrake adjustment. How to adjust and where to adjust all made clear in a Land Rover forum

There was fabulous feedback on the noise from the rear of the Jaguar XJS received from Grant in Adelaide on a Jaguar Forum.

However, when it comes to software. It is an entirely different ball game:

The website I offered to help on was for a property rental site in Thailand. The problem was that potential customers were unable to search for available rooms. After many frustrating hours, this appears to be because the TP Hotel Plugin had been replaced by WP Hotel plugin. Even the developers’ ThimPress WP Hotel plug-in page makes no reference to this.

No error message or suggestion appeared in the admin panel of WordPress nor was there any sensible suggestions available on line or in any forums. I only resolved the issue by deduction.

This is not the first time I have lost many hours resolving software related issues that can chew hours of a weekend. I am sure I am not the only parent/partner operating as a 24/7 helpdesk for domestic issues.

Operating system upgrades that need to be rolled back, applications that inexplicably stop working, functions that are no longer available.

I am sure that any technologically proficient readers will no doubt be shaking their heads at my inability to grasp the intricacies of the issue but I can’t help feeling that in order to take 11 billion of us into a repair economy we need to find a better way.

The answer probably does not lie in a controlled environment that Apple employ nor using techniques such as machine learning to propose better solutions to the issue (this would be addressing the symptoms and not the problem) but perhaps in better testing and governance of the providers of operating system/platform.

If an operating system or platform such as Windows or WordPress, is deemed to be “Industry standard” then perhaps the rules are different in what is expected from them. For example Governments could encourage best practice by imposing fines for poor execution of firmware/operating system upgrades citing the subsequent hit to domestic/corporate productivity and the position of corporate responsibility these organisations should assume.

Indeed, with the advent of cloud and the migration from local hosting to data centres this could be an ideal opportunity to rethink our traditional models and values to promote the best environment for personal ownership of technological evolution rather than just being a passenger of change.

I have no doubt if engines of all Ford motor cars failed to start the morning after an overnight firmware upgrade this would be a very different discussion!

The rise of the forum has generated a vast amount of relevant and insightful material supported by well informed and intelligent people. To generate a true repair economy, we must consider the 6Rs but we also need to be able to support and fix software as well as hardware. We have much work to do in that regard. The larger incumbent providers of software and platforms should assume greater responsibility for preventing the problems and not just supporting the solution.

Chris

p.s. for any regular readers. My ten-year old“Repair curious” child turns 11 on Friday. They will be the recipient of a 60-piece electronics tool kit and as much time and energy as they need from Dad.

I hope to be one driver behind a new economy of redesign and repair with Governments and consumers that refocus on the source of waste and not just the management of it.

The objective of www.buyanypart.co.uk is to create an efficient market place for sourcing and selling parts.

We are a nascent offering and welcome any feedback via our contact page: on this article or the site. If you have parts you wish to find or sell or even if wish to be a guest contributors to this blog we would love to hear from you.