The Impatient Generation

We like generational labels.  Tom Brokaw once called those who lived through WWII "The Greatest Generation" and the label stuck.  Very nicely done, Mr. Brokaw.


Then sociologists jumped in hoping for their 15 minutes of fame with titles for other age brackets, such as Generation X, Generation Y, the DINK Generation (Double Income, No Kids), and even Boeing couldn't resist the urge, naming their newest iteration of 737 airliner the 737 NexGen, or NG.  All this has left me very confused.  What generation am I?  I propose that I'm part of The Impatient Generation, and in fact I'm the Mayor of Impatientville.  No, make that President of ImpatientLand.  Or even better, King of ImpatientUniverse.  


I stand in front of a microwave oven and yell, "HURRY UP, DAMMIT!"  There's always someone in my way, whether it's on the highway or in the grocery store check-out line.  MOVE, PEOPLE!  CHOP CHOP!   To me, a green light means GO, not "I think I'll soon be moving my foot over to the tall, skinny pedal on the far right, where I might exert some gentle downward pressure on it in the hopes of making the 400 HP vehicle I'm driving lurch forward ever-so-slightly."  No, patience is not one of my virtues.


Why do I bring this up now?  Because this morning I fired up my trusty Apple computer and it said, "Updates available.  Do you want to install them now?"  Um, sure, why not?  BIG MISTAKE!  The process began and said it would take three minutes.  My ass!  Try double that.  Grrrrr.  Then it had to write some new program and install it, or something like that.  Then the screen went blank.  Then I had to push the start button and watch the Colored Wheel of Death spin round and round and round and....  Finally, here I am.


Why do they ask you when you turn your computer ON if you want to install updates?  If I'm turning ON my computer I'm wanting to perform some search RIGHT NOW.  That's why I'm turning it ON.  If I wanted to search for something 15 minutes from now I'd turn it ON 15 minutes from now.  DUH!


Why don't they ask you when you're turning your computer OFF if you want to install updates?  Then it could take it's sweet time....all night, even....and I could care less.  Maybe this makes too much sense for the Geeks who run ComputerWorld.   Am I alone on this?  ;)


S