When you're over 40, you develop a sense of maturity. You've raised your children wisely and well (Stephanie is currently working towards her exams, whilst trying to hide the fact that she's six months pregnant: Tristan is doing well with his plastering diploma he's working towards at Borstal, and young Brendan - well, we're not sure but, well, you know...). You've worked solidly towards building a lovely home (despite that wet patch in the ceiling), and life seems good. You know that nothing phases you, because you're a mature, sensible adult.
And then you buy a computer. I don't know if it's genetics, old age, or sheer bloody-mindedness, but everything you've learned in the last 40+ years of your life, dissolves, Spielberg-like, into the middle distance. Notifications are ignored, warnings unheeded, as you continue further into computer nirvana - especially this really annoying one about recovery disks - right click, don't tell me again sunshine, I'm the one in charge...
Fast forward to now - it's late, and your computer has crashed - again! You look at the manual / talk to your tech guy / phone a friend, and they say...
"Hey, no problem - just use the Recovery Disks."
At this point, cats have been known to jump through closed windows, rather than face the tirade of abuse and possible life-threatening hurled missiles that follow that phrase - because you didn't create them, did you?
Back in the good old days, when you purchased a new computer, you were given a set of floppy disks / CD's which contained a full version of your operating system - this was when technical support actually cared - maybe because they weren't jaded by years of supporting 40+ users yet. Nowadays, in efforts to stop piracy and make your life harder, manufacturers seldom do this - instead, they give you the option of doing this yourself by creating your own set of recovery disks, using your DVD burner (this applies even if you haven't got a DVD burner i.e. if you have a netbook - "it's no excuse you know" your manufacturer will say...)
Do yourself the ultimate favour - create the recovery disks, because if your hard drive does fail, you may have to pay (yes, that's "PAY") to get a set from your manufacturer. There's no more bitter pill to swallow than that which costs you money - twice.
