Some people complain that computers break down more regularly now than in the past. There may be several reasons for this including lack of knowledge of the user, cheap hardware, increased complexity of software and other reasons.

Lack of knowledge of the user

Computer is a complex electronic machine that works with different types of technologies. To keep these systems up and running some maintenance has to be done. Unlike in the past where computers were regarded as expensive, valuable and sensitive devices, modern society consider them as a common home appliance just like a washing machine. Since computers became affordable, many people had the chance of using a computer in their homes, but without proper knowledge on the maintenance of the device. Even experienced software developers complain about systems slowing down, unaware that a simple maintenance task such as defragmentation once a month may bring the system back to full performance. Almost all the operating systems provide a set of simple utilities to accomplish these operations.

Studies show that most of the problems in a computer system are not necessarily a problem with the system itself, but with the user. For instance, two different users will complain about largely different problems when using the same computer system for same activities.

Cheap hardware

Though user knowledge is a major factor in breakdowns, computers do breakdown more regularly now than in the past due to the use of cheap and unreliable hardware components too. With the increased use of computers many vendors all over the world took advantage of the expanding market and released various types of hardware. Some of this hardware are not thoroughly tested with existing systems and sometimes become incompatible with other vendor products. Standardization attempts have also not been successful due to the rapidly developing nature of technology, which makes existing standards obsolete and requiring development of new standards.

Complex software

Increasing complexity of software is another key issue which is bringing about computer problems. Some modern software demands for high end hardware which is not being provided. With the availability of software generators, anyone can develop a software system and share it on the Internet, but some low quality software is not tuned up to maximize the utilization of hardware foundation.

Other reasons

Malicious programs are also another main cause for computers to breakdown.. This software is commonly known as viruses but falls under various categories including worms, adware, malware, Trojans, root-kits and even ransom-ware. With advanced system protection software viruses have also become more advanced to bypass security checkpoints. Therefore it is very important to be aware of the latest security threats and update antivirus software frequently.

Summary

There are several reasons for computers to breakdown. Some of these problems are not actually with the system, but due to the incorrect handling by users. Cheap and unreliable hardware, availability of low quality software and viruses make computers to breakdown frequently.