Recently released findings of a survey conducted in January reveals 64 percent of Americans spend more time with their computer than with their significant other, and 84 percent were more dependent on their computer than three years ago.
The survey was commissioned by SupportSoft Inc, a Redwood City, Calif.-based firm whose product is software for computer help desks. SupportSoft sought the survey information to test the waters before getting into the consumer market, said Anthony Rodio, the firm's chief marketing officer.
So how do people react when face to face with a malfunctioning computer? Survey figures show 32 percent shrugged it off, 19 percent said they wanted to throw their computer out the nearest window, 11 percent used abusive language while addressing their computer (7 percent loudly, 3 percent tearfully), 9 percent felt stranded and alone and 3 percent took their anger out on inanimate objects.
Rodio said after studying the results, his firm decided people were looking for support and empathy during their times of computer troubles. So SupportSoft made the decision not to follow the example of the service firms that use "geek" and "nerd" in their business names, and instead touted their staff as supportive and caring "computer therapists." They simply named their consumer service "support.com."
"At this point we can barely hire enough people to keep up with the business," Rodio told LiveScience.
The survey respondents were all over 18, owned a PC and enjoyed broadband Internet access. They estimated they spent an average of 12 hours a month struggling with computer problems. Forty-eight percent said they would rather help a friend move than deal with a computer problem, and 30 percent said they felt more frustration with their computer now than they felt three years ago.
As for those people spending more time with their computers than with their significant other, "The computer is a nice tool, but using one is not the same as face-time," Rodio said. "Closing the laptop would be a good thing now and then."
