Another Day With My PC

Do you have that habit of clicking on “Next” whenever you install something on your computer?

There used to be a time when installing applications required having read the 50-page ReadMe file that comes with the pack. Worse, there were times when you’re even required to have certain applications in order to proceed with the process, such as ZIP programs. Needless to say, having a new resident in your hard drive back then wasn’t so easy.

It’s a good thing that hair-pulling installation processes are already things of the past. Installation wizards have practically reduced user participation in the procedure to a point that even a paralytic who could only move his finger could go through the steps and finish the installation.

Installation wizards seem so reassuring that we’re often beguiled into mindlessly clicking the Next button until the whole process comes to its conclusion. If you give a little thought about it, that practice of clicking through the whole procedure like an epileptic is dangerous. Introducing new programs into your computer means introducing changes into your system files. The changes may be unpleasant, especially if it tinkers with your system’s registry.

While it may seem tedious and sometimes needless, you should devote a sufficient amount of time in going through the installation process (meaning you have to read what the installation wizard is flashing on the boxes). Don’t take the procedure lightly. You may be inadvertently allowing or agreeing to drastic system changes or interferences by mechanically clicking Next or Yes to every prompt or query that you get whenever you plant something in your hard drive. The consequences might be harmless (but annoying) in some cases, like having an additional toolbar in your Web browser. However, the repercussions could also be debilitating, such as incessant pop ups.

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