Ask LH: How Do I Stop My Clueless Brother From Ditching His PC For A Mac?

Dear Lifehacker, My older brother is awful with his computers. Whenever they start to slow down or are not working correctly he sees that as a sign that he needs to get a new one. It has reached the stage where he wants to switch his recently purchased Windows 8 laptop for a Mac because he believes they will have less problems.

He loves his computer but just doesn’t want to put in the time to learn the ins and outs of how to take care of it. Is there any way of dealing with this? Thanks, Annoyed Little Brother

Junked PC picture from Shutterstock

Dear ALB,

Our website contains reams of advice on effective PC upkeep — from teasing new life out of creaky old hardware to getting better tech support and myriad overclocking tips.

However, this seems to be more of an attitude problem than a technology one. If your brother doesn’t want to learn about PC maintenance, the problem is never going to go away, no matter how many How To guides you throw at him. While it’s painful to watch a family member needlessly fritter away cash, it’s not really your problem, is it?

Hopefully, he’ll find a machine that matches the way he thinks. In fact, with their vertical integration and reputation for fewer program crashes, a Mac actually might not be a bad way to go. If it stops him from needlessly throwing hardware in the bin, more power to him. (Insert “Macs have less power” joke here.)

If you’re reliant on your brother’s computer, it might be time to stump up some cash for a system of your own. You can find some tips on building a cost-effective PC here and here. Good luck!

See also: 10 Ways To Speed Up Your Slow Technology | How To Speed Up, Clean And Revive Your Windows PC

Cheers
Lifehacker

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