Introduction

One of the hallmarks of our age is the decline of the do-it-yourselfer in favor of the hire-an-expert-to-do-it-insteader. Toilet not flushing? Hire a plumber. Porch falling down? Hire a carpenter. Lights on the blink? Hire an electrician. You could argue, as many people have done, that a return to a DIY ethos would be good for society and good for the soul. The reality is that most of us don’t have enough knowledge, skills, or time to repair a toilet, rebuild a porch, or replace a light switch without seriously electrocuting ourselves.

However, I would argue that one area where we almost always do not need to hire an expert is the digital domain of the PC. That statement might strike you as a tad crazy. After all, what could be ...

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