As anyone with some technical knowledge is keenly aware of – at the mere hint of some computer familiarity, you are instantly transformed into the local help desk. I frequently am asked to "take a look at" the PC of some neighbor or more or less distant family member. In most cases, it is a question of cleaning up disks and removing viruses and installed programs.

I am not sure if I really want to do this, but loading this little collection of software onto a memory stick seems like a good idea. Except then you get asked to look at even more barnacled computers….

(Via Stephen Downes.)