User:Rbbrain

RITS - Rampant Information Technology Syndrome

Over recent years there has developed a bewildering variety of new high-tech products. Their extensive ultra-modern capabilities and relatively small size are really quite amazing. Things like compact disks, pocket computer games, fancy video recorders with special effects and fully automatic cameras. And computer systems are no exception.

All these things hint at some of the tell-tale signs of RITS — the Rampant Information Technology Syndrome ! It sounds a bit funny, and it would be if it wasn't so serious! There are fifteen RITS symptoms described below under four major headings. These headings, and the fifteen symptoms are summarised as:

Information Technology — in General In Search of Equipment Implementing the Equipment Using the Equipment The basis of the material here was first written and published in 1989. If anything it is now even more relevant and prevalent than before!
 * 1) Too Much, Too New, Too Soon
 * 1) The Best Equipment Today, Won't be Tomorrow
 * 2) Rash Promises and Vapourware
 * 3) Shopping Around Extensively
 * 4) All of the Bells and Whistles
 * 5) 'Standard' Computer Equipment
 * 1) Training is Necessary!
 * 2) The Computer — Just a Tool
 * 3) After-Sales Support? What's That?
 * 1) Inherent Abilities are Required
 * 2) Creeping Improvement Sickness
 * 3) Despise Writing Documentation
 * 4) Under-utilised Equipment
 * 5) Constant Upgrades — the 'Leapfrog' Affect
 * 6) Catastrophic Failures

I will include additional material under the above headings as time permits.

Robert B. Brain