But instead of stereophonic sound and beautiful graphics, many receive error messages like:"Microsoft Test Driver (ds) Error. Runtime Error: Stack underflow. Setup.mst (518)". This cryptic phrase was part of an error message that flashed to hundreds of Windows users who encountered problems with a Lion King CD-Rom they bought last Christmas. While just one example, the message is representative of the many problems users regularly encounter in their day-to-day use of PCs. As a result, technical support has become a serious problem of exponential size.

Computers are More Complex
The history of the IBM PC-compatible as a computer platform clearly illustrates why users often find computing increasingly complex. While a number of improvements have been made to PC software and hardware over the years, the open architecture of the PC environment has produced a plethora of peripherals, add-on cards, device drivers and software. These, in turn, have created a highly complex computing environment where compatibility problems are the norm. Add to that the continual adoption of new standards, operating systems and updated hardware platforms, and the technical support problem increases dramatically.

Is Windows to Blame?
Microsoft Windows, the operating environment currently used by more than 50 million people, has greatly simplified computing; unfortunately, it is also cited as a specific source of angst for PC users. While Windows provides a friendlier outward interface than DOS, it also causes internal problems. Too often, the result is the dreaded "General Protection Fault" (GPF) message, which typically flashes on the screen before a system crash.

Most Problems are Caused by Software -- Not Hardware
The majority of Windows problems are software configuration errors that commonly occur when users add new programs and devices to their computers. Microsoft itself has stated, "As much as 50 percent of support calls to operating system and device manufacturers result from installation and configuration problems." And hardware vendor Ares Microdevelopment has reported as much as 90 percent of the questions it receives on its technical support line are software related.

One typical Windows problem involves the misplacement of Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files, subroutines that are used to help a program do spell checking, printing, etc. These files, usually stored in the WIN.INI, SYSTEM.INI or system subdirectories, are often scattered to unknown locations when a new program is loaded on a PC. As a result, the existing programs they work with no longer function properly. Other problems occur because users uninstall an application incorrectly, accidently deleting shared files (DLLs) that may be required by other programs. Invalid initialization (.INI) files and out-of-memory errors are yet additional complications.

Such problems are magnified in a multimedia environment, where numerous systems changes frequently occur, such as the addition of new games, sound cards, CD-ROM drives and video cards.

Windows 95: Easier Interface at a Cost
When users first began to hear about Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 95, many hoped it would be a panacea for these problems. In reality, the technical support problem is likely to become worse. While Windows 95 includes a greatly improved 32-bit graphical user interface, it still incorporates sections of 16-bit code that allow older Windows and DOS programs to run. This mix of generations is likely to produce a new set of problems, especially since many older programs will need additional DLLs to run properly under Windows 95. While Windows 95's Plug and Play feature will simplify sound card and board installation, it will only be beneficial for users who purchase brand-new Plug and Play compatible peripherals.

In addition, new configuration problems are likely to crop up with the new 32-bit programs for Windows 95. These programs use a new hierarchical database system called the"Registry" that replaces the INI files used in Windows 3.1. If the Registry becomes corrupted, it is much harder for programs to correct the ensuing problems. Some software makers will also incorporate portions of the old 16-bit code in their new 32-bit programs-another scenario likely to cause conflicts. Add to this the difficulty of simply learning how to use a new operating system.

In short, while most experts agree the transition to Windows 95 will be beneficial in the long run, few believe it will be easy. Microsoft itself has recently released a list of 100 software titles that have "serious difficulties" running under Windows 95 (based on tests conducted within Microsoft and reports from more than 50,000 testers)."The bad news is the transition is taking up a lot of my time," said computer journalist and author Lawrence Magid in a recent column. "...If you give out raw copies of Windows 95, be sure to budget for lots of downtime."

Increasing Number of Novice Users
Compounding these technical problems is the growing number of novice users. Clearly, the "early adopter"-- the technically-oriented risk taker who was once the primary buyer of computer equipment -- has given way to the consumer, the new king of the PC market. While increased demand for home multimedia PCs is largely responsible for this shift, other technology trends, such as lower prices, home offices, and the rapid growth of online services like The Internet, America Online, Prodigy and Compuserve, are also attracting new users.

Dataquest, a high technology market research firm, estimates that 1 million consumers bought their first home PC in 1994, up from 200,000 in 1993; and that even more first-time buyers will enter the market in 1995. In addition, many PC vendors say inquiries from rank novices comprise as much as 70 percent of their support calls.

In the early days, when computers were mainly used as tools for major corporations, technical problems were less of a burden for hardware and software manufacturers. Corporate "end-users" simply picked up the phone and called the company MIS department for help. But today, a large number of computers are being used by home-office workers, children and small businesses. Where do these people turn for help? As a result, the technical support hotlines at PC hardware and software manufacturers have been flooded with record numbers of calls. Major computer suppliers such as Compaq and IBM report from 10,000 to 25,000 calls per day.

Free Technical Support Hotlines are Disappearing
While the number of novice users with technical problems is on the rise, vendors have scaled back or completely eliminated the free technical support that was once included with their products. Faced with price wars, lower sales margins, and an unmanageable volume of support calls, many companies, including Microsoft, have reduced free tech support to 90 days.
After this period, most offer customers a complex array of costly services, such as 900 numbers, that can quickly become expensive. And even customers who choose to pay for such services often obtain a busy signal or have to wait as long as 45 minutes on the phone to receive help.
Once in contact with a support technician, they must be able to explain what the problem is, often without any knowledge of their system or its configuration, and try to solve the issue over the phone. For many, this can be a daunting task in and of itself. As a result, most users attempt to figure out problems themselves -- an activity that often ends in frustration.

Existing Diagnostic Tools Only Fix Hardware Problems
Several products attempt to help users fix their own technical difficulties. Most, however, fail to address the real source of most PC ills: software conflicts.
According to PC Novice magazine, diagnostic tools, such as CheckIt, Norton Diagnostics and QAPlus, do a good job of zeroing in on hardware problems, but don't address software configuration problems. The magazine also states that many tools use technical language that average users don't understand, and that such products often fail to tell users how to fix a problem once it's discovered.
Repair utilities, like Norton Utilities and PC Tools, are another type of self-help product. While these products are capable of recovering lost or corrupted data, for example, salvaging information from a bad disk, they are usually used after the problem has already caused the computer to crash or destroy the contents of a hard disk drive. They also fail to address the myriad software problems that exist. Other products, such as uninstall utilities, address only one specific problem.

Traditional Tech Support is Too Late
Some manufacturers have addressed the techical support problem with "remote support" services that enable technical support personnel, using the Internet, to actually peer inside the user's hard drive and solve problems. This, however, is like closing the proverbial barn door after the horse is gone.

The logical solution would be a method of intercepting potential problems before they happen. Certainly if a computer has the power to automate tasks like searching databases or spell-checking documents -- it has the power to automate the process of fixing problems.

CyberMedia Brings Help To The Masse
What is required is a greater emphasis on real-time technology instead of post-problem technology -- technology that automatically diagnoses and repairs software problems at the desktop.

CyberMedia, a growing company based in Los Angeles, believes the best approach to solving technical problems is to intercept them within the computer system, before the problem crashes a hard disk or requires a user needs to call for help. The result of that belief is First Aid(tm), the first software product that not only diagnoses Windows configuration problems, but fixes them automatically.

Bringing MIS Expertise to Home Users
First Aid was designed by an experienced group of system administrators and programmers who found they spent an inordinate amount of their time resolving Windows configuration problems. They had an idea: Why not use the computer to "heal" itself, automating the time-consuming chore of diagnosing and fixing configuration problems? Initially, they designed their invention, "AutoFix," to work on large corporate networks as a tool for systems administrators and MIS support personnel. Then, company founders spent more than four years adapting this sophisticated technology to a simple format that would appeal to consumers and home users.

Helping the Computer Fix Itself
First Aid is designed to repair technical problems itself, working with an extensive knowledge base of more than 10,000 common potential Windows configuration errors and problems. The product works much like a virus checker, monitoring a user's computer in the background. A warning "siren" pops up automatically when it detects a problem. First Aid then describes the problem in simple language and suggests how to fix it.

When the user clicks on the "Autofix" button, the program makes corrections immediately, such as modifying configuration file entries, locating and copying missing DLL files to appropriate directories, and updating an internal registration database that keeps track of which programs can work together. The fix is stored in a "knowledge base" of more than 10,000 problems. Alternatively, users can run a full system check with First Aid at any time, fixing problems before they interrupt important work.

No longer will users have to puzzle over cryptic error messages. With First Aid, the PC virtually fixes itself.

Evolving to Fix the Latest Problems
In addition, CyberMedia is establishing a "Support Exchange," on the Internet where users can request solutions for additional problems they find within their systems. In this manner, CyberMedia will continue to expand First Aid's knowledge base with solutions to actual problems. As CyberMedia develops files that update the knowledge base, it will place these files in its forum on Compuserve, as well as on the World Wide Web and a CyberMedia Bulletin Board Servce where users can access these files free of charge.

In order to keep pace with the continual equipment changes and compatibility conflicts that characterize today's world of computing, a product must evolve almost on a daily basis in order to remain competitive and useful.

Some visionaries have predicted that eventually, software will no longer be a static product in a box, but a service that one subscribes to -- much like a quarterly magazine or a pay-per-view cable television broadcast. Such a product could become truly interactive, evolving and growing to precisely match the customer's problems and needs.

Despite advances in technology, most PC problems show no signs of disappearing. The best defense for most users is to follow an axiom that, for many, assumes more importance every day: "Be prepared."