I'd Rather Have "Old & Inferior"

You know I'm old-fashioned.  Still, there's a popular saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  Why do computer and software manufacturers insist on rearranging and (their word) "improving" their product by making it less, rather than more, user-friendly?

I spent the better part of this week playing phone tag, and then speaking with my computer maker's technical support team (this time, those who speak English as a primary language), trying to figure out why I could not download two popular, free, software packages from trusted websites.  The error message claimed that I had to contact my administrator for permission.

Well, computer tech support walked me through the process to determine what privileges I have.  The computer's control panel setting says that I am indeed the administrator, so the problem must be with the software -- and here's their toll-free number.  I was on hold for the better part of a week to hear that?

I phoned the software tech support (English as a second language) and was told that the permission problem must be caused by the hardware, and to save the programs in a different folder.  Actually, I was told that only after I declined to buy either of the service options (the cheaper of which was $99.00).  I was on hold for the better part of a week to hear that?

Heck.  I could've gone ahead and saved the programs in the "wrong" folder on my own and avoided all this stress.  Next time, I'm going to phone my tech-savvy friends first.