Driver: “Hi, I’d like to get my truck serviced.”
Service Rep: “No problem, sir. What year is your vehicle?”
Driver: “It’s a 2016.”
Service Rep: “Oh. Hmmm. I’m sorry. We no longer support version 2016.”
Driver: “What? Why not? It still runs fine! It just needs an oil change and basic service!”
Service Rep: “The manufacturer can only support so many versions. If you want service, you’ll have to upgrade to version 2018.”
Driver: (Sighs) “This is ridiculous. It’s a perfectly good truck!”
Service Rep: (Shrugs) “Version 2018 offers many new features.”
Driver: “I don’t want new features! The features I have are just fine! (Sighs again) Okay, fine, I’ll go ahead and upgrade.”
Service Rep: “We’ll install the new version right away. You won’t be sorry!”
Next day…
Service Rep: “Can I help you?”
Driver: “Yes, I brought my truck in for service yesterday and was told I had to upgrade to version 2018.”
Service Rep: “Yes?”
Driver: “Well, now I can’t find anything!”
Service Rep: “What do you mean?”
Driver: “Like the windshield wiper control! Where is the windshield wipers control?”
Service Rep: “The developers have placed that in the console between the seats.”
Driver: “What? Why would they do that? It’s been on the steering column since cars were invented! Why would they move it?”
Service Rep: “The developers felt it looked old fashioned to have it on the column. They felt this gave the controls a sleeker, more modern look.”
Driver: “It’s also very inconvenient!”
Service Rep: “Once you know the new location, it should be no problem to access it.”
Driver: “And the ignition switch. Why is it in the glove box? It took me forever to find it!”
Service Rep: “The developers had to make changes to the appearance of the controls in order to call it a new version.”
Driver: “Why not just keep it the way it was?”
Service Rep: “It’s the developers’ job to keep making new versions…”
Driver: “Whether they are needed or not?”
Service Rep: (Sighs) “Do you have any other questions?”
Driver: “Yes. Why did they place the horn and the turn indicator where the radio used to be and put the entertainment touch screen on the steering wheel?”
Service Rep: “The developers felt that they should put the items used most where they are most accessible.”
Driver: “And that’s why they put the turn indicator in the middle of the console??”
Service Rep: “Drivers these days are much more likely to be using the entertainment center than the turn indicator.”
Driver: (Muttering under breath) “That’s the truth.” (Then, more loudly) “Then I looked under the hood…”
Service Rep: “Oh! You should never do that!”
Driver: “Why not? I used to look under the hood all the time! I used to do my own oil changes.”
Service Rep: “You should leave that to the experts now.”
Driver: “No kidding! I couldn’t find the oil filter!”
Service Rep: “I believe the oil filter has been moved to a spot just above the rear differential. It’s no longer user-accessible.”
Driver: (Exasperated) “Why? Why would they do that??”
Service Rep: “It’s just safer when our experts do the service.”
Driver: “I can’t even change the air filter anymore! Where did they move that??”
Service Rep: “I believe that’s tucked below the passenger seat.”
Driver: “Do you know how frustrating this is? I can’t get any work done until I find all the new locations of things that I knew inside and out! I wanted to turn on the heat and it took me hours to find that the heater control is located under my seat. This “upgrade” has been a big waste of my time!”
Service Rep: “I apologize, sir. You’ll learn where everything is and be back in business in no time.” (Responds to incoming email) “Oh! Good news, sir! You won’t need to learn the new positions of your controls, because a new version has just been released. We’ll be ending support for version 2018. In order to keep using your truck, you’ll need to upgrade to version 2020.”
