Wherein basic terms change their meanings

[Hawaiian Eskimo]

Lately there seems to be this epidemic of lusers using the term "restarting" or even "rebooting" their computer to actually mean "nuking the entire thing from orbit and reinstalling Windows," rather than "turning it off and on again". I thought this was like, one of the most basic bits of computer knowledge you could possibly know? (Yeah, I know where I am. Let me have my blissful ignorance for a few moments longer.)

I don't recall having many people say this two years ago, but it happens ALL THE TIME now. The best bit is having this little exchange:

Luser: "Hey, I rebooted my computer and now everything's all big. What do?"
Me: "Oh, your display settings probably just got a little messed up. It's easy to fix."
Walk the user through setting their screen resolution back to native, which typically involves finagling what OS they're running out of them, since it changes with each version
L: "It's not letting me change it to the right one, it doesn't have the option."

Where at this point I get them to explain what they've *actually* done, and then I get to walk them through the wonderful process of tracking down and installing their display drivers, and the 10 billion other drivers that weren't automatically recognized.

Basic terminology people, you knew it two years ago, it hasn't changed since then.

[Raveni]

No, they've just been faking it for that long...

[Samardnaz]

Too many of the systems now include a "restore" option on the F8 boot menu which restores to a default configuration, but all too often one without the add-on or updated drivers for the "optional" hardware. You would think these preconfigured systems would have all the drivers for the installed ahrdware, but often they don't.

Poor-Dumb-Nut behind the keyboard doesn't know the difference between one boot option and another, Best-Beer-Drinking-Buddy probably told him about F8 in the first place and the "Restore" option looks like it should be an easy quick fix! And if the manufacturer would put all the needed drivers on there it probably would be.

[sld72382]

Just wait until Windows 8 comes out and people see the option to "reset" their PC and complain when the PC reboots and all their stuff is gone.

[dalesys]

Just wait until Windows 8 comes out and people see the option to "reset" their PC and complain when the PC reboots and all their stuff is gone.

Well, according to the Web cloudocrats, all "our" stuff are belong to them, so whatever's gone was never really ours to begin with.