Wife Approval Factor [WAF]

[Mike]

Wife Approval Factor n. Applicable to an object, especially an electronic device, that normally appeals only to men.
Also refers to any features added to or modified in the object to make it acceptable to women. [see also: Wife Acceptance Factor, WAF ].

Notes:

It is clear that men are generally more interested in high-end electronic gadgetry than women. Further, this obsession with fancy digital doodads works well as long as a man remains single. But once he's married or otherwise sharing living quarters with a significant female other, the electronic emblems of singlehood such as refrigerator sized speakers and wall-covering home theater systems are doomed. Why? Because (so the theory goes) most women don't want to live in a home dominated by over-the-top electronica. Their preferences run more towards things that are attractive, understated, and easy-to-use, and it is these characteristics that give devices a high score on the WAF scale.

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Comment

Given that in this place we attempt to provide the best possible assistance for achieving a desired Media Center outcome, a recent conversation has highlighted a critical issue which has not received as much attention as it should.

For many here, it matters little what this place helps you to achieve, if your WAF is low, you're knackered, and since women just love to discuss their problems, why can't we do the same?

So this is now the "official" place to share your stories, anecdotes or opinions about your WAF successes or failures.

Success: How you managed to increase your WAF for a specific piece of, or combination of tech goodness. Avoid telling us about any logic you employed - we all know that's a waste of time. You should however include, all lies, bribes, deceit and any bull-**** used during the process. If it worked for you, others might be able to borrow your ideas.

Failure: If you've had little to no success raising your WAF, tell us about the disasters so that others here may learn and grow wiser.

[Matt]

WAF is so very, very important.

What's worked best for me is getting MCE rock solid, then put it into the Lounge and show the wife how to use it.

At first she was a little sceptical, but once she saw the EPG and realised what she could do... well it's hard to get near the box now.. which is great because when it's time for an upgrade, it's very simple.

Dahm, the MCE box isn't booting, I going to need to get a new Hard disk darling to fix it, ok just as long as I can record NCIS...... sure you can... be back soon.. jumps in the car with a fist full of cash bound for CPL

Cheers

Matt.

[benneh]

Agreed, WAF is system requirement number 1 and makes for a smooth upgrade path.

Whats that darling?...you want to be able to record something and watch something else? /me heads to markets to buy second tuner card

[Shan]

I can stongly recommmend the "chardonnay" method as a practical alternative for when WAF is waning.

The technique involves 6 distinct stages;

1. Friday afternoon at work, call your mate/neighbour/brother-in-law who's wife happens to be big buddies/sister with yours, and ensure they arent doing anything that night.
2. Arrive home from work on Friday night with a huge take-away (not forgetting some kind of cardboard meal with worthless plastic toy attached to entertain the kids) and at least 3 bottles of the aforementioned Chardonnay and a carton of beer.
3. Quote the following word for word; "I've bought far too much food, why don't we ask if {insert names from stage 1} want to come around"
4. Ensure everyone else drinks far more than you do because you are "on-call" or some similar excuse for ensuring a clear head in the morning.
5. Get up the next day, bring heavily hung over wife a coffee in bed with the words "I'm just popping down to Umart"; response will be somewhere between "whatever!" and "Take the kids with you", or a combination of both.
6. Ensure whatever you hammered the credit card with at Umart is installed and running before heavily hung-over wife surfaces at mid-day!!!!

Works for me!!!

[arkay]

Haha.. Classic topic

Unfortunately I haven't come up with anything special to encourage the WAF because her primary argument is still "But I turn on the tv and/or the VCR and it just works, every time".

No matter how hard I try I can't get that level of stability out of MCE. Every now and then the guide update screws the channels and I have to rescan etc etc.. Something goes wrong regularly which is fine for me cause most things are a 2 second fix. But she does have a point.

Of course, the thing that's always bemused me is that they don't really care that they can schedule recordings easily, watch dvd's easily, watch a ton of tv episodes without ads etc etc. 1 -ve can outway 1000 +ve's on the WAF scale.

Cheers,
Arkay.

[Scott_A]

I managed to get my MCE box up and running with minimal opposition. The only condition I really had was I had to use 'recycled funds' (Funds obtained by selling off ones valuable collection of old hardware, that is often refered to as 'junk')

The fact that the case I chose (Antec Aria) had a very different appearence to the standard PC cases we have helped a lot.

For anyone who believes they may have difficulty justifying yet another piece of hardware, I have the following guidelines.

1. Don't discuss your plans. Most wives, gf's, partners etc who have the ability to control funding already accept your disappearing for hours on end to 'play around' with your toys
2. Concept test first. Use your primary PC as a test platform (Ghost is your friend). You may need to sneek in a new video card or a very cheap analogue tuner card in order to get enough functionality to demonstrate
3. Ensure the VCR developes a problem. This can often be achieved by removing the cover and temporarily losing any fuses (!!!UNPLUG FROM MAINS FIRST!!!)
4. Demonstrate how well your 'test' machine works. "I know the VCR is broken honey, but look, we can still record Desperate Housewives"
5. During the demonstration phase, DO NO WRONG!!. I can't emphorsize this enough. Mow the lawns, clean up the kitchen, wash the car etc
6. Once the better half has gotten used to the idea, suggest moving the PC into a new, permanent home next to the stereo (up until now it has been hidden by boxes and cushins in a corner close too, but not part of 'entertainment central'). This will be met by the usual "You're not putting that ugly beige box in the loungroom"
7. Have pictures of alternate cases ready. Try to keep options in line with the current style of equipment, ie stereo, VCR etc. Let your belovered choose the case. It's important to involve them in the descision making process.
8. Draw up a budget. Over estimate ALL the prices, but keep it all afordable. This way, when you come home from your shopping trip with change, or better yet, flowers, wine, 2 gold class movie tickets and a DVD copy of Gone with the Wind (which you will have to watch with her) she will think you are the best.
9. Once you have all the bits you need, you need to get it into production quickly. The last thing you want to hear is "So... you got all this new stuff, where is it?? I want to see it all working"
10. Take the time to get it working properly because once it's in place, you won't be able to change it, mess around with it or take it off-line. This will avoid the following; "You went out and spent $3000 on something you said we just had to have and I still can't record [insert program here]"
11. And finally, you will need to hand over control of the remote for at least 4 weeks. During this time, you will not be able to choose what program you want to watch and any program you want to record will be pushed aside for the latest documentory on "the mating rituals of white ants"

Yes, I know that sacifices have to be made, but trust me, it's worth it in the end.

Cheers,

Scott

[Mike]

That is OUTSTANDING ! - you're a devious man Scott - love it!

[Shan]

Nice one Scott

Looks to me that, by hook or by crook, Brisbane will soon be winning the HTPC race!!!!

[allanw]

Ok I think ive found the secret to instant WAF raising!!!!

1. Teach your woman how to do one thing at a time, let her get used to it and then introduce some new buttons on the remote to her. Its working well for me
2. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP, make sure the EPG is rock solid, women love browsing the EPG and reading all the little blurbs about all their favourite shows, this is what got mine sucked into the MCE

But then again im not married so technically its not a WAF that i have raised, its just a living with the girlfriend approval factor, but good luck to all the men in australia currently attempting to implement such important electronic devices into the livingroom!!

[merls]

Classic thread!!

The WAF directly converts to the GAF (Girlfriend approval factor) for me. Foxtel took me a million years to get approval for, since then, I just can't figure out the GF. Now she *sometimes* encourages me to get the HTPC up and running for the new house. Howere her main concern is being able to turn the TV on, THATS IT. Recording shows, watching DVD's from the PC, listening to MP3s and playing games on the plasma isnt a main concern at all for her.

She'll come around.

On a side note - We chatted today about leasing a new car. I asked her what sort she wanted, expecting some rig that she plans to put kids/dog into in the future. The response I got just shows you never can tell:

"Why don't we get a white Holden SS Ute?"

Im back to square one trying to figure this one out. Meanwhile, anyone want a 96 4WD Dual cab hilux??? hehehehehe


merls

[arkay]

Originally Posted by barrymango

"Why don't we get a white Holden SS Ute?"

Im back to square one trying to figure this one out.

Haha.. Don't even try mate, many have gone insane in that pursuit!

-Arkay.

[SEdave]

thanks guys, reading all that made me really appreciate my situation

the only thing she doesnt use is my videos (cos theres not much there).

Occasionaly she'll use a tv at a freinds and always forgets she cant pause or rewind to catch something. Life is good