"We've demystified computers for a whole generation. It's about customer satisfaction. People love it. It's quick. It's easy. It's painless." - Jim Kemp, HP's director of Americas Consumer Support, Planning and Infrastructure.

A growing number of PC manufacturers are moving to do-it-yourself repairs. Almost a third of the repairs to Hewlett-Packard's desktop computers are performed by HP's customers, and that figure is expected to rise to 65 percent in due course.

Apple seems to think the idea is great as well. Apparently, the iMac G5 is completely user serviceable, with a simplified interior, and easy to replace parts. Should a customer's machine go wrong, rather than an automatic recall, dispatches a spare part, and the owner performs the do-it-yourself repair. DIY repairs could include replacing RAM, or the HDD, or the display. Already a standard in the upper sectors of the computer market, it looks like self service is trickling down to the desktop PC.