Considering everything that is going on, which we users are mostly oblivious to, I'm frankly amazed that things don't go wrong more often.
Unless you're crunching number for SETI, or some such, the VAST majority of your computer's time is spend YAWNING, waiting for input from you.
Yeah, it is irritating when things go wrong. Overtaxing the system is my main root of evil. visiting hazardous sites will get you too. NEVER surf for porn, if that's your bag pay the $$$ for a legit site. I don't mean to suggest you've been doing that, but the topic harbors some of the net's greatest
threats.
I successfully sidestepped Vista, and haven't gone to 7 yet. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Use a firewall and practice safe surfing.
Oh, and no, I never had the fantasy of smashing my computer. My dangerously psychoic ex-wife smashed my Commodore 64 several times though. It really ...... her off when I repaired it after her first attempt at destruction.