Avoid Western Digital Hard Drives if you can

This is from my own personal experience in dealing with calls about failing hard drives.  In almost all instances, they were Western Digital drives.  Two failing Western Digital drives this week have inspired me to post about this unfortunate, but common issue I have encountered.  I had an external drive given to me as a gift, it promptly died after 12 months, I crack open the enclosure.... Western Digital.  Just keep that in mind while you shop for hard drives.