[John J Lee]
Why do you find system restore points useless?
Tautologically, because I have yet to see a case where they were of real use.
Aren't they convenient, when they work?
If they worked, I suppose they could be.
(as long as you regard it as a convenience, not a proper backup)
GoBack is useful and convenient, because it can undo all changes on disk. In that respect, it's as good as (but much faster and easier than) a full disaster-recovery restoration. System Restore undoes a vague subset of changes. If, e.g., a rogue installation damages data files, System Restore undoes parts of the installation, but leaves the data files damaged. It's good that System Restore (and other gimmicks) protect OS-critical executables and the registry, and that's better than nothing -- especially if all you run is the OS <wink>.