Computer-genius friends rock. My screen display is... well, a teensy bit out-of-proportion, really, because my computer doesn't seem to support exactly the right resolution for the new monitor. But it's perfectly legible and usable, and my icons no longer look like they're made of Duplo blocks. And my buddy thinks he might actually have a spare video card that'll work for me; he's going to let me know.
Hooray! Man, possibly the only feeling nearly as strong as the that sick-to-the-stomach sensation that happens when the computer gets messed up is the incredible feeling of relief when it's better. What's sad is, it took less time and effort for him to fix the thing than it did for me to break it.
By the way, in looking at the little serial-number plaque to make sure we were getting the correct drivers for it, we noticed that today happens to be my computer's fifth birthday. Happy B-Day, you bastard machine! (Actually, what's funny is that, when my friend noted this date, my reply was, "Yeah, I knew it must be five years old this month, because I got it the same month it was announced that Farscape was canceled. Hey, the only kind of nerd I'm not is a computer nerd." At least he got a laugh out of the experience.)
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I feel the need to say something, but you already know what I'm thinking. How about something basic like, "Gee, and I was reading the e-mail about her new computer using the very same one I have now"?
ReplyDeleteYour computer is too old to live. It needs to be abandoned on an iceberg now. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny - everyone at work assumes that by being a scientist I somehow have an inbuilt knowledge of computers...I'm not shabby or anything, but I don't know all the geeky things you need to know when it blows up. The computers I know well, were the DOS based ancients of old...the new stuff baffles me in my old age...
ReplyDeleteI'f often thought of buying that Tshirt that says "no I will not fix your computer". Just to save myself from having to promote how little I know about computers...
"Your computer is too old to live."
ReplyDeleteFortunately the rate at which PCs become obsolete seems to have slowed down in recent years. I used to find that I needed to buy a new PC every 3 years or so, but I've had my current machine 5 or 6 years now and it's still coping pretty well.
Geosomin: The guy I called for help actually has that t-shirt. I think it actually makes people more likely to ask. :)
ReplyDeleteJohn: It does seem to be slowing down a bit, but at 5 years old, my own PC, while still usable, is showing definite signs of creakiness. Even after I upgraded the memory.
When I biught it, I was careful to buy something that at the time was close to top of the range, with plenty of RAM and disk space. The only reali restriction is that I can't consider upgrading to Vista, but that's no real hardship.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little concerned that when I do replace this one -- or when I get a laptop, which I'd really like to do sometime soon, I'm going to be pretty much stuck with Vista. Nothing I have heard about Vista has made me want to have anything to do with it.
ReplyDelete