For the longest time I have been of the opinion that since computer technology changes so fast, we should buy the cheapest possible computer and when it stops working, just throw it out and buy a new inexpensive computer again. This way, we always have the most recent and up to date technology. Well, we currently have a Toshiba Satellite laptop computer that we bought a few years ago on Black Friday. At first, it worked really well, it was fast, loaded with new features, and a dream to use...however, that changed after about six months. For the last 12 to 18 months this computer, essentially my wife's computer as I have my work laptop and my iPad, has slowed down, takes forever to open programs, freezes up, the cursor disappears, and is consistently running updates. Most mornings, while my wife and I are sitting downstairs prior to her getting the kids up for school, and while I am happily checking email and surfing the web on my iPad, my wife is accross the room waiting, sighing and making snide comments as she waits for our computer to respond. I have defragmented the hard disk, run anti-virus software, adware, spyware and any other type of "ware" available to clean the computer up and get it to run faster...we have updated the hard drive (thank you Gabby, my daughter...that is a story for another day), added more memory, deleted all unnecessary programs, cleaned out the start up menu, but NOTHING has worked. So fast forward to the other morning, when I receive an email while at work entitled "Computer Woes". I was really impressed with what she wrote (particularly given that she has little time in the morning before she must get the kids up for school) but I keep getting this nagging feeling that she is, in a not so subtle way, trying to tell me something...
Computer Woes
Need a new computer cuz it doesn't work at all,
It doesn't need a battery, it needs a wrecking ball.
When I'm in the midst of typing, the cursor will disappear,
"I'm going to lose all my work", is my constant & daily fear.
I hardly accomplish my work when the clock begins to chime,
I'm so tired of sitting here, wasting all my time.
My husband is so tired of hearing me bi*ch and moan,
As he sits there working fast on his darn smart phone.
I'm so frustrated, expected to perform,
It's sad that such inefficiency has become my daily norm.
After all this, there's only one thing left to say...
Honey, do we have to wait all the way until Christmas day?
Pretty good, isn't it...not bad for probably taking all of five minutes to write it. She is one amazing mommy... Needless to say, two things have happened since I received this. One, I have started to question my computer purchasing strategy. Maybe there is some truth to "you get what you pay for". Maybe there is some middle ground? In March I purchased an iPad 2. It cost me more than any laptop I have ever purchased, actually it was twice as much as any laptop computer I have personally purchased. However, that 0.38 inch thick piece of electronic hardware has been a dream and a joy to use. The user experience has been unbelievable, it is fast, feels good to hold, has amazing functionality, and has become one of those pieces of technology that I did not know that I could not live without. Which brings me to the second thing that has happened since I received my wife's email...we have ordered a brand new MacBook Pro laptop which should be arriving any day...
No comments:
Post a Comment