Technology Is My Frenemy
I’m not going to go Ted Kaczynski here, but I cannot fail to notice the ways technology has caused me immense frustration over the course of the last year. In 2008, I had to buy a new television to replace one I had purchased less than two years before; I had to buy a new computer to replace another that failed in data-losing fashion; and I experienced a months-long plumbing nightmare.
My new HDTV is the greatest thing ever, and thanks to the good folks at Quality Plumbing, the drain is clear, so that horror has ended. But no sooner had the water begun flowing than more trouble has come along to take the place of the old. This weekend, after being at work all afternoon for back-to-back beg-a-thon shifts, I arrived home to find the house exceptionally warm. The air conditioner was blowing hot air. Thanks to help I received in the past from the Clays–who had a similar problem–I knew the culprit was a bad capacitor, and I did replace it today at minimal cost. But, that’s just the beginning.
Miriam began complaining recently that the laptop–my expensive replacement for the old computer that failed so horribly–was behaving oddly. For instance, when she would turn it on, the screen would be blank. Not having experienced it myself, I couldn’t guess the cause. By Sunday morning, however, it happened to me. Indeed, after starting Windows, the screen would go blank and stay blank. Sara told me that that is precisely what her HP laptop did to her less than a year after she bought it. This computer is less than ten months old, so it is still under warranty, and, if it’s going to break, now’s the best time, being the holiday between spring and summer classes. But, hell fire, what is the world coming to that we cannot make a product that lasts more than a couple years any more?
I’ll confess my share of the blame: I have allowed myself to become captive to the power and convience of computers. Indeed, I use a computer every day for many important tasks. Consequently, when I have this sort of problem, it’s a cripling predicament. I spent an hour and a half on the phone this morning with HP technical support (not being jerked around – it just took a long time to run some diagnostic tests), and now I will be without my laptop for two weeks.
I’m not planning on going off the grid, but sometimes I’m tempted.
Filed under: Rantings, Technology on May 4th, 2009 | No Comments »