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Let This be a Lesson to Me — Part Deux

Category: Uncategorised

Published on Friday, 12 February 2010 05:00

Written by Thom Ring

I just realized I never provided an update on my computer-​lesson, as related last month right here in Mom ‘N Pop Culture.

I won’t rehash the details. You can find that a few entries down this blog, so to speak. Suffice it to say my misadventures trying to buy a computer from Sears ended up happily. Gary at Tech Direct in Johnston, RI, set me up with a computer he assembled himself that allowed me to continue using all the software and peripherals I’d been using for years but with higher speed and “enhanced internet capabilities.” It’s got a floppy-​drive so I can still refer to old articles and stories from time to time. I’m writing this on my faithful old Word Perfect program. I have my printer hooked up through a new-​fangled port, the name of which I forgot because stuff like that just isn’t very important to me, and the scanner connected through the old style “parallel printer” port because sooner or later even that uninteresting title got through to my gray matter (See me in about five years for the name of that printer cable).

I even get to keep using my little sports-​car mouse, even though it, too, plugs in like an ancient phone (one of which I also still use, as a matter of fact).

I also have a wire running about 40 feet through three rooms and behind my wife’s desk to the “wireless remote” that sits on it. I love the irony of that. Furthermore, Gary advised I avoid the wireless adaptors that previously drove me bonkers if I could, as a cable simply was more reliable. It has been.

No, I didn’t cut up the Sears card. I still like their tools and the store closest to where I work employs these old guys in the tool department who actually know what they’re talking about. Hey, it’s good to see they found work. And Sears gave me a full refund, no questions asked, it’s only fair to report. Of course, as I’d made a payment in the meantime, now they owe me money. Talk about good credit.

Hey! DSL! That was a quick five years!