The Last Hurrah

[rorqual]

This is the last post I will make from my desktop computer. After I am done here, I will shut it down, crack it open and pull the hard drive (because, though I think I've moved everything over to the new laptop that I'll ever need, I can't convice myself that I haven't left *something* critical on here - so just in case, I'll keep it until it becomes obsolete), and then hook up the laptop to the old monitor and keyboard. The old tower will be trashed, and thus goes only the second computer I ever actually bought myself. My first was a VIC-20 (shut up), which we plugged into the tv, and which ran programs off of cassette tapes. After that was a series of servers which I got after they'd outlived their usefulness at other people's jobs - and they were fine, but I finally decided I needed something a tiny bit more current. I bought a computer my first year of grad school; actually kyriotate made the call for me - and the combination of paying for it with my credit card, and having it shipped to his address, triggered the fraud alert system at my credit card. Not enough to keep them from letting me buy the computer - oh no; I got that fine, but when I got to New York and tried to buy books for school, *that* purchase wouldn't go through. It was good fun, standing in line with 20 books, slowing down 500 other students who need to buy books before the first week of class, and arguing over the phone with the credit card company that yes, I was who I said I was, and I'd like to pay for my books now please.

That one lasted for ages, until I couldn't play games anymore, and realized it was time to move on. This one I've had for less time, but seems to have taken it harder; over the last few months, it's started making the lovely griding noises that convinced me I needed to start thinking about a replacement. And though I thought I'd never choose a laptop, I accidentally fell in love with one over the summer, and finally bought my own. Which brings us to this rather sad day.

It's been a good computer, and I hate to see it go. But, times change, and it served me well.

Now I have to figure out where I'm going to put my printer, which is currently balanced on top of the tower.

Comments

[pneumatik.livejournal.com]

It's odd the way people anthropomorphize everything. Maybe not completely into a person, but if you use something long enough eventually you realize that it has a personality. Most object can't let you down or piss you off like people, so generally you like them and are sad to see them go.

I have to assume this is an evolutionary by-product of being social creatures. Did ancient man feel an attachment to the cave or hut he was living in? Did he re-use the same spear when hunting mammoths (or triceratopses) because he was attached to it? What does it gain the species when you post makes me not only miss the crappy desktop I got rid of, but dread the eventual trashing of my old laptop?