Upgrade Blues
So my computer, which I feel really isn’t that old, is apparently old according to all things geek, or is it nerd or dweeb? (Only geeks, nerds, and dweebs know the diff amongst themselves.) I try to use iTunes or Photoshop or Adobe Acrobat, and there is a great slowing down… Tap, tap, tap… lalala… hmmm… Ctrl + Alt + Delete… pause… dum-dee-dum-dum… I was trying to just deal, but to see Aaron attempt to use my computer and get pretty much MORE frustrated than me sealed it. I can’t deny it. I need an upgrade. And so I have Aaron on the case, since he knows hardware and I don’t. We’re looking into a way to keep all my accessories (keyboard, disc drives, monitor, accessories, and just replace the mother board and other stuff I can’t remember the name of right now. So he’s thinking he can get me moving at a reasonable rate for about $350.
OK, so that’s cool, but I’ve accepted it, AND THEN… Grrrrr… So I design a few spreadsheets for all this logging I have to do this year. In the past few days, I have learned that I need to fill out a detailed time log for my graduate program using one format, a different time log for my internship program, a time sheet for the school system, a time sheet for my minor rotation, and a mileage journal for the schools. (It was bad enough I had to go through the entire application process for both my major and minor rotations as if I DIDN’T ALREADY HAVE THE FRAKIN’ JOB!!!!)
OK, anyway, so I go to sync my newly created Excel time sheets with my Sony Clie, and it isn’t working! So I go to upgrade the software I use (Documents to Go), and it upgrades on my desktop, but apparently my PDA isn’t running the correct operating system to run the software. I’m in the 4’s. I need to be in the 5’s. I’m especially annoyed that upgrading the software made the old software go away. Gah! I search all over the Internet and learn that, in fact, "The Palm OS® operating systems require specific CPU and hardware features to operate. Because of this, the newer Palm OS® operating systems are unable to operate on handhelds that lack these required CPU and hardware features." In other words, I’m completely SOL. If I want to be able to use Excel spreadsheets on my Clie (something I’ve been doing for years), I’m going to have to buy a new PDA.
Why do they do this? It’s bad enough I have to pay about a million dollars a month for the two channels I want to watch on TV and another million just to get basic phone service and DSL Lite. It’s price gouging. Why can’t it stop? WHY?!!!
I’m considering buying this. It’s a good price. Although hell, I’ll probably have to get a new case to fit it and a new who-knows-what-else just to make it work the way it should in the first place. Did I mention that at my major rotation I have a cubicle but not computer or phone? I have a stapler. Today, I wrote a report on a Windows 1998 machine with no Internet access. Do these people not understand the manner to which I have become accustomed?! IU has completely spoiled me, and I’m really not interested in going backwards.
So in short, I’m basically looking at $525 just to keep me afloat technologically. It’s like teeth. I count on them to just be there. I should just have stuff that works. I don’t make enough for these upgrades. Three years isn’t long enough for stuff to be old. It just isn’t.
{Stomp, stomp, tantrum, pout, grrrrrrr…}
