| | Ashes to Ashes, Gigabytes to Gigabytes
When I was about seven years old, my parents got an Apple IIe. It was "da bomb." Although it was still only green lights on a black screen, it was magical. I could play Chivalry™ and Serpentine™, which my computer geek cousin had pirated for me. My parents found learning software for me, and I was soon touch-typing my way through galaxies of alien space ships, as well as hitting home-runs with my multiplication skills.
Later, my father decided we needed to have two computers, one for him, and one for my mother. He bought a souped up Apple IIe compatible. This one had an orange screen. I started Junior High School and learned BASIC programming on an Apple IIGS. I was quite good at creating graphics, at least, I was better than my teacher™. I would spend hours programming colored point after colored point, creating very square, 2-D, stick figure-wannabe drawings. And then, my dad got his school to spring for a Mac Classic.
There was no turning back for him now. He had an actual point and click interface, with, get this, a white™ background and black text™. The best part, as far as I was concerned, was the "new" Superpaint® program that had come pre-installed.
When I left for college, I received a Mac SE of my very own. But, having learned to touch-type at the age of 8, I could type faster then the computer could register it. Even as a word-processor, this was not good enough for me. I spent my free time in the computer lab, which was slowly replacing all of its vax machines with PowerMac G3s. I discovered Internet porn, and porn, and hook-up chat rooms. I was finally learning how to properly use a computer. Of course, I was using Netscape, but I was a college student, it happens.
While in college, I began working in the real world, as a temp during the holidays, then as a freelance associate. I began to explore the world beyond Macs. I had to, no one in the real world used them but graphic designers. When my parents™ asked my what I wanted as a college graduation present, I wanted a lap-top: a Toshiba Satellite with DVD player. They went dutch with me and I leaped into the modern world. For about five minutes I was cutting edge. That's about how long the DVD player worked for.
Three years later, I needed to upgrade. My computer barely had enough memory to run notepad™, and restarting it took 45 mintues™. With my grandfathers help, I purchased a $2,500 Dell Inspiron - They have great customer service - and three years later, I have not finished paying it off. It is this computer that I am paying my respects to today. My dear Dell, not yet paid off, is now on life-support. So ends my infatuation with lap-tops. Because I don't know how much time we will have left together, I want to take this opportunity to say goodbye to a true friend and companion. A computer that played DVDs until it lost sound. A computer that was always faster than I typed, full color, and fully loaded. It's been swell. |
