You know the sinking feeling when a computer dies to the bluescreen.
My Dell showed the utmost dedication by serving me five long years, much longer than most people expect from a Windows laptop. My expectations were simple: a place to store files, do word processing, and check email. But I got so much more than that. We had built a story together: I went through changes and stages in my life as it stayed dedicated through it all.
It was the vehicle through which I enacted out my boyhood fantasies. It enabled me to become an ace sniper, powerful barbarians and crafty wizard through the realities its CPU and graphics-card rendered.
It stood by me as I focused as a student and online poker player. It took the beats of my sub-par performance stoicly watched me slowly grow my skills and assets.
It took the heavy beating of high-resolution images and resource intensive software like a champ. As I venture down the path of programmer & designer, I thought we would reach glorious heights together…
But now its days are done. It finally got the blue screen of death this week and I must unfortunately begin to say goodbye.
My work has been impeded now that my laptop’s gone. I was using it in the office for the few months I’ve been working, now they have me on a Mac and its not the same. Sure its flashy, clean, and fantastic, but it can’t even run the software I need to do my job. As an aside, I wonder if theres software that can fake a bluescreen to get out of work (theres probably money in creating that).
I’m forced to work from home, and boy have things slowed down. Not that I had many important files there, but I got a real pleasure in carrying my work wherever I went. Cafes, libraries, even my own couch is closed off to me as a workspace now. My back, butt and neck cramps from the chair I sit in. I’m shaken mentally and physically and now I have to consider buying a replacement.
Dell, I’ll miss you. Things won’t be the same without ya.
