The Great Computer Disaster – Episode 2

The Great Computer Disaster

Episode 2

10.30 am

It’s time to call in expert help in the form of friend and computer technician, Robbie Dunn. We helped Robbie recently with some wording for an ad (“Is there a ghost in your machine? Exorcisms Dunn.) The CW also designed a business card for him, so we figure he owes us.

Robbie discovers the G3 has defective RAM.

Diversion

Around this time I discover that HWKN has arranged for our neighbour to cart away to the dump the remains of a beautiful old post and rail fence – despite my previous insistence that we either give it away to someone appreciative, or use it ourselves for some creative purpose.

That inexplicable calm I spoke of earlier disappears in a fraction of a flash.

Heedless of what the neighbour thinks, I throw one of my rare (truly!) but spectacular tantrums, then stamp off shouting, “Do what you bloody well like!” I say a lot else too, but you don’t need to know about that.

When I’m angry, I attend to chores … clean ovens, scrub floors – stuff I don’t usually bother about.

This time I decide to attack the ironing basket, which is piled 3 times its height with clothes awaiting attention. I throw out a third, put another third away for next winter, and start ironing T-shirts for heaven’s sake! (I put things into categories when I’m angry too.)

I’m seriously considering husbandicide as an option, and make sure I don’t iron any of his stuff while I’m making up my mind.

The fence was just the last straw, of course. What’s really getting to me is all that ‘man knows better’ stuff.

I’m thinking about that RAM.

You see, when the G3 first fell sick, after HWKN installed extra RAM and the 2 HDs (all obtained from a fast-talking wheeler-dealer), I said, “I think it’s a memory problem. I bet it’s defective RAM.” My pleas to get it checked went ignored because he reckoned it was a software problem.

Meanwhile …

I’m suffering from Internet withdrawal. And I’m thinking of all the work that’s piling up. And I’m getting angrier. Any moment now I’ll probably start cleaning the mildew off the verandah rails.

And still I haven’t said, “I told you so.”

Eighteen months later

There’s a more or less happy ending to this story.

I vetoed the whole ‘everybody uses the G4 plan’ and, despite protests from the guys, I insisted we return to the previous status quo, with my G3 (minus the defective RAM) in working order. Robbie was able to get both Macs up and running, bless him and relative peace returned to the household.

Since then, I’ve replaced the G3 with a nice G4/1Gb, HWKN bought himself a used Powerbook (which sparked another battle after he asked the CW to help him set it up on our network), and the CW has finally moved out to a place of his own.

Things have been nice and quiet around here … all a bit dull really.