COMPUTERS...HELP!!!!

 

Computers, Help !!!

 

I often wonder how we ever accomplished any business in the years before computers. It seems to me that a great deal of our entire daily existence is totally dependent upon one operating system or another. From the programmed coffee maker in the morning to the television set at night, when computers and their inner workings go bad, our lives seem to be placed into levels of stress not achieved twenty five years ago. I grew up in a ‘dingless’ society. A childhood in which nothing made a ‘ding’ noise, except maybe the doorbell, but we didn’t get many visitors, so that was not a problem. In today’s computer world, everything ‘bings’. The doorbell, the refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, computer, cell phone, microwave, oven, clock, smoke detector, car door, GPS directions. Ding, ding, ding all day long. You don’t even know where they come from. My weather app has a clock alarm attached to it (who knew?). This morning a new ‘ding’ starts at 6am. I’ve never heard this ‘ding’ before’. I don’t need anymore ‘reminder: dings in my life. I have enough, thank you very much. Where are the directions to shut this off?

Is this progress?.

I’m not certain all of the progress we have made is necessarily for the good.

I don’t know about you, but I’d like everyone in my family to leave my computer alone, don’t mess with it, don’t change anything, don’t try to improve it….just let it be. I like the way I have it set up and know how to use it for the things I need. If I want any changes, I’ll ask for them, otherwise just don’t do anything to it. As far as I’m concerned these things are very very fragile. There is nothing like typing a letter, report or a column that you are very proud of and then have it disappear into the far reaches of the universe never to be seen again. You have no idea what you did to cause this catastrophic event to occur and you have no idea how to resurrect what you have lost. I get the same feeling when I get a letter from the IRS.

Last weekend I’m sitting at my desk at home, happily working away, when I keep getting some type of upgrade notice from Microsoft. I didn’t want the upgrade and foolishly clicked on the delete button. Of course this not only deleted the upgrade, but apparently every thing else associated with it disappeared as well, including all of my previous operating files. After several attempts to start over I go to the Microsoft website and learn how to download the trial version of the software that I have erased. This is where the hard part comes in. To download requires me to type in a 35-character password or product key. Unfortunately for me the 8’s and the b’s look the same so I have to retype and retype until I get it correct. I also have a problem with the 0’s and the O’s ….of course you only get so many shots at this task since the ‘lockout’ notice appears if you enter the info in error too many times. Once you get the code typed in just right, then you have to wait for several very long (I mean long) minutes for the program to download. Meanwhile you’re afraid to leave and answer the phone or go to the bathroom in fear that while you’re gone, some secret important message will appear telling you to do something that will get you further along. Failing to do whatever it says may cause irreparable harm of some sort or harm to some poor baby seal or a 1,000-year-old tree in France. In fact, I’m certain that anything you do wrong will greatly increase global warming. Everything you do will increase global warming as I am told by ‘experts’. I think they ‘predicted we would all be dead by 2015.

Back to my computer issue.

I have no clue as to whether or not I’m actually making any progress or not. The little hourglass doesn’t give me any indication of how much progress (if any) I’ve made or how much further I have to go. I’m determined to do this myself and not call anyone (much less my children) for help. This has now become a personal point of pride with me. Kind of like going back to the health club for the first time in five years. You always think you can still bench press 150 pounds, no matter how old you are. You can’t, don’t try.

Finally a little note appears and tells me that it is extracting files. Yea! Panic sets into my brain. To me extraction means the same as removing, I think I’m supposed to be adding programs and files, not removing or as they say…extracting anything. But the clock is ticking and there is activity so I best sit and wait in agonizing silence while it does whatever it is trying to do. I should not have had that last cup of coffee. No, I think I’ll have a double expresso.

Finally it says that it is finished, but nothing appears on my computer. Instead, it has downloaded everything to my laptop since I had it on as well to help me in my quest for reinstatement. Once again, a wave of defeat sweeps over me and I’m tempted to call someone, anyone and ask for assistance. I shut down the laptop and go back to the big PC and try once more, holding my breath and praying that somehow, some way it will all work out and everything will be back as it was. I’m not certain God acts on computer repair prayer requests and tend to think He treats them like requests from football coaches. Someone has to win and someone has to lose, so He just lets things work themselves out on their own.

However, hallelujah….I’m saved ...everything is back and working …for the moment anyway. I have no idea if I did the right thing or if God took pity on me and fixed it for me. I think the prayers helped; I certainly can’t see that they hurt anything.

Note to self- increase my church tithe next week.

 

See you next week…Peary Perry