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Finally got around to putting the memory in the "new" laptop, since now I can install all but one of the needed programs for work on it. Only I couldn't install the memory: no screwdrivers small enough. Considering how not-static-free this apartment is (and my hair doesn't exactly help me be a static-free zone either), I took that as a sign, and called the local computer store, which I have already grown quite fond of.
Theory: they'll have the right screwdriver, and an environment kept as clean and static free as possible, since they do hardware work. They'll probably charge me a hopefully-token fee for opening it up and swapping the memory in and out, especially given it's not only not one of their laptops but a line they don't even work with.
Practice: Everything but the token fee; it was free. I didn't expect them to be that nice, even though it only took the guy a few seconds, but it was very cool they were. Of course, it's also plain good business sense - every time they do something like that for me I like them a bit more, after all!
I went on out to the Japanese Gardens and had a nice peaceful walk, disrupted at the end by the Unruly Children. The UC's and their Inattentive Parents spoke Spanish, and the UCs were speaking it at great, shouting volumes whilst they ran around. I was about to leave anyway, so I did. (The parents put a stop to the running once they noticed it - or I would not have left, I'd have intervened. Running is not good for the gardens, and it's also just plain DANGEROUS, especially considering it was raining today. I was trying to marshal my Spanish into the right sentences when their parents got them back under control. But they made no effort to stop the shouting.)
That was after I'd been there a half hour, though. A peaceful half hour is good. I want to install the USB drivers for my camera on the laptop. Small problem: they don't have a WinXP driver yet. Argh. The 2000 driver can't handle my 64-meg card. And I can't find my bloody floppy to install the serial drivers. I'm downloading the updated 98 USB drivers in the hopes they might work. If not, oh well, I can just keep uploading to the desktop, but it does curtail some of my hopes for how to use the laptop, at least till the XP drivers make an appearance.
I am such a geek. And I have such fun at it.
Theory: they'll have the right screwdriver, and an environment kept as clean and static free as possible, since they do hardware work. They'll probably charge me a hopefully-token fee for opening it up and swapping the memory in and out, especially given it's not only not one of their laptops but a line they don't even work with.
Practice: Everything but the token fee; it was free. I didn't expect them to be that nice, even though it only took the guy a few seconds, but it was very cool they were. Of course, it's also plain good business sense - every time they do something like that for me I like them a bit more, after all!
I went on out to the Japanese Gardens and had a nice peaceful walk, disrupted at the end by the Unruly Children. The UC's and their Inattentive Parents spoke Spanish, and the UCs were speaking it at great, shouting volumes whilst they ran around. I was about to leave anyway, so I did. (The parents put a stop to the running once they noticed it - or I would not have left, I'd have intervened. Running is not good for the gardens, and it's also just plain DANGEROUS, especially considering it was raining today. I was trying to marshal my Spanish into the right sentences when their parents got them back under control. But they made no effort to stop the shouting.)
That was after I'd been there a half hour, though. A peaceful half hour is good. I want to install the USB drivers for my camera on the laptop. Small problem: they don't have a WinXP driver yet. Argh. The 2000 driver can't handle my 64-meg card. And I can't find my bloody floppy to install the serial drivers. I'm downloading the updated 98 USB drivers in the hopes they might work. If not, oh well, I can just keep uploading to the desktop, but it does curtail some of my hopes for how to use the laptop, at least till the XP drivers make an appearance.
I am such a geek. And I have such fun at it.
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Besides - before they were in this storefront, there was another computer shop (which left, employees and all, thank goodness). I never had them simply insert a memory card for me, but other experiences (mine and other people's) suggests to me that for this same procedure they would have:
Charged me $10-$20.
Taken 10 minutes to get around to waiting on me, discovered the screwdriver was missing, and taken 5 minutes more to find it, before actually opening the case and putting the memory in.
Somehow contrived to screw it up, despite the simplicity of the required actions.
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