I’m Baaaaaaaaaack – I Think

As you’ve probably noticed, this blog has had some scarce pickins’ recently. I had a major hardware failure and it took a while to resolve.

Note to self, never, NEVER – NOT EVER – purchase a Gateway computer again.

I love my Gateway computer – it is the backbone for my whole online experience. Problem is Gateway has no technical support whatsoever.

They do have a long-distance number way across the other side of the country. I called it, and was on hold for 10-minutes. I decided to give up calling, and emailed them. They responded within a couple of days.

They gave me some diagnostic tools, and then after we determined the problem, they told me my warrantee had expired, so I’d have to call another number and talk to someone about activating a service agreement first.

They didn’t tell me if they could even fix the problem – just buy a service agreement then we’ll talk. That’s their attitude.

Although everything is working well and I’m a happy camper, I’ll never buy a Gateway again. Support isn’t very good, if it doesn’t exist.

It’s amazing how things don’t last anymore either. My Gateway computer isn’t that old. In fact, it just turned two a few days after the breakdown – which is rather dubious as that just so happens to be when the warrantee expired too.

I wonder if some evil power-that-be plans these things intentionally?

Maybe they design these things to work just past the warrantee, then BLAMMO they come crashing down?

When I was a kid growing up we had an old toaster. I know it was an old toaster, because it was old when I was young. That old toaster lasted for at least 15, maybe 20-years.

One day, it just gave up, browned its last slice of toast.

We got a brand new Black and Decker toaster. It even had a spot for bagels – improvements over the years – WOW!!!

That Black and Decker toaster lasted a handful of years, and then gave up and croaked.

I was shocked – the previous toaster lasted nearly 20-years, yet this new, high tech toaster, with its fancy bagel feature, only lasted three, maybe four-years tops.

What gives?

I know we live in a disposable society, where everything is made to be consumed and tossed away.

But does our disposable society also mean disposable in terms of quality and workmanship?

I can sort of sympathize with manufacturers – if they made everything to last, they’d be in the poor house as no one would need their products anymore.

Still, isn’t the whole mother of invention thing supposed to drive our economy? Sure we have things built to last, but if they come out with something that browns my toast faster, is guaranteed not to burn it, or can even walk the dog while making me waffles – wouldn’t I go out and buy it?

Of course I would – I love waffles. . ..

The point is, our society has taken another downward spiral. We used to have good products that lasted forever. Newer products drove the economy, as people always wanted the latest and the greatest.

These days, quality isn’t job one – it’s maybe oh, one-thousand and one, or more. New products don’t drive our economy any more because those evil powers-that-be are more concerned with selling their crappy products, than creating new and innovative ones.

Maybe I’ll go back to sticks and stones – at least those last.