scratchpad jr. (2nd import)

School Library Journal published a piece by Andy Carvin on the Digital Divide and why it’s dangerous that it’s no longer in the forefront of people’s minds.

After two weeks of testing, the computer repair shop finally confirmed my laptop’s problem is a failing hard drive, as many of my geeky friends hypothesized. I’m going to get a larger drive because it just makes sense to do that now. I just need to figure out how much bigger is really better.
I’ve been [...]

Upon learning about my computer’s latest problems, a friend suggested putting a donation button on my blog for a new machine. The idea cracked me up.
In all honesty, I have two basic problems with it:

I don’t think it’s right to ask you, my dearest readers, for money, especially to support my computer habit.
Someone would [...]

My laptop had a bad evening at blog group. It took the entire meeting to boot. Now, it won’t recognize the hard drive. I think it’s going into the shop sooner than I was thinking it would.
Diagnostics I ran this afternoon indicate the problem is indeed a failing hard drive. When I tried to run [...]

Wow. I really did just stay up all night fixing my laptop. It was kinda doing that thing it did in May when it wouldn’t boot coupled with a weird snorting sound. (If carcophony is the noise people make to explain their car sounds, what’s the word for someone making computer noises?)
Too scared to try [...]

This brief Information Today article includes some scenarios about how people lose their laptops, some suggestions for safeguarding the machine while traveling, and links to useful sites.

My computer usually does something funky before a major presentation. This time, the right shift key stopped depressing, then eventually popped off. It turns out that part of the scissor mechanism, the two pieces of plastic that help give the key its spring, beneath the key had come apart slightly. I didn’t think putting keys [...]

I guess y’all who call me a nerd are right. I figured I wasn’t one, but I guess it’s time I accept my true identity.
I lost points because I didn’t actually build the computer I’m using. I gained points because there is a live rodent somewhere in my bedroom. (At least I hope it’s still [...]

I created a new department for items about computers because I find that I write about them enough, especially my laptop, that having a clear place to stick the entries is a good idea.

My computer had a small mishap Thursday night involving a cat and a 3 foot fall to the floor from a bed. Now, it can’t find the airport card, so I’ve been digging around on the Internet and in the machine’s help documentation looking for information about taking out the Airport card. It gets knocked [...]