11/25/19: Digital Choices

11/25/19
Digital Choices
by Holly Winter


For the past two months I have paced back and forth past various computer displays in every computer store in the area. I photographed specs so I could study them at home. What kind of computer did I want?

There are so many choices in graphics, speed and storage capabilities. 

In Sam's Club the young man who worked there whispered as he leaned close and told me not to buy a computer at Sam's Club. They're old. And the warrenty isn't good. He suggested I go anywhere else.

I went to Best Buy and found the computer I wanted. It had a small screen size--all the better to travel with--and a smaller keypad--all the better to travel with. And the keyboard was rated ok on some random website I found.

Last night I was ready to jump. I paced in front of the display until I chose the $300 computer over the $550 computer, which disgusted the young man working there. He tried to tell me that this was a very old and very slow computer.

Those specs defined my ability to type: very old and very slow.

Seemed like a perfect match.

I stopped by the Geek Squad desk to ask how much they would charge to take off all of the bloatware from the computer as I swore to myself I would hire someone else to do that next time.

$40.

That's so worth it. I just had to take the computer home and turn it on and get my credentials entered, then I could return and let them take the advertisements off my computer.

No problem.

I smiled all the way home, a new computer with a keyboard that worked. Imagine that, no sticky T and no missing spaces between words.

After unpacking the computer and plugging it in, I sat waiting while the computer set itself up with a woman's voice who asked me to be patient while the computer warmed up.

I remember what it was like, 30 years ago, when I bought a computer and had to type in DOS commands every time I turned it on or wanted the computer to do anything. My, how times have changed.

Voice asked me to enter my wifi password. I did. Voice then asked me to wait for the uploads.

I waited. And waited. 

Nothing. I waited some more.

Nothing.

I wondered if having the computer at home for a half hour would invalidate the warranty. I turned off the computer and turned it back on. It restarted to the same spot where it froze before. It wouldn't budge.

I waited. And waited. Nothing. Stuck. Frozen.

I packed the computer back into the box as fast as I could and drove to Best Buy. The guy at the door raised his eyebrows and said hello as if he was wondering if I carried my computer around as a security blanket of some sort.

"It doesn't work." I said.

He pointed me towards the service desk. The young man working didn't meet my eye.

They'd better take it back. If they tell me to call the company or wait for some technician to fix the computer, I'm going to scream.

I was ready to scream.

The guy at the register asked if I wanted him to get me another computer.

He's kidding, right? Nope. No computer today. Just my money back.

If they can't guarantee that the computer works, I don't want it.