So I dropped my laptop a couple days ago. Not far, and it was in its protective squishy case, but I nevertheless completely freaked out inside. Several days later, it seems none the worse for wear, although it makes odd noises when it wakes up from sleep. I'm so glad I have a time capsule (wireless backup drive) on order. On April 24(ish), some sweet, sweet backup-ing goodness should arrive.
Story time! My old backup was a bit bigger than a shoebox, hideously black and boxy (it looked like a tiny guitar amp, but without the sex appeal that guitar amps get from being associated with guitars). It took a three-prong plug, which our house (whose wiring was done a LONG time ago) has few of, meaning that when I wanted to plug it in, I had the choice of: a) using a "cheater", a device which allows you to plug three prongers into two prong plugs, which is from the US because they're ILLEGAL in Canada because it's dangerous... of b) setting up in the kitchen. And when I did get the damned thing plugged in, it hummed. Not a quiet, unobtrusive hum, no. Imagine a refrigerator+air conditioner... On CRACK. Which began the moment you plugged it in, whether it was on or off. Oh, and did I mention that it took up to 10 minutes to actually appear as a drive in Finder? Yeah, it was great. When it decided to disconnect in the middle of a backup (losing the about 1 and a half HOURS worth of time it had already spent), I finally gave up on it and demanded a new backup drive. Which is in the mail. Woo.
But, my real point is the way I felt that first moment that I dropped it. Facing the possibility of my laptop being destroyed, I realized that I've anthropomorphized the hell out of the poor thing. I think of it less as a machine and more as an excessively useful cat. I used to want a pet, and I don't anymore. The space on my lap that used to be missing a cat is now filled with a little white box. In fact, a cat would probably just get in the way of my typing. Don't get me wrong, I still want a cat. But I don't feel any real need for one anymore. Why would I?
POSSIBLE BSG SPOILERS. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN SEASON 2 YET.
Now, as soon as I think "animals that are also machines", I think "cylon raiders!". So getting a wireless backup... Well, it just works. That's what backups are for, right? So when a computer dies, it doesn't die. You buy an identical chassis and put all the information into the new body. Reborn. And if the whole proccess is wireless... Suffice it to say that my Backup drive WILL be referred to as the "Resurrection Ship". I've been trying to decide what model my little macbook is. But the more I think about it, the more I love the idea. And I'm now so much more sympathetic towards the cylons because I associate them with my computer. So it works both ways.
Yes, I'm a huge geek. I love it.
The mood has nothing to do with the post, it's just amusing the hell outta me.
- Mood:
Sociable