Interruption In Service

[Thicklesip]

After yesterday's exciting game of "what do you mean I can't hit the loading screen in full-screen mode without crashing my computer," the ante has been upped! To make a short story shorter, I can barely even browse the web, and it looks like there needs to be a new video card in my life.

As an aside, I am clearly not cut out for computer ownership, because I sit here thinking "my old video card lasted almost five years before it melted itself and I didn't even know it had a fan" as if this is somehow a reasonable expectation for all video cards.

Sigh. I'll hurry back, someone keep the bench warm for me!

[Steelclaw]

Some older video cards come with a passive cooler. If your case otherwise has good airflow, maybe one of those will do the trick.

I see a GeForce 9800 GT for $99 with a passive cooler. Not too bad pricewise or performance wise.

[Sigi]

LoL. I too think older things last longer refridgerators, washing machines, computers, whatever. I'm still watching an over 30 years old television - in the mean time a few newer ones already failed funtioning.

[Steelclaw]

I'm still watching an over 30 years old television - in the mean time a few newer ones already failed funtioning.

Right, those older items were created before item decay was introduced.

On the bright side, people have found exploits to get around different types of item decay. These exploits generally involve tools and lots of four-letter words, presumably a magical incantation.

Little is known about these people, sometimes called "repair men", however, they are a dying breed -- not because electronics are more reliable, but because replacement is cheaper than repair or because consumers are led to believe that a "repaired" item is less reliable than a new one.

[Veruliyam]

I thought these beings of mystery were known as "Handy Man."

[lightning claw]

Well not all techs are a dieing breed i am a comp tech and with a simple program i can fix a computer anywhere in the country and i am affordable undercut the geek squad by 100s of $ but yes i have found brand new laptops placed by the dumpster with all the fixings the only thing these comps needed was Norten or aol removed and some miner virus removal and they where like brand new 100 $ (ya i upgraded ram in most of them ) or 1000 $ which is cheaper

[Ahael]

Back in 1993 I visited a museum filled with all kinds of old kitchen appliances, old tools etc...

They had a kitchen mixer built by the Finnish Fiskars company, between 1964-1972. My mom still had one of those - and used it every day

Now that I think about it... Video cards have failed relatively often in my computers. Far more often than power supplies or motherboards. Maybe I just stress them too much

[Vahrokh]

I am still using my 1970 Braun Razor with satisfaction. About once a decade the metal sheet on its head wears and I replace such little part and then it returns new.

Old things were made to last because they were of the school pre-dating the "let's squeeze the maximum off profits and indoctrinate people about masochistic consumism".
These days, instead, even some medicines are made to not fix the disease, to keep people forever chained to them.

[Sigi]

Right, those older items were created before item decay was introduced.

On the bright side, people have found exploits to get around different types of item decay. These exploits generally involve tools and lots of four-letter words, presumably a magical incantation.

Little is known about these people, sometimes called "repair men", however, they are a dying breed -- not because electronics are more reliable, but because replacement is cheaper than repair or because consumers are led to believe that a "repaired" item is less reliable than a new one.

This almost made me fall of my chair especially the incantations

[Thicklesip]

I feel honored that my "whoops I killed my video card with neglect" notice managed to fire up all you cantankerous geezers.

In the spirit of "well I had to walk TWO miles in the snow": my car's older than I am and valued such that sticking it in the dump could very well quadruple my net worth. And yet it gives me less lip than these fancy-pants "modern" cars do... phah!

[Veruliyam]

So, you drive a Model T?

I kid! I kid!

*runs from Justice*

[Ahael]

What's wrong with the Model T? It is MUCH easier to fix than the Model A, trust me! Modern cars are a nightmare to fix you know...

[Veruliyam]

I know, I know!

I used to work on my Cougar, my two Futuras, my Tempo...

Now, I pop the hood on my Mustang and go O.o...

[Dracaena]

We'll be watching for you and keeping that bench warm. Hurry back when you can.


Dracaena