Oh, damn. I'm late for work AGAIN. But at what cost? I finished copying files from the old, cow-graffitid Gateway! Windows 98! It wouldn't recognize the USB thumb drive to save its life, (which I guess it knew I eventually wouldn't) but I finally figured it out. It was like explaining an iPhone to Mr. Edison. So, down to the garage the old beast goes. That's 2 square feet of office space we could use. (Like for a file box of 2007 tax receipts.)

I got the fabled "Blue Screen of Death" a couple times. Fascinating. I must say that swapping that old thumb drive back and forth from Windows 98 to Mac OS X actually brought out the worst in the Mac, too. I even got the "Grey Shroud of Termination" which falls gently down the screen and politely asks you to power off everything. Not sure everybody knows about it. You only see it every so often, but when it descends upon you, it saps you of all your good, Apple Inc. cheer, as well as the hope for an increased market share.

And now it's on to the IBM Thinkpad transfer. Windows XP! I abhor dealing with the PC interface. Good lord, it's like driving across England -all the signs are in English but everything's on the wrong side, fries are chips, and you can't get a burger or a cup of coffee to save your life. Oh sure, Europe works fine and all, but give me AMERICA! This is the way people feel about Macs -with simultaneous admiration and contempt. Mrs. Ditchman resisted for a good long while, and then when she finally sat down to one it was a few minor complaints for a week or so, and then... silence. I took the laptop to camp with me and she was begging me to bring it home. Begging!

Okay, slight exaggeration. The new Mac OS is coming out next Friday and after work today I'm going to grab my sleeping bag and get in line at the Carlsbad Mac Store! Oh, man, is it ever going to be sweet! Just seven days to go until my blissful clickety-click upgrade. Can't wait.

Have a mactastic weekend!


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