Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Mark Ollig’s “Bits & Bytes” 12/15/97



By MARK OLLIG

My first thought was “I can’t believe I did this!”

I am referring to about a week ago when I was doing some
work with my laptop computer, sipping cappuccino while doing data entry.

I usually set the cup on the table away from the computer.

This time I didn’t. I set it next to my computer.

My desk at home where I do all my paper work is mostly
an “unorganized mess,” but I keep promising myself that I will
“some day” get organized.

Ever read through a magazine and they show advertising
for an item that sits on a desk? Well, the desk is always orderly and every
paper clip seems to have its own container.

I hate that. “How in the heck do people have such
organized desks?” I ask myself.

Getting back to the cappuccino. Yes, it was sitting there
on the desk next to my computer and over the course of an hour I had expertly
handled it with great care making sure I didn’t commit the cardinal sin
of all computer users. Spilling something on the computer.

Reaching for the cup again, I did it.

“I don’t believe I actually did this!” I said
out loud, with no one but the cat looking at me.

The first thing I did was shut the computer off and get
it off of the desk. But it was too late.

Hazel nut cappuccino had done its deed all over my Hewlett
Packard OmniBook.

I did the normal, rational thing. I went crazy getting
a towel trying to wipe off the desk and computer.

Oh, yes, the cat was still in the room, no doubt laughing
its little feline head off at me.

After I calmed down, I assessed the situation.

“Well, at least I made a backup last night of my Quicken
software, so that isn’t lost.” I said to myself.

I opened up the laptop and pressed the power button.

Nothing.

You know that sinking feeling you get in your stomach when
you realize that something terrible has occurred?

“It is still under warranty!” I exclaimed. I
can just drop it off where I bought it and have them open it up and take
a look. Might only be a fuse, or they can use a small air sprayer to dry
the inside out. If I opened it up and started working on it, that might
break the warranty.

So, as I made my trek to Winsted’s westerly suburb that
begins with an “H” and ends in a “n,” I thought “this
might not take so long to fix if they open it up right away.”

Ever hear of Murphy’s Law?

As I walked in the show room, the salesman smiled and asked
if I needed anything.

Yes, I know why he was smiling.

“Well, I had an accident and spilled cappuccino on
this,” I said to him. “But it still should be under warranty.”

He went over to his computer (by the way, I noticed he
had no cups near his computer) and looked up my computer and warranty information.

“The good news is that the computer is still under
warranty.” He said. “The bad news is that the warranty doesn’t
cover spills.”

“That figures” I thought.

Well, I was there so I let them look at it anyway.

The technician who I gave it to didn’t seem too excited.

“They seem to put the screws on these computers in
the hardest to find places,” the technician said nervously.

I started thinking that maybe I should leave.

“Well, I know how it feels to have someone staring
over your shoulder while you’re trying to work on something, so I have a
few things I can do and I will stop by in a half hour and see how you’re
coming along.”

“Thanks,” the technician said with some relief.

While I was in my car driving, I thought, I should have
taken the laptop battery out and then see if it would turn on with only
the AC running it. Maybe the battery is shorting out.”

Thinking I had found the answer and could save time, I
called the technician on my car phone and asked him to try that and see
if it would power up.

Nope.

“Nice idea, though,” the technician told me.

After awhile, I went back to the store and asked how it
was going.

“It is working now!” the salesman beamed. “Shouldn’t
be long now, there is just one thing that we are checking.”

They had opened up the computer and used compressed air
to more or less dry it out.

Twenty minutes went by and I was wondering what was taking
so long.

“We can’t seem to get the mouse to work,” he
told me.

“What mouse? I didn’t bring it in with my mouse.”

They had connected one of their mice to my computer to
check it out and their mouse wasn’t working on it so they thought there
was another problem.

“You have to use the HP mouse that uses the HP mouse
driver,” I said.

Silence.

I got home and turned on the computer, plugged in the mouse
(which worked) and made sure the ol’ OmniBook computer was okay.

The experience not only cost me embarrassment, lost time,
and a $75 bill, but made me realize an important object lesson for all of
us.

Keep the beverages away from the computer!

Have a great week!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.