Can you recall a pair of gym shoes that you refused to throw away? Any male reading this know what I am talking about. For me, it conjures up memories of an old pair that were ONLY used while weight training. These lasted almost four years. Along the sides tears, blood stain, discoloration (sweat, drinks, gym grit, crap that bleach cannot kill, etc.), abrasions, and stretches marred them. The bottoms were smooth and the inside lining was rent from the stitching. What finally terminated my obsessive use of these beloved shoes? My wife. She could not see why I would want something that looked and smelled so objectionable.
Figure 1, Beloved Technological Crutch
Every dead lift, bench press, power clean, barbell curl, and squat has been securely supported by my trusty shoes. I am sure that there were should that boast a fast superior coefficient of friction, but they were not familiar. My Apple Macbook Pro reminds me of those glorious shoes. Since 2007, it has been a sturdy, reliable standby. No iron plates ever crashed onto this aluminum beauty, but it has seen it share of counter-height drops, tool gouges, drink spills, operating system changes, and other disruptions. However, this now homely (see Figure 2) machine continues to meet my needs and more.
Figure 2, My Machine (2.4GHz C2D, 4G DDR2)
Once an expensive and delicately touched item, my utilitarian views on technology quickly overcame the need to perserve the cosmetic integrity of the item. See below.
Figure 3, Gouges
Figure 4, Abrasions & Gouges
Figure 5, Deflection, Missing Screws, Abrasions & Gouges
What would you expect from a laptop dropped off of a two meter tall ladder, half immersed in coffee, frequently sun-baked, exposed to salt air, dusty environments, and stepped on more than once (this might be 20% of the major incidents)? Perhaps a new door stop? This machine has taken all of that and kept running. However, it has been sent into the factory for repair twice. First, the DVI output had some drive issues, but it was covered under warranty (I <3 bathtub curve coverage). Most recently, I sent it in for repair due for various issues that were spares, but not completely impeding (CPU fan, DVD ROM, trackpad, keyboard controller & minor mechanical work for $347).
Old gym shoes may be adversely aromatic and unattractive, but they are comfortable. My constant digital companion provides the same level of familiarity. It may be timely to replace the tool before the other side of the aforementioned curve rises again, but I cannot let this one go yet.