Could you live without a computer? Obviously you at least have access to one, as you are reading this now. I’ve been contemplating this as my laptop of three years has decided to vex me at every turn for the last six weeks. It goes out more than I do(okay, so it’s to the repair shop), and I am now on a first name basis with the cable repair crew.
Sometimes the machine works, sometimes not. It’s moody. The techs can’t seem to figure out what is wrong with it. And a new computer is not in the budget right now. It got me thinking how I would stay connected without a laptop in my home.
I looked into the local library, and they do have computers and internet access. That’s okay for general surfing, but I wouldn’t want to do my banking or file my taxes there. When I needed to file my sales tax form the other day, I found that I could do that over the telephone, and it turned out to be quite easy. On days when the computer was in the shop, my friend KT would check my email for me. Since it was during the Christmas season, there were dozens of pesky “buy, buy, buy” emails from companies I’ve used in the past. That led me to “unsubscribe” from all of the sites that send me emails that I automatically delete. I don’t know why I hadn’t done this before.
I recently found that if I drive to a wifi zone with a strong signal, the computer spins like a top, leading me to believe that there is something wrong in the hardwired connection. Something that the techs can’t seem to locate. But as an in-home caretaker, I can’t just up and drive to a wifi zone whenever I get the urge. And I can’t seem to stay online long enough to hook up a wireless router.
But I digress. What do people do who have no computer? I have several friends who don’t have one, and their option is often to ask me to search for things for them online. I order items for them on ebay and Amazon, or let them submit their online time cards from my laptop. But always relying on another person doesn’t seem practical. And then there is keeping up with job searches. Since most jobs are now posted online, it is nearly impossible to do a job search without a connection. The library would be a good place for that.
Banking? That’s a tough one. I guess it is back to the old fashioned way. Write a paper check. There is also a “sit and surf” site near my home that I believe is very secure—-you have to pay $5 per hour to use their computers but they guarantee that your information is wiped clean when you sign off from their system. Most people have found them to be reliable, so I would use that option if it were necessary.
I always wondered what I would do if I were suddenly without my laptop, and now I know. There are other options. They may not always be convenient, but they are there. I can wait until a new computer is in the budget. I will survive. And I’m stunned at how much more I get done around the house when I don’t fritter my time on the net. I may even start a tradition of having a “computer free day” once a week when I do get a new one. There is life without a connection.