More than other items, computers exemplify the American ethic of "throw it away and get a new one."  My wife and I have decided to hobble along a bit longer with our hopelessly antiquated 1994 "486," figuring the longer we wait, the more powerful and less expensive the new machine will be.  Still, it makes no sense to spend much money on the old one, so I do all I can myself and turn to friends for help, advice, missing files, and used parts.
         We've upgraded software and memory, and installed a much faster modem for our internet connection.  As in nature, if you change one element of a machine's ecology, other functions can go haywire or cease altogether.  Running into multiple "compatibility" snags, we've been generously assisted by an expert friend.  Each problem impels me to grow more patient while learning how better to interact with the machine.  Sometimes it seems I spend more time learning a new skill than I do actually applying it usefully.  By the time I master something, I realize it's considered passe by the technologically elite.  Anyway, our computer works wonderfully now, except for remaining problems with the sound and CD drive.
         I used an IBM PC in the mid 1980s, but then only watched other computer users occasionally before decisively embracing the machine two years ago.  One thing I've noticed:  as computers rapidly become more powerful, programmers and website designers give them progressively more to do, so that the amount of time most people spend waiting for the machine to act remains about the same.  This betrays a basic lack of respect for our time inherent in the profit-driven system that pushes us to always buy the latest equipment.
         As I've been helped with our upgrades, so am I trying to help a friend who's new to computerland.  Receiving a new machine for Christmas, she signed on with America Online (AOL) for internet service.  I showed her how to maneuver her e-mails more easily, how to change some "Windows" settings to make things friendlier, and how to "access" the World Wide Web through her AOL connection.
         Many amazing and useful computer programs run without going "online" at all.  If the only online service you want is e-mail and you're willing to look at ads, you can enjoy free e-mail by ordering free software and then plugging a phone line into your computer.  If, however, you'd like to visit websites and have ad-free e-mail, you must sign up with an internet service provider (ISP).  Such accounts usually also allow you to put up your own website if you like, and may enable you to send and receive your e-mail from other people's computers when you're not home.  The price for this package of services varies, but generally runs about $20 a month.
         Humboldt County has many small, locally owned ISPs, providing a valuable
alternative to corporate behemoths like AOL.  I've been extremely pleased with the local provider my wife and I use.  Our connection has been consistently good, with websites "loading" as quickly as the phone company, our modem, and overall internet traffic will allow.  Their free classes have been most valuable, and several times they've patiently helped me iron out problems in person or by phone.
         Our first experience with an ISP, however, was with AOL.  Several times we
couldn't connect at all, because their lines were busy.  "Try again later," the screen said, also giving the appealing option of a long-distance number.  I figured they had
oversubscribed their service, signing on more people than they could really handle.  This wasn't acceptable, so we ditched AOL and signed up with a local provider that seemed stable and well established, and that boasted a committment to maintaining  a reasonable ratio of available lines to accounts, even refusing to offer new accounts at times until more lines could be established.
         AOL didn't let go easily.  After cancelling, we got several phone calls oozing with obnoxious, high pressure tactics to make us reconsider.  "No," I said each time, "and please don't call again."  But they kept pushing, earning my long-term scorn.
         I was disappointed to hear my friend was signed up with AOL.  I wasn't surprised to see her computer consistently had to dial and wait several times before it could establish a connection with AOL, because their lines are so busy.  My friend said she sometimes just gave up.  I also found her internet connection terribly sluggish, much slower even than our's was with the old "14.4" modem--again, probably due to AOL oversubscribing their "service."  Apparently, AOL does not value my friend's time.  Also, I think AOL's "user interface" screen is gaudy and hectic, and attempts to confuse new users into thinking that AOL is the internet.
         Some may like the "user groups" that are limited to AOL subscribers;  perhaps  these are important enough to outweigh AOL's disadvantages.  Still, there is no shortage of "newsgroups," "chatrooms," or e-mail discussions on the internet generally.  Also, some AOL users may enjoy "instant messaging" with online "buddies"--but this is also free and available to everyone online.  Personally, I like this feature no more than telephone "call waiting," but I understand that others may have different desires.
         I think AOL is preying on new users, who lack the computer experience to realize they're being ripped off by crummy service.  Inertia can easily settle in once you've established an account and an e-mail name, while the money keeps flowing their way.  I have heard that AOL service is better in LA and the Bay Area.  Maybe they're neglecting our backwoods location--all the more reason to keep local money local and help diversify the Humboldt economy by choosing a local internet provider.
         Computers may have the potential to improve democracy by decentralizing our society, but powerful interests are currently dividing up cyberspace, as they did the American frontier in the 19th century and the airwaves in the 20th.  Corporations like AOL and Microsoft are battling for control.
         I'm not entirely convinced that computers are an overall positive addition to planet earth, but--like phones and automobiles--they seem here to stay.  They can be amazingly fun and useful, but we must never forget to turn them off and get out for a walk and some fresh air.
 
 
 

        My earlier articles, Taming the Computer and The Telephone also focus on technology in our lives.