Dead Robot

My Ono-Sendai Deck

This morning I transferred over the last of the files from the PC to the Mac in a bizarre dance of wireless acrobatics across our N network. Yes. It took me a week. See PCs generally don’t come with a Firewire plug and I couldn’t find any male to male USB cords.

I shut down the PC for the last time and started to unplug everything from the back of the beige brick. As I did I thought of all the artwork, websites, letters, pictures, anger, sadness, fruitless searches, laughter and stupidity I’ve experienced with this one computer. After over 6 years and 4 reinstalls, two major viral attacks, various upgrades I can’t help but think how it’s been a good run. Not that I’d run back to a PC any time soon but you never forget the thing that got you there.

Yank – the keyboard is unplugged. Glurk – the Bluetooth mouse is out. Schtuck – out come the jumble of speaker wires. Glik – Ethernet cable. Scruhscruhscruh – Monitor disconnected.

Hey wait a minnit… Thinking I could add the monitor to the iMac for a second screen – palates and Mail, I sat and started to surf to see what kind of adapter I needed.

As I searched, SharkBoy and I simultaneously stopped and looked at each other.

It was quiet. We could hear things out on the street. The tap dripping in the washroom. The cats snoring.

For the last 6 years (3 years for Sharkboy) the two fans that run the processor and the video card on that old PC have been a constant drone, a soundtrack to my home life. I knew when things were being processed or the insides needed a dusting from a blast of canned pressurized air,  just by the tone of the fans. Now it was silent. Like, deafeningly silent.

With the iMac, I hear… nothing. My fingers are the most noisiest thing in the office as I type on the chicklette keys.

Why didn’t I do this sooner?