Me MacBook Got

So, today, my work PowerBook went crazy and suddenly decided it wouldn't let me connect to the Internet in any way, shape or form. I couldn't even access my network settings. It was whack. This time I can't place the blame on myself and my butterfingers; I didn't drop the damn thing, it just...happened. So I had to relinquish it to IT and do without my own computer for the majority of the day.

Which also meant I wouldn't have a computer once I got home, since my iBook still sits sadly in its broken state. NO COMPUTER ALL NIGHT? How could I possibly get through an evening without any Internet access? What am I? An ANIMAL?

So, the temporary loss of my work computer finally drove home the point that I really shouldn't rely on or use my work computer for anything but work. I needed my own computer again.

And those new MacBooks are so shiny and pretty...

And BART practically exits right inside the Apple store...

And Chuck graciously accepted my request for some Apple consumer enabling.

I HAD to do it!

I didn't go crazy and buy the more expensive MacBook Pro, instead opting for a white MacBook. I figure I've got the work PowerBook for anything I might need a larger screen for (which isn't much, and usually only happens for work things anyway) and the main things I'll be using the MacBook for are Internet writing and crap like that, so I didn't REALLY need all the bells and whistles the Pro offered.

Of course, a year from now, when this computer is obsolete, I'll probably kick myself for my choice, but for now, it's just fine.

Now I need to get a back-up drive, AND bring the iBook to a recovery place to see if they can save anything on it...which won't be cheap either.

Computers. Can't afford 'em! Can't live without 'em!

In a related humorous note, while I was trying to configure my email account, I realized I couldn't figure out the names of my Pacbell account's email servers, so I went to their Web site to try and figure them out. I was met with this bit from their FAQ:

You can configure AT&T Yahoo! Mail to retrieve messages from any external mail account to which you have POP access. An account with POP access is one that you are able to access through an external email client such as Outlook, Eudora, or Netscape Mail.

To configure an external mail server, you must enter your external (POP) mail server's name, your user name for that POP account, the password for that account, and the mail server's port number.

Unfortunately, AT&T Yahoo! Mail Support doesn't know and can't provide you with any of this information. For further assistance, you need to contact your Internet Service Provider or Network Administrator.

Thanks! That solves everything!