Yeah, we forget how retarded computers really are.* But, like life itself, get enough retards together (let's say, I dunno, bacteria) and maybe they'll make something interesting (us). Ok that was mean. I respect the hell out of bacteria for precisely that reason.* I also love computers for a similar reason.* Complexity is marvelous. I bet you can visualize systems as they function.* I have that ability. I look at a computer and I know what's happening, where the stuff is going more or less and what's happening to it.* On a still dark night, I can still hear the LCD's twisting. [I used to love the sound of old analog monitors - scan rates were like music to me] The sound of a dying hard drive always makes me sad.* I rarely reboot this laptop because it does a "click click click click click" thing early in the boot process and I know that it's starting its struggle and that one of these days, I'd better do a big ol' backup again.* I used to refresh the surfaces of hard drives using whatever tools were available (Norton used to be a good ethical company and had a great disk doctor product for free... sooooo looong ago....pre-windows)... and even at times in Windows-land.* But now, I just hope for the best.* sigh.* five clicks.* Some sounds you never forget.