2. We are not luddites. We love our new powerbook and we love being able to go on-line to see what time the drive-in movie starts, to check our email, to read the latest NYTimes headlines…and above all to blog. At home however we have a cable modem, which means no access on the cape. So we were kinda looking forward to this trip back in time to the fun old dial up days. I had confiscated the two AOL install disks that came with our new lab scanners and tucked them into my bag when I headed for home. I figured although I hated junking up the hard drive with all the AOL drek, we needed access and they were offering us two months free. It seemed like a deal to me.
I waited a couple of days before even attempting to set it up. I liked not rushing to the computer, really being away from work and news and social obligations. On the third day I broke down and was hoping for tons of news and friends responding to my newish blog and I slipped an AOL install disk into my slot loading superdrive and double clicked. The disk opened and I was horrified. There were only PC files on this disk. I took it out, reinserted it, tried the second disk and saw it was exactly the same. I knew that AOL was dual platform, had used it myself, eons ago before I knew any better. I couldn’t fathom why this disk didn’t say for PC’s only or give any indication that it wasn’t suitable for Mac OS.
When I broke down and called tech support at AOL, the rep assured me I was wrong and she would guide me through it. However, of course I wasn’t wrong and I know a Mac file when I see one, and so after signing me up for my two free months and giving me a user name and password and taking a secret code word for identification purposes, she transferred me to a Mac specialist. The specialist was equally adamant that of course the disks were dual platform….until she asked the fateful questions: What system are you running? OS X, I answered proudly. What version of AOL is that disk? 7.0 I said. Oh, she said happily. 7.0 doesn’t work with OS X. You need AOL 8.0.
I had that sinking feeling that we were not going to have internet access this vacation. That Alex wouldn’t be able to see if his dorm in China town had cable. And Susan wouldn’t be able to check out the prototype web site for the CSBA. And I, sadly, wouldn’t be able to blog.
But the AOL tech support person was positively cheerful. Don’t worry, she reassured me. You can just pick up a free AOL install disk anywhere!
Great relief!! Where? I asked.
Borders, Kmart, Barnes and Nobles, Circuit City, Walmart…
She wouldn’t have believed me if I told her we were in the one place in the Northeast that had none of these stores anywhere near us. So I thanked her, hung up the phone, and went out to sit on the deck, breathe and listen to the birds.