Missing R's
My Main machine is a Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop that I purchased in 2002. It's still got a lot of life left in it, but it has its problems. The power cable went bad about a year ago and I purchased a new one and now, the part that the cable connects into on the machine is loose. Around the same time, my number keys cut out. I thought it was a virus, but virus scan after virus scan came up clean. Through Google, I eventually found the answer, I had a screw loose. No Jokes please. So I flipped the thing over and tightened every screw on the bottom. My numbers came back, but occasionally they cut out, so I just press on bottom as I press the key and that seems to work.
The casing is cracked in a couple of places, and its been dropped on the wireless card so many times the thing cries for mercy when the kids come anywhere near it. The left mouse button for the mouse pointer broke and now just floats there working when it wants to (kind of like LABCorp). The Space bar popped off, but that popped right back into place. About a week ago, my R key popped off and I worked without it...No I didn't use words that avoided the letter R, I just pressed the exposed metal contraption that the key connected to. We found the key a couple days ago and it doesn't work 100% of the time, so I have to repeat it a couple of times. Quite a pain when you're trying to get a blog out before your kid rolls onto the laptop or comes to tell you they just went potty all over the floor.
ABL thinks I should get a new laptop because Verizon offers a discount on Dells. I think it still works, What do you think? Keep in mind that $2000 could buy a tandem, pay half of the RAAM RV Rental, or fly a bunch of people into San Diego.