Technology Woes

World, this is my computer and printer. Computer and printer, this is the world.

-Say hello, boys.

Note that blank spot above my computer. Lovely, flat, black desk with a blank spot. We bought the desk just for my computer. Note that there is a lack of computer monitor on that lovely, flat, black desk. Everything on my computer could come to Ireland except for my speakers and monitor. Scott found new speakers before we left the US (You can see them just there on the window sill, swinging their cords.). Alas, the monitor was not to be. My monitor is now snug and warm in Washington with my dad, and I am in search of a new monitor. And we found one! And it’s perfect and lovely and housebroken. The web site promised. It only has one little problem: the web site cannot accept our American credit cards. We could order it and pick it up at the warehouse where we can use our laser cards or pay cash, but that warehouse is waaaay outside Dublin proper, and we’d have to take it on the bus, and what if it’s scared of people? Instead, because obtaining a credit card is a bit of a hassle here, we’re going to buy a prepaid credit card and use that. Honestly, it’s probably cheaper than the tax on credit cards anyway. Then they’ll deliver the little beauty to me. Sort of. Our buzzer doesn’t work. The postal worker will leave a note saying that I can pick it up at the postal distribution site for Dublin 2. At least it’s down the street.

In the meantime, we can hook the printer up to Scott's laptop, and today is a special day. I finished a notebook, and I'm starting a new one, and I have a few pages that I need to scan and save. Turns out, my printer is a bit old, and the software on my CD doesn't work with Vista. The laptop didn't tell me that. It told me that I didn't have administrative privileges. Then it told me that Scott didn't have administrative privileges. Then I called Scott, and I am at the moment, and the last sixty minutes worth of moments, downloading the drivers and software from HP. I have another 50 MB to go. Oooh! 40.

However, what you cannot see, world: My printer is almost out of black ink. No big deal, right? Go to an office supply store and buy ink.

Last Saturday:

-Hello, we’re not sure what ink we need, but the printer is an hp psc 2300 series we think.

-Are we sure about that? Maybe it’s the 2500. Definitely should have looked at that. What’s wrong with us? I think it might be hp 54. That sounds kind of right. Kind of.

Hours later at home

-Frack! It is in the 2300 series, and this is the wrong ink. We need 97 (or, it turns out later, 94. I think I was very close.)

Today, down to Reads I go, hi ho, hi ho.

–Hi! I bought the wrong ink. I need 97.

Very helpful sales associate from previous Saturday: It’s not the right ink? 97? We don’t have that. I can order that for you.

I stand there while he tells whomever on the phone that no, it’s an inkjet. Yes it’s an inkjet. No it’s not a laser jet; it’s an ink jet. PSC 2355xi. It’s a psc. No, it’s not a laser jet. It’s definitely an ink cartridge. No not toner. Hp 97. Yes, for the PSC 2355xi. It's an inkjet. Oh! It’s hp 11 here! Great!

HP 11 is more than twice as expensive as HP 54, but ya know what? When my dad comes to Ireland, I’ll have him or whoever else might be visiting bring ink at a reasonable price.

So I go home, a little unsure of the ink, but the man assured me I could bring it back. I look at it one more time before opening the box and it is… ta da! Not for the psc 2300 series but for the business inkjet 2300 series.

I called hp Ireland. I thought maybe, just maybe I really did want the 97, 94, 99 any of which I could buy in the US. Nah, they changed the numbers for Europe and it’s the 338 or something. Why would they use the same numbering system? Oh, by the way, Ma’am? You’re printer is very old.