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When is it time to "pull the plug?" It's hard to watch an old friend die slowly over a long period of time.

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Richard Weisser Realty

It's better to go peacefully!It doesn't happen all at once. At some point, you start to notice that things are a little bit different and a lot less robust. It takes longer and longer to perform even the simplest of tasks.

Sometimes a loss of memory or a vital element leads to a sudden and catastrophic failure, but more likely the decline will be over a long period of time. It is painful to watch.

And despite our best efforts at resuscitation, the day comes when it's time to pull the plug on our old and dear friend. In the end, it's really the best thing for both of us.

I keep telling myself: "it's just a computer."

And I'll always remember the good times!

Susan Mangigian
RE/MAX Preferred - West Chester, PA
Chester & Delaware County Homes, Delaware and Ches

Very cute and Mel's comment was very funny!!!  My computer and I are near the final throws of goodbye as well.  It's getting slower and slower, I am having to restart it several times a day to wack it into submission..  So sad.  And I know nothing about moving all my info from one computer to another and I don't want to lose all my photos and my college boy who knows everything is leaving Saturday!  Ugh.  

Jan 15, 2010 12:13 AM
Paddy (Patricia) Pizappi
Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty - Pine Bush, NY
Real Estate Associate Broker Hudson Valley NY

Richard I know what you mean. I got a new laptop last week and love it but I still have the old one sitting on my desk at the office where it was stuck for weeks because if you moved it the screen went blank.  Haven't pulled the plug yet. 

Jan 15, 2010 12:27 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Richard, you had me going there for a while. Look on the bright side. Your new computer will be faster and work like a charm. Although, I don't envy you having to reload all your software again. Can you clone your old hard drive?

Jan 15, 2010 12:28 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

OK Richard, I was so ready to write out a sympathy card for your loss....until I read that last line!

Very clever my friend.

Pull the plug!

 

Jan 15, 2010 12:39 AM
Diane Williams
Pell City, AL

Richard- You had me going also.  Great picture, it set the tone. I was tearing up! LOL

Jan 15, 2010 12:42 AM
Coleen DeGroff
Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish Realtors - Gainesville, FL
Haile Plantation Real Estate - Gainesville FL

My condolences, friend. Now get thyself to Best Buy. :)

Jan 15, 2010 01:03 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Richard, it can be a blessing in disguise!  The death of my PC was a little sad, but it did open the way for a romance with Mac!  

Jan 15, 2010 01:35 AM
Judy Jennings
Top Agent Plus - Middleboro, MA
Tap into Judy's real estate expertise & resources.

Gees, you had me too. I thought this was the reason for your lack of sleep of late! I guess you have solved that problem too. Sweet dreams!

Jan 15, 2010 01:57 AM
Mike Saunders
Retired - Athens, GA

Richard - I have a hard time letting go of vehicles, comfortable shoes and hand tools. But somehow or another, I have never developed any sentiments for electronic devices, whether computers, phones, tv's, etc. I do admit, I keep them a long time, but that is just economics and pragmatism.

Jan 15, 2010 03:01 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Richard, I thought you were talking about a pet, I guess in a way a computer could be a pet....sorry for your loss

Jan 15, 2010 03:18 AM
Sallie Williams
Keller Williams Realty RED STICK PARTNERS - Baton Rouge, LA
REALTOR - MBA, Baton Rouge

Richard, I started out thinking I don't need this depressing stuff ... shoulda' known better ... glad I read the whole thing ... and all of the comments ... what a great laugh!

Jan 15, 2010 03:38 AM
John Walters
Frank Rubi Real Estate - Slidell, LA
Licensed in Louisiana

Richard I am sure there is something in the health care bill providing for this.

Jan 15, 2010 04:50 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Personally Richard unlike getting sentimental with selling an old car, I love throwing old computers out the window as long as I get to save my old emails. Good riddance to the piece of junk.

Jan 15, 2010 05:31 AM
Richard Iarossi
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Crofton, MD
Crofton MD Real Estate, Annapolis MD Real Estate

Richard,

I've got an old computer thats on the DNR list too. Keeps chugging along though.

Rich

Jan 15, 2010 05:39 AM
Dawn A Fabiszak
Private Label Realty ( Denver metro area, Colorado - Aurora, CO
The Dawn of a New Real Estate Experience!

You had me going on this one!  Very clever!!  I, too, thought this was ther reason for your lack of sleep....or maybe it was!

Jan 15, 2010 05:43 AM
Don Rogers
Keller Williams Realty Chesterfield - O'Fallon, MO
Realtor, Broker, CDPE, GRI, OnullFallon MO & St Charles County MO homes

I never like being reprogrammed by a new computer.  The older I get the bigger the learning curve.

Jan 15, 2010 06:08 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

That was so funny and it makes me remember a former job.  Back in the day I went to work for a newspaper and was the first one to work on a "Micro Tek Ad-touch", big green screen with blinky green cursor.  Set code and couldn't see what it actually looked like until I pulled the big honking 8" floppy disc from the machine and took it over to yet another machine that could "read" it and print it to film that then had to be developed.  I loved that old computer and the day I quit the put her in the closet and brought in a new shinny Mac.  Was a 7 year love affair... then I moved into radio...

Jan 15, 2010 07:55 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Richard:  Time for a mercy kill.  Let the computer go.  It's like an unreliable business partner.  Severe the ties and be done.  Find one more reliable. 

Jan 15, 2010 07:57 AM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Richard... Perhaps you could build a small shrine to your old PC in a closet?

Jan 15, 2010 02:14 PM
JL Boney, III
Coldwell Banker - Columbia, SC
Columbia, SC Real Estate

I have a desktop computer that I built from scratch that I am currently watching this painful decline in now.

Jan 19, 2010 01:09 AM