Saturday, December 4, 2010

10 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR BESIDES THE OBVIOUS #6


We live in the day and age of planned obsolescence. Makes me sick. To think that people actually design crap to perish and need replaced after a very short lifespan, when, obviously even to a layman, they could make it last for decades with little maintenance! Christmas lights and everything tech-based come to mind as the leaders in this frustrating and disgusting practice .

But even with built in short life spans, sometimes you get something that totally defies the system. First of all, I have a Zebra Danio (a tiny inch-long fish) that is at least 6 years old. It has looked like it got stepped on and spent some time in a garbage disposal for the last few years - Many times I thought it was dead - yet, there it is, still flitting around my aquarium - eluding the little mer-grim reaper.

But secondly, is my scanner. It's an AGFA Snapscan 1212 that I think I bought in 1998 or early '99. It has been my workhorse for all those years - scanning no less than 8000 (but probably much much more) drawings and paintings for me in that time. It has long since lost the lid which broke off like 5 years ago. And for the past two years or so, the power line connector has been really touchy so I have to unplug it and then plug it back in to get it to work. But it keeps kicking and doing what I bought it to do - so I keep using it.

Over 11 years of life and use from a computer component is unheard of! Anything that sticks it to greedy-ass companies that design shit to break down so you have to buy a new one more frequently is exactly the kind of thing that warms the cockles of my heart. Bravo to AGFA, even if I have the only 1212 that lasted longer than 4 years, I applaud them for letting this one slip by them on the assembly line.

Yet, I'm seeing the signs of approaching death for the old girl. She's a bit more persnickity about starting up these days - it's taking a bit more attention and fiddling to get it scanning. But, even with death so close, it still works - and I keep scanning.

Thank you, AGFA Snapscan 1212 for your many moons of honorable and courageous service!

7 comments:

  1. This brought a tear to my eye. I feel like I know AGFA Snapscan 1212...

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  2. ...did you mean to say you bought it in 1998 or 1999? Coz 2008 was only two years ago ... But I completely agree that gadgets these days aren't what they used to be back in the day.

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  3. "Ain't it the truth"
    And I believe my cat is in league with your fish ~
    only; he's pushing 30 yrs.

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  4. Waiton - thanks for the heads up! Gaff has been fixed....

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  5. Amen Steve. I HATE HATE HATE how disposable all the tech stuff we have to buy is nowdays. We've gone through many a scanner and printer in the last 10 years and it sucks.

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  6. I have a super old scanner too. But it works well, for being so old. However, the quality of the scans aren't so good. It makes the images less contrasty.

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