Buying a computer

I have lately been making enquiries about computers, with a view to buying a new one. Apart from a small amount of frustrating and mostly fruitless research online, my investigations have taken place in two branches of Currys PC World; the leading national electrical goods chain.

When asking so called experts about technical things of which I have only a basic knowledge, I have learnt from experience that it is better to pretend I know even less. The “experts”, however -whether it be from their experience or a result of their training- have learnt to do the opposite. There usually seems to be some sort of equation at play, whereby the extent to which I appear to be lacking in knowledge brings about an increase in their pretence of having more of it, in direct proportion. Anyway, after being led up two distinctly different garden paths by two different sales assistants, I wasn’t really left any the wiser about what technical specifications would best suit my needs.

Once all the talk of gigabytes, processor speeds and a multitude of other computing terms designed to make your head spin have become too much to bear, and you are reconciled to leaving the store with something that will only match your requirements if luck happens to be on your side on that particular day, you are then expected to submit to having your intelligence insulted by being presented with a choice of “sales packages” all of which comprise a combination of elements meant to impress you while not actually being what you want. If you want X and Y as part of your package, you will also have to pay for Z, even though you might not know what Z is, or what it’s for, let alone need it. Besides, whether you need it or not, how can you miss out on getting Z for that amazing price? You can, of course, insist on having the package without Z; after all, they are hardly likely to refuse to sell you the computer, but then you will be charged more for X and Y.

There is wisdom in the saying, “buy in haste, repent at leisure”, but with computers, you can spend the best part of a whole day buying one and still have plenty of leisurely repentance to look forward to.