TheBanyanTree: Pentium 2

[Margaret R. Kramer]

Pentium 2
April 27, 2003

My four year old grandson LOVES computers.  He also is a Curious George,
always curious about things in a way no human could ever think of, so when
he gets tired of using my computer, he begins to explore my office.  My
office has such treasures like an electric pencil sharpener, a paper
shredder, a stapler, colored pencils and markers, post-it notes, and the all
time favorite, scotch tape.  Yes, four year old boys LOVE office supplies,
too.

I want Boogie to be comfortable using a computer, but I also want him to
leave my office stuff alone.  I’ve wanted to buy him his own computer to use
when he’s here, but I don’t want to buy a four year old a brand new system.
If he gets excited about something and begins to jump around and the monitor
crashes to the floor, I don’t want to feel bad about it.

Ray found an old CPU at a site he was working at.  We have lots of old
keyboards, but no spare monitor.  We’re a hidden supply source of old
computer parts.  Ray’s office closet is full of old disk drives, printer
cords, and other computer innards.  But the CPU needed a CD drive, too, and
he didn’t have one.  So, he ordered a monitor and CD drive from a computer
surplus store on the net for $28 total.

But the CPU didn’t have room to install the CD drive and it didn’t have a
sound card for the speakers.  Well, there was a computer surplus show in
town this weekend, so Ray went there and bought a nice Pentium 2 for $99.

We were almost there.  We just needed a desk to put the computer on.  Our
neighbors were having a garage sale and guess what we found there?  A desk
for $10 and an old HP printer (just black ink) for $5.  What a deal!

The next challenge was to get everything hooked up.  I loaded in my boot
disks for Windows XP and the XP CD-rom.  Now the computer had an operating
system.  Ray loaded in the printer software and got the printer working.
Everything checks out.  I think I might have to beg Microsoft to allow XP on
this computer, because I’m getting warnings about activating it.  Good old
Microsoft.

We rearranged the family room for the desk.  The boys’ play area looks more
grown-up with the computer and desk in it.  It will be easier for us when
Boogie wants to use the computer.  We can watch him and he won’t be doing
his Curious George thing in my sacred office.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at earthlink.net

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