While in Zagreb, I am connected to the ether through one of my beloved’s laptop computers. It is a Sony Vaio, which was supposed to be quite a fancy toy when it came out a few years back. Used to Apple computers for ages, though, I hate the Vaio with a passion. It is far from portable, too. I have thus been waiting for Apple’s iPad to appear in Croatia, but it is still not available here. God only knows when it will eventually come this way. Utterly disgusted with the clunky Vaio, today I bought a Mac Book Air, which is available, together with the wireless connection to the World Wide Web, through the largest telephone company in Croatia. Although it took me quite a while to set it up and get going, it is a joy. Most important, I can take it with me in my knapsack wherever I go. But the first surprise with the new toy was that its keyboard sports Croatian characters, which I do not use even when I occasionally write in Croatian. Unfortunately, this means that many useful characters are off the keyboard. They can be inserted only through cumbersome lists. Anyhow, the second surprise was much more annoying: the “at” sign, which is so central to electronic mail, does not appear anyplace on the keyboard. Some bozo yanked it out just to make place for the silly “ch,” “sh,” and “zh” characters. Aaargh! A Mac Book Air with a special flair, no doubt.

Addendum I (January 12, 2013)

Trying to figure out how long I have had my Mac Book Air, I just searched my Residua website. As it turns out, it has been nearly two years already. Time flies, as ever. Most important, I am still happy with it. The Croatian characters on the keyboard bother me no longer. I have a file with all the special characters, and it is handy enough on my screen. Even though Apple’s iPad appeared in Zagreb only a month after my purchase, I was not eager to get it. I can only hope that my Mac Book Air will last another couple of years. God only knows what will be on offer at that time, but I am likely to go for another Apple computer once again. Not even the Croatian characters could detract me.

Addendum II (September 5, 2015)

Goodness gracious, it has been more than four years by now! Even though my Mac Book Air is still serving me very well, I am aware that I need to start looking for another Apple product. And soon. In a year or two, my laptop will become an antiquity. And Apple is apparently doing its best to turn it into one. About a year ago, they stopped updating the software I am using, which means that I will get in trouble sooner or later. This must be a company policy, too. I am miffed by tricks like this one, but I cannot imagine going for any other company’s product at this stage of my life. I got my first Mac a quarter of a century ago, and that was that. So many Macs later, I am kind of hooked on them. Be that as it may, it is time to start looking for another Apple product, as I already said. After so many years, I have not even the faintest idea what is on offer right now. The first Apple store I see is mine!

Addendum III (January 27, 2020)

Having gotten tired of all kinds of problems with my old Mac Book Air, which performed ever more poorly without updates, I got a new one a couple of years after the last addendum was penned. And I immediately started getting so many updates that I began railing against Apple and Microsoft with growing passion (“Fuck Progress!” February 19, 2018; and “Fuck Updates!” August 13, 2019). But it is only a matter of time before the updates stop coming one more time, and I have to acquire yet another laptop on account of all sorts of problems with the new Mac Book Air. Capitalism is hardly a joke, to be sure. Now that my old laptop was idling useless in my study for a few years, I decided to toss it into the garbage. For good measure, I took it to my terrace just before heading to the garbage-disposal container not far from my house. And I vented my anger on it with all my might. First I tore the screen off the laptop’s body, and then I smashed both with my feet. The screen broke into many sheets, and the body revealed many an electronic contraption, most of which I yanked out and broke apart with my bare hands. In the end, I shoved all the bits and pieces into a large plastic bag and carried it to the nearest garbage disposal with a smile on my face. Ah, the joy was tremendous! Indeed, I can hardly wait to take my new laptop to my terrace. Technology, schmechtology.

Addendum IV (October 25, 2025)

Amazingly enough, the last few months have been rather special in terms of technology. To begin with, my Mac Book Air started misbehaving. A number of functions essential to my magnum opus caved in. As my software was not updated for close to two years, there was nothing I could do but go for another Mac Book Air. I ordered the best one on offer via the World Wide Web, and it came to me in a couple of days. Equally important, my Nokia mobile phone conked out, and I went for Apple iPhone 17 in its place, for it was the best one on offer once again (Addendum of September 23, 2025, to “Ever Longer in the Tooth,” April 24, 2012). All of a sudden, I became a slave to Apple. A number of friends have been helping me with my laptop and my mobile phone, but I am fully aware that it will take me quite a few months to become a master of the new toys. I tossed my old mobile phone into the garbage, but I cannot even imagine doing that with my old laptop. My two laptops and my mobile phone are now interconnected in ways that are beyond my comprehension, and it will take some time to pull the old laptop out of the loop. The joy of thrashing it on my terrace must thus be postponed indefinitely. For my sins, I feel cheated by this new technological twist. Venting my anger is curtailed! One more time, I feel bamboozled. And how.