Analog/ Digital

Did I mention it was my birthday last Sunday? This is the last year of my third decade. Lisa got me a new USB turntable, which is one reason I'm so very eager to get my new computer system working.

Most of my music collection resides in a wall of LPs, unplayed in recent years. Currently 90% of my music listening is done at work off an iPod. After getting an iPod my 6:1 purchase ratio of vinyl to CD/ mp3 reversed, but I still adore records. They sound better and the big format affords packaging possibilities unmatched by inherently trinket-y CDs. But, digital is undeniably more convenient than analog, thus the success of the portable digital media player and the pending demise the CD.

So I'm excited about the new turntable as it is designed for digitizing records direct to computer. I did this occasionally before with my 20-year old turntable, but that was kludgy and that thing just didn't play well anymore. I've been reliving much of my collection through other means, but now I'll be able to revive my favorite out-of-print records, singles and cassettes.

However, with my recent negative Vista experiences, I think this all goes to illustrate the fetish with new tech and how easily we'll fall for the next new pretty, regardless of the sacrifice. I'm a first-run Vista user not by choice, but by timing, and I'm inclined to go back to XP just because I know it works and how to use it. With music I have sacrificed fidelity and packaging for convenience and price. And remember, the mp3, with DRM and an increasingly competitive, non-collaborative media industry, has no more immortality than the 8-Track tape.

Speaking of failure, I spent three hours on the phone with tech support attempting to unfreeze the inaccurately named Windows Easy Transfer I was running from my old computer to the new. Dell, the manufacturer, gamely tried to help me but didn't have enough information. I called Microsoft. They were under the misapprehension that I should pay for their support, but I clarified that the failure of their new product to live up to its name was not the responsibility of Dell or me, so they comped my call and transferred me to a tech that fought tooth and nail to help save the transfer. Ultimately we could not and I have ended up using an external hard drive for the job. (The tech, by the way, admitted that was the best way, but since this was Microsoft’s new thing, he wasn’t allowed to make that suggestion unless I asked first. Nice.) You know what’s ironic? I got that hard drive initially for this purpose, but after I learned of Windows Easy Transfer, I went that route. Why? Well, hey, it's says it’s going to be Easy, right?