What's in a computer name?

2006-06-08T16:36:02+00:00

So my desktop computer, Titania, has broken down. New parts arrived via UPS this very day. I had already, since her first construction, replaced her graphics card, her RAM, and given her a new, larger hard-drive; with this upgrade she’s getting a new motherboard, a new processor, another new graphics card, and losing the old, smaller hard drive. So, in short, absolutely nothing will be original to this computer except the case and its native power supply.

So…should I rename it? I suppose it doesn’t matter in the slightest. One could have a series of completely indepent computers, all named Frank, and as long as they weren’t on the same network at the same time, I imagine no repercussions would ensue (except people thinking you dreadful dull.) However, while I think most commentators would admit the existence of some sort of ‘essence’ in a sentient being that would allow one to apply the same name to it were all its pieces replaced but its memories and personality left intact, I’ve never heard any sort of ruling on nonsentients. If Qubit were replaced tomorrow with a clone of the same age, would we feel compelled to give the new cat a new name? Should I think of a new faerie name for my zippier and completely mindwiped machine?

If so, it sure as hell isn’t going to be ‘Oberon’. Because I KNOW her gender hasn’t changed with her innards.

UPDATE: I had to run out and buy a new power-supply, but I haven’t changed her name. Yet. I’m tempted to name her ‘Promethea’ :p But I won’t. For now.

In which Apple fails me for the first time

2004-10-19T15:56:01+00:00

I have been getting quite thoroughly acquainted—one might even say ‘integrated’—with my dear new friend, Puck. I am using iCal to organize my life, and Address Book (no sexy name for that one!) to organize my friends and contacts. I especially like finding pictures of people and cropping them down so that Address Book is full of smiling faces.

So, today, sadly bereft of WiFi and therefore unable to add smiling faces to Address Book, I consoled myself with entering useful data. As I entered LadyLong’s information, I found myself stymied.

There is only one place to enter ‘homepage’ in Address Book.

Phone numbers, e-mails, relations and friends, these you can add until you run out of laptop battery. But homepage? Only one line to fill. “How can this be?” I raged to myself, “Don’t they REALIZE some people have both a blog and a homepage? Or a personal homepage and a professional one?” Then I listened to myself for a moment. “Don’t they realize I’M A BIG GEEK?”

Posts tagged with "computer" - Faerye Net

What's in a computer name?

In which Apple fails me for the first time