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ambush · Jul 12, 2004, 10:22 PM

You might (not) be wondering why I haven't posted lately.

It's because my iBook broke. It can't connect to the HD. Looks like I might lose all my data (iTunes, iPhoto, BurnoutMenu 2.0, important data, password DB, etc etc etc). If I'm lucky it's just a connection problem. If I'm not, the HD is totally busted. Sent it to the repair shop at 9:00 AM this morning (not on warranty anymore, so it's 75$ initially and 85$ per hour after.). They say they could retrieve the data if the HD is not too damaged. This is probably going to cost me around 400$ (the insurance company will pay anything that exceeds 400$). Like I needed that.

Well I'm a bit to blame on this one. My friend was the host of a big party he had planned to throw a very long time ago. We needed music. I decided to use my iBook coupled with my speakers. I hid it in a locked room. Screensaver password, turned on authentication on login, etc etc etc. Party Mix via iTunes. I was in heaven and we were up for a good time.

But things started to go bad when friends of friends of friends invited people we did not know (e.g. thugs) and when idiots auto-invited themselves. I donno what they did with my iBook, all I know is that they somehow got inside the locked room, pickpocketed some handbags, and broke my computer. It won't boot now. What are those brutes going to tell their children when they grow up and marry themselves? "When I was a kid, I stole stuff at parties I wasn't even invited to." How sad is that. Anyway, **** them, I learned my lesson.

It's so untimely: BurnoutMenu 2 is being actively tested and I lose my computer. I could also definitively lose BM2 too. It made me realize how my life is completely dependant on my iBook. I do nothing all day without it. I work on my iBook, I listen to iTunes all day, I manage my photos, I code I chat I write. Without it, I'm like bored to death and I do nothing but sleep and see my friends when their job is over. Anyway. The shop is supposed to call me in about 3 days. Let's hope it's nothing overly serious.

Anyway. It just won't stop there. This morning I decide to go buy Mario VS Donkey Kong for GBA and put an end to my boredom. So like I ride my bike and I get hit by a ****er who didn't do his stop. I could have died on the spot if I had not braked like a madman. Anyway. My front weel, brakes, 250$ Rock Shox suspension fork are good for trash. Not THAT bad, since it's 100% the guy's fault and he acknowledged it. Cool. So I tell him WTF, he gets out of his car. I ask him his phone number. (BTW, it happened when he was trying to get out a gas station mistake #1, his license plate on video tape). He has no pen, he goes inside the convenience store and asks for a pen. Mistake #2, his ugly mug is on video tape. He's pretty kind so I begin to feel confident. I look at his car and notice it's a 1995 white Neon for safety's sake. He gives me his name and his phone number and says I can call him tonight. So far so good. Except when I call at the number he gave me, an old lady answers and says she does not know him. I cover my legal ass and tell her if she knows him, it's a crime to deny it since he's been involved in an accident. At that exact moment, I I see the poor lad's face in my memory and say: "d'ju just ****ed d'yourself mang" � la Tony Montana. I call the cops and they're supposed to come over to my house real soon now. That guy is going to pay the repairs and face the consequences of hitting and running. How can someone be as clueless? I don't know, but I do feel some kind of pity for his ignorant brain.

So here I am, typing those lines on my mom's iBook. I dislike it when I'm obliged to use others' computers. Argh.

Good news is I got a job at the supermarket. 7:00 AM tomorrow morning for my training.

Sup?

philzilla · Jul 12, 2004, 10:35 PM

Originally posted by ambush:
How can someone be as clueless?

easy: not make backups of really important work. that's just as clueless.

PacHead · Jul 12, 2004, 10:54 PM

$400 ?

If your HD is busted, why not just buy a new one ($100 or so), and put it in yourself. Is it that hard on an ibook ? My pismo drive died on me 6 months ago, so I did exactly that, and now my drive is bigger, faster, and more quiet than before.

And yes, if you have never backuped, then I can't say I'm sorry for you. Guess you'll learn the hard way.

ambush · Jul 13, 2004, 06:27 AM

Originally posted by philzilla:
easy: not make backups of really important work. that's just as clueless.

it's backed up but it's like 2 weeks old.

ambush · Jul 13, 2004, 06:28 AM

Originally posted by PacHead:
$400 ?

If your HD is busted, why not just buy a new one ($100 or so), and put it in yourself. Is it that hard on an ibook ? My pismo drive died on me 6 months ago, so I did exactly that, and now my drive is bigger, faster, and more quiet than before.

And yes, if you have never backuped, then I can't say I'm sorry for you. Guess you'll learn the hard way.

Yes it's that hard. Especially if you don't have the right screw heads.

jaiqua · Jul 13, 2004, 06:59 AM

Sorry to hear what happened, fcukers in cars, can't stand them when they run cyclists off the road. Hope you get him to pony up on the bike.

As to your HD, if it's ok, then you might want to get an external 2.5' HD IDE -> firewire case, then use it as an external drive to get your stuff off of.

philzilla · Jul 13, 2004, 08:06 AM

Originally posted by ambush:
it's backed up but it's like 2 weeks old.

2 weeks old? and you call yourself a serious developer?

killer_735 · Jul 13, 2004, 12:16 PM

Buddah says: "Attachment to material posessions kills the soul"

Like a house burning down, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but at the same time, it's always a possibility. I had a similar experience with my powerbook in which a bag containing it and my firewire drive with backups ended up in the middle of a busy intersection. I got REAL lucky, and recovered everything intact, but it also made me think....did I choose for it to happen on some level? Several people I know maintain that each of us chooses the things that happen to us, even (especially) the unpleasant ones. If you buy into this philosophy, then it means that some part of you chose these events, and that there is something for you to gain (usually understanding) through them.

I would say that the thing to gain is the satisfaction of seeing the neon-driving bastard in court, but that's just me...

"It could be worse, a woman could cut off your penis and throw it out a car window" -Tyler Durden

ambush · Jul 13, 2004, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
2 weeks old? and you call yourself a serious developer?

I don't. I call myself a poor developer. I have no HD space left at all. Nowhere.

I had ordered a zip drive from ebay but it came in too late.

Zimphire · Jul 13, 2004, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
easy: not make backups of really important work. that's just as clueless.

Indeed.

Captain Obvious · Jul 13, 2004, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by ambush:

Well I'm to blame on this one. How can someone be so clueless? I don't know, but I do feel some kind of pity for my ignorant brain.

Fixed

Phone number? Can Canadian plates not be seen by the human eye and only noticed by camera? Or are drivers not required to carry proof of insurance with them up there either. I guess that pen only had enough ink to write down 7 numbers.

Also why would someone take their laptop with critical work data to a party? It becomes an even better idea when you didn't back up. Locked or not it would have been just as easy to get a 10 pack of blank CD's for 6 dollars and use iTunes. In 30 Minutes you have at least 6 CD's worth of music.

I say these cases are indicative of a lack of common sense on your part. You need things like this to happen to you so you wise up.

Mrjinglesusa · Jul 13, 2004, 01:44 PM

Got it worse, much worse. 5-6' of water in our basement and creek water level up to the back porch and threatening to enter first floor. South Jersey got bitch slapped last night and nature has more in store for tomorrow. Fortunately, we have flood insurance. Poor saps down the street moved in 1 month month ago and didn't buy flood insurance. They have flooding in their ENTIRE house.

CMYKid · Jul 13, 2004, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by ambush:
I don't. I call myself a poor developer. I have no HD space left at all. Nowhere.

I had ordered a zip drive from ebay but it came in too late.

hmmm. I really DO feel your pain at havin' your iBook fsck'd.

Sadly, that really doesn't quite atone for buying a Zip drive.

Zimphire · Jul 13, 2004, 04:05 PM

Originally posted by CMYKid:
hmmm. I really DO feel your pain at havin' your iBook fsck'd.

Sadly, that really doesn't quite atone for buying a Zip drive.

Ah Zip drives were cool in the 90s!

Every graphics house I worked at owned at least 10.

(Spare parts)

PacHead · Jul 13, 2004, 04:08 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Ah Zip drives were cool in the 90s!

Every graphics house I worked at owned at least 10. (Spare parts)

Who in their right mind would buy a zip drive in this day and age ?

Buy a CD-r or even better a DVD-r for backup ! It's dirt cheap, and so is the media !

Zimphire · Jul 13, 2004, 04:09 PM

Originally posted by PacHead:
Who in their right mind would buy a zip drive in this day and age ?

Buy a CD-r or even better a DVD-r for backup ! It's dirt cheap, and so is the media !

DVD media hasn't reached the "dirt cheap" status yet.

But cheaper than Zips were.

PacHead · Jul 13, 2004, 04:19 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
DVD media hasn't reached the "dirt cheap" status yet.

But cheaper than Zips were.

Here's a 10 pack of 100 meg (1 GIG total) ZIP media - ONLY $94.99

http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...264&pfp=SEARCH

Here's a 50 pack (235 GIG) of DVD-R media - $39.99
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...097&pfp=BROWSE

killer_735 · Jul 13, 2004, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
DVD media hasn't reached the "dirt cheap" status yet.

But cheaper than Zips were.

Not to mention the whole click of death thingy. Like giving your data to the Marx Brothers.

Earth Mk. II · Jul 13, 2004, 05:42 PM

If you're going to be doing development - it's worth it to set up a cheep PC (sub $300, doesn't need to be powerful at all - hell, an old 486 box will do) install linux and run a version control system on it. (the platform doesn't matter - you're just storing text files, not building on the x86 box)

CVS, SVN, arch - take your pick. But if you're doing development, even for small projects, version control is worth it. Plus, on an external system it acts as a backup for your source as well.

sandsl · Jul 13, 2004, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by ambush:
I call myself a poor developer.

What a beautiful quote

- I think I'll leave my amusing comments on the quote at that, but remember it for the future!

Bad luck on the hard drive disaster, backup complacency is dangerous! I'd definately feel lost and disconnected without my powerbook.

Thankgod you've got that new supermarket job to help cover any costs you can't claim from one place or another.

ambush · Jul 13, 2004, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by sandsl:
What a beautiful quote - I think I'll leave my amusing comments on the quote at that, but remember it for the future!

Bad luck on the hard drive disaster, backup complacency is dangerous! I'd definately feel lost and disconnected without my powerbook.

Thankgod you've got that new supermarket job to help cover any costs you can't claim from one place or another.

Poor as in no money.

george68 · Jul 13, 2004, 08:35 PM

Seems like a few people have posted stories like this:

"We had a party, then some thugs showed up and broke/stole my ****".

Uh... no offense, but why the f*ck do you people let thugs into your house? Did you expect that they'd behave? Kick their ****ing asses out. Don't let people of 'questionable character' into your house, and if they're with girls, tough ****. The type of girls that hang around thugs/ghetto ****wads aren't worth anything anyway.

- Rob

Zimphire · Jul 13, 2004, 10:41 PM

Originally posted by george68:
Seems like a few people have posted stories like this:

"We had a party, then some thugs showed up and broke/stole my ****".

Uh... no offense, but why the f*ck do you people let thugs into your house? Did you expect that they'd behave? Kick their ****ing asses out. Don't let people of 'questionable character' into your house, and if they're with girls, tough ****. The type of girls that hang around thugs/ghetto ****wads aren't worth anything anyway.

- Rob

ryju · 10:48 PM

Definitely poor common sense on your part. Hope it works out though.

Also I agree with ca$h.

Sarc · 11:49 PM

Originally posted by ryju:
Also I agree with ca$h.

woah

I would have to search the forums, to be sure, but that's got to be a first around here.