My Gateway

This is an article I wrote for Helium.com about my Gateway computer. I thought I'd share it here also. To see at Helium.com click here.

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I loved the boxes that came with the cow spots.Thats how our Gateway computer came to our apartment about eight years ago. The back story on how I came to purchase it in the first place is kind of humorous too. My wife had taken a weekend a way from home. Myself left to my devices went to visit a Gateway store(remember those?). I surprisingly was approved with credit enough to purchase a new computer. I was like a kid in a candy store! At the time I knew relatively little about computers and pretty much went along with what the salesperson recommended. I bought a relatively low end model with the usual bundled software. I had to wait two weeks for delivery. At first I didn't tell my wife about it but she did find the receipt eventually and I had some explaining to do. For a long time it was a running joke between us if she left for weekend or something she'd tell me not to go buy anymore computers.

Anyway it arrived about two weeks later. I even took the day out of work to greet the UPS guy.In a matter of hours I was up and running. It was a Gateway Essential 433 with Windows 98 Second Edition, a 17" CRT monitor, scanner and printer. Over the years I have spent so many hours on this computer that my wife has gotten jealous of it and has threatened to throw it out.
Over the years I've done various upgrades to it to try and keep it somewhat current.It's been used for home office stuff, pictures,surfing the internet and even games too. The only problem I had that I had to contact Gateway about was the mouse stopped working which they sent me a new one free of charge. I've pretty much upgraded everything but the case, motherboard,network card and modem. Everything else has been replaced or upgraded.The monitor finally died away last year. It has run Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows ME, and currently runs Windows 2000 Pro.
Over the years it's been used and abused but has rarely let me down. I've learned a lot about personal computers using this Gateway. Also it served as my guinea pig as learning how to fix and repair computers. I was so impressed I bought a second used Gateway which I'm using now which has been just as dependable.

Am I done with this Gateway just yet being eight years old? Not at all.Despite it's age it's still used everyday. I still have plans to upgrade the hard drive, video card and move up to Windows XP. I suppose if the motherboard died I'd just put a new one in its place. I liken the Gateway the way some guys feel about there first car or the first girl they kissed. It's very much part of our family and I'd be saddened to see it go!