The Old Hack

I wonder how much computing technology has added to climate change? Certainly it added quite a lot yesterday evening in the Staples Corner branch of PC World (from which premises I fear I am about to be banned).

Part of moving to France involves photocopying all manner of paperwork, from passports to wills to insurance policies and more.  This tiresome but necessary process came to a grinding halt when the Old Hack's trusty scanner/copier/printer became a scanner/copier and refused to print any more.

We set off for PC World, Mrs Old Hack and I, with the intention of buying a new version if the old one could not be economically fixed.  I was therefore prepared for the young man in 'Geek's Corner' (sorry - 'The Tech Guys') telling me that my assertion was correct. No matter how seemingly trivial the fault, it would need special tools to open the printer and because of the zillion pounds per annum printer repairers command, no, they do not mend printers and would recommend that The Old Hack purchase another.

So far so good - well not that good when you think of the wastage involved in discarding a perfectly good scanner/copier because of a mechanical printing fault. 

And then came the climate change........ 

We looked at a plethora of printers at various prices and with various technical specifications, the while trying very hard to attract the eye of one of the (very few) staff, who may be able to help.  Unsuccessful at attracting attention, we settled on a version advertised for sale at the very attractive price of £29.99.  We took it to the checkout, where it was scanned.  The price came up as £79.99.  It would seem that the wrong printer model had been put under the sale price ticket.

We spent some time trying once again to attract a member of staff, when we noticed a young man in the familiar purple uniform standing on a table in the middle of the store, gesticulating wildly at no-one in particular. Our curiosity at fever pitch (had he finally flipped?) we approached.

In front of the gesticulating staff member was a makeshift sign requesting customers who had not yet been able to obtain assistance to wait (while the young man directed staff in the manner of an old-fashioned policeman directing traffic) Around the base of the table was a group of about ten people. Some looked angry. Others just had a very British look of glazed determination.

My wife politely but firmly suggested that the addition of a few extra staff members may have prevented us walking out.  With which we did just that.

About half an hour later, while shopping in Tesco, we discovered much the same printer as we had seen in PC World at much the same price.  We took it to the checkout without problem, fuss or much queuing.

Tesco shares recently reached a record level of 447.75.  DSG International, parent company of PC World, recently posted big losses for the last financial year.  Wonder why?

IMAGE = DUCK WITH A BAD SENSE OF DIRECTION BY KRISTIE LEIGH KARNS  Picable.com