Laptop Pop

(I’m visiting my family, including my recently retired father.)

Dad: “My laptop is broken and your brother won’t help me get a new one. Can you help?”

Me: “Sure. What’s your budget?”

Dad: “I don’t know. Whatever laptops cost.”

Me: “Well, we can get you something very basic around $200 or $300, or the sky is the limit.”

Dad: “I don’t want a basic one; I want a good one!”

Me: “Well, if you want Apple, that will be more than a PC.”

Dad: “Whichever. I don’t care.”

Me: “Well, what do you want to do with the laptop?”

Dad: “I don’t know.”

Me: “Well, are you going to browse the Internet? Do your taxes? Watch movies? Play games? Are you going to take it with you frequently, or use it mostly at home? If you could make me a list of everything you want to do using the computer, I can find a laptop that suits your needs.”

Dad: “I don’t know! Maybe I want to do all of that! Maybe I want to just check email. Just show me a laptop!”

(I go online and find five different laptops in different price ranges to show him.)

Dad: “Why are these so different?! The prices are all different!”

Me: “Well, I don’t know what you need, so I just picked a few high-rated laptops.”

Dad: “This doesn’t help me at all! I just need you to find the right laptop for me!”

Me: “Dad… I don’t think I can help you.”

Dad: “Great, so, both my sons won’t help me!”

(The funny thing is that Dad has a degree in computer science from back in the era of DOS, so he should have some concept at least that computers come in a range.)