Volume control on laptops suck.

I don't know about you, but I'm really sick of it, and I'm going to take a minute to bitch about it.

A lot of laptops these days don't seem to have a little volume knob or wheel for adjusting the volume, these days. The last 2 laptops I bought (HP and FUJITSU) have had absolutely none. My current laptop makes up for this by having a touch-sensitive panel right in front of the screen for me to simply rub my finger across whenever I need to change something.

This volume control scheme sucks.

First of all, I can't change the volume until the laptop is turned on. That means if I was watching a movie at full blast the night before and forgot to turn the volume back down before shutting it off, I'm going to find myself the centre of unwanted attention when I crack it open in the middle of class or the library. Not only that: It also scares the Be-Jesus out of me. The great thing about having a volume knob is that I can always check how loud it is before I turn it on, and I can turn it down if I want to before blowing anyone's ears off.

Second, just like everything computer-related, it's a bit screwy and is affected by just about anything you might be doing. For example; if you have to adjust your sound in a pinch, I wouldn't count on the ol' touch-pad. Trying to change it too quickly actually causes it to lag. Does sound ever lag when it is changed with a proper volume wheel? No.

Third, it's not very precise. Or maybe it's too precise. All I know is that moving my finger even just a tiny little microscopic hair too far on the sound touch-pad causes it to be about five times louder or quieter than I wanted it. It's a little sensitive. A volume knob is way easier to adjust because it doesn't believe in being completely neurotic.

All I'm saying is, stop trying to come up with new and innovative ways to adjust volume. The wheels and the knobs worked just fine. Not so much with an over-sensitive and over-crappy touch-pad.

I feel like I sound like a crazy old homeless man here. "Got-Dangit these crazy eelectronic volume controls! Ervrebody's tryin' to replace what's good with what's eelectronic! What was wrong wit' the way thing were, what with knobs and wheels, they'll always be better!'

Well it's true.

And it's hard to not be influenced by the homeless when you live in Waterloo. Every day, there seem to be more of them migrating here as the weather gets warmer. Like birds in spring, except not quite so majestic.

Anyway. Down with stupid and unecessary changes to technology. Bring back the knob!!!!!