Back on the 21st of August, I had a video appointment with my nephrologist. I fired up my laptop, but the video conferencing software said I had no webcam. For some reason, doctor offices seem to like waiting until just before the appointment before sending the video link, so I didn’t have time to troubleshoot the problem and just switched to using a phone. The audio on the phone was so quiet as to be inaudible, so we ended up making a voice call to go along with the video. A mess, but successful.
When I got a chance, I tried to troubleshoot the laptop. Turns out it was all hardware: the webcam had simply died. I’d been using it without problems the week before.
I was worried it would be an expensive affair, but I checked the Framework web site and discovered a replacement webcam is only $15. Replacement takes “5-10 minutes” (it actually took me less) and it was a breeze. I ordered the webcam, and picked it up from my PO box today. I came home with a few minutes to go before an online therapy appointment. I decided to go for it, and had the camera replaced and the machine running in plenty of time.
In an age of electronic devices that are glued together and use paired parts and other repair-hostile “features,” it’s a relief to have a machine that makes home repairs cheap, fast, and easy.
—2p