Late last year my then notebook (dating from 2010; in fact there were a couple of PADs dealing with its purchase) had a terrain impact incident. Although the notebook still powered up, it was convinced that it no longer had a hard disk drive.

The lesson for today, my devoted flock, is to back up your computer data regularly. Never take for granted that it can't happen.

In any case, here is the new one. It has the justifiably loathed Windows 8 operating system on it. This has been somewhat improved by going to Windows 8.1 (which is still a joke for a desktop or notebook operating system) and by adding the amazing Classic Shell application which restores the Start menu that a real computer should have.

In any case, as you can see from the time the day had mostly ticked away and fortunately the new notebook has an option to illuminate the keys which makes for a halfway decent PAD when you run out of other options.