Since I started translating full-time just over three years ago, I’ve tended to average one massive job per year to supplement the fluctuating number of on-call projects that my regular clients send my way. These big jobs are always high-volume high-pressure gigs that tend to increase my caffeine and nicotine intake, throw me into that numbing stupefying jolie-laide giddiness that comes from sleep depravation, rendering me to a wraith-like condition.
Right now my routine sees me waking at eleven, scarfing down something sweet (usually chocolate – especially Orion’s new Aero bars), sucking back coffee (2 sugars, a bit of milk), smoking a cigarette or two, turning on the computer, cursing the computer for crashing, restarting, rinse, repeat, and eventually banging Czech into English (insert pun here – I’ll make it even easier for you by telling you that one of my clients publishes pornographyâ??).
Throughout the day, I somehow manage to slog through miles and piles of text (personal rule of thumb: don’t look scroll down) in spite of the cat’s cries for attention, and drill-and-hammer sessions in neighbouring flats that compel me to blast Ministry’s Land of Rape and Honey at woofer-threatening volume. Jitka has been an absolute angel, giving me far more love and support than I deserve.
My routine winds down at around three or four a.m. Rather than crash, these last few nights I’ve been staying up for another three or so hours, spending way too much time at CNET and PCWorld checking editor and user reviews (or writing blog entries and cruising through the blogosphere).
With all the work I’ve been doing, I reckon it’s high time I upgrade my home office. This all started with a desperate need for two things: a printer (essential for proofing my drafts before sending the final versions to Emil, the author of the book I’m translating, and Jitka C, his editor) and a hard drive (essential for my peace of mind – the bitching sputtering hacking jalopy that has the audacity to consider itself my PC’s hard drive is more shot to shit than Bonnie & Clyde’s last getaway car).
After doing a bit of research Jitka & I went to our local mall to check what they had at Datart. I was going to get a laser printer, but a friendly shop assistant convinced me that an inkjet, particularly a Canon, would be a better investment. He also took the time to tell us what to look for in an LCD monitor (another must – my eyesight is worsening at a frightening rate with the crap little CRT I’m still using). After giving us solid advice, he then told us, much to our surprise, to get our gear from alzasoft.cz, a Czech e-shop that specialises in all things computer.
Thus began somewhat of a love affair. Alzasoft rocks. Last week I bought a Canon Pixma IP4000 for over CZK 1000 less than what I would have paid for it at Datart (PCWorld user reviews here). Today I used the site to buy a wireless Logitech LX 700 keyboard that comes with an optical mouse (after several hours of use, I’ll venture to say that for anyone who spends a lot of time typing and surfing, it’s definitely worth the money; PCWorld user reviews here).
Not only does Alzasoft offer the lowest prices (along with a best-price policy) on computing equipment in the CR, their customer care kicks ass. My only gripe is that they keep you on hold for a hell of a long time when you call them.
The website is in Czech and Slovak, and if you need to phone them chances are you’ll get someone who can’t speak English, but that person will connect you to somebody who can. Whenever I’ve called Alzasoft, the people I’ve spoken with have been really friendly and have given me solid advice on my purchases – both recent and future.
Alzasoft offers a delivery service, and you can pay COD as well as by credit card, through eBanka, or, if you’ve got a Czech long-term residency permit, you can lease or pay for your goods in installments. For deliveries in Prague, an additional CZK 160 (with VAT) is tacked onto your bill.
So far, I’ve gotten same-day delivery (offered from Monday to Friday until 6 pm) within three to four hours of placing my order. You also have the option of picking up your order at their warehouse at Jatecni 33A (scroll down for the map), near the Holesovice Market. I believe the clerk at Datart said something along the lines of “If you don’t mind waiting in lineâ??” with regards to this.
I guess I’ll find out on Friday when Jitka picks up my Seagate hard drive (which one of the Alzasoft staff talked me into – I was originally thinking Western Digital, but they don’t carry the make I want and actually stopped selling WD drives due to too many customer complaints about them).
Ok, I think that’s enough shop- & geek-talk for a while. I’ll save the rest for reviews at the techie sites…
Apr 20, 03:50 (Filed under: Personal )
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p.s. where in Canada are you from? I’m a Nanaimoite and have been here since ‘96
— Guff Apr 20, 08:44 #
Thanks for the tip – got a url you can pass along? I’m not crazy about Alzasoft’s spam, but that still won’t deter me from using their services. I live well outside the centre, so the delivery service scores a lot of points with me.
I’m a Montreal-born Ottawan, also in the CR since '96 (started in Brno, moved to Prague in '98).
Thanks for stopping by,
P.
— Patrick Apr 20, 10:48 #
— Guff Apr 21, 09:52 #
— Patrick Apr 21, 11:28 #