Tools, tools, I love having the right tools!

My Problem

This is a preemptive tool purchase.

My Fix

Over the years, I've fixed everything from tin toys to loose headphone jacks to dead laptop LCD backlights (if you haven't teased a laptop LCD screen apart and swapped out its spaghetti-thin fluorescent tube, then carefully taped and crimped everything back together, you haven't lived). The moment I saw the 64-bit driver kit, my first thought was, "I have got to get me one of these!" (Actually, that was my second thought; my first was, "64-bit driver, eh? Big-endian or little-endian?")

My Advice

Take all kinds of stuff apart. Even if you don't plan to fix it. Figure out how it goes together. Figure out why it died. Look for patterns and tricks, where to slide the thin screwdriver to pop something open, and how the case flexes when you squeeze the sides (that tells you where the fasteners are!) The skills and experience gained will serve you well for a lifetime. Oh, and keep your good tools well hidden from your colleagues.