My scanner picked the worst time to die. I was just planning on getting rid of some junk still laying around from our move last fall and after one scan it croaked. I tried everything to bring it back to life but nothing worked - there was some software failure I think. In any case, off I go to Office Max (25 minutes away)to get a new scanner. Get home load up the software, plug it in and......DEAD as a doornail! While installing the software I realize that the sealed package had been opened. Apparently someone got a broken machine and returned it without telling the store that it was broken. So off I go to OfficeMax for a replacement (it is still 25 minutes each way). Pick up the replacement (it was the last one they had)and plug it in. Fortunately it worked and only took me another two hours to figure out how to use the new software (my old software would not work with it). What is the moral of the story? Well my $49 scanner I bought 8 years ago died finally. How much was the new scanner? $19 after rebates! I think I spent that much trying to get hold of tech support for the old one. Hopefully a happy ending and I get rid of some more stuff on Ebay before the convention.