Technological woes

While technology is supposed to be "our friend", it seems that sometines it is not so "friendly"after all. My husband relies on computers for his career and when they are not working, it is like everything comes to a screeching halt. We moved back on campus the end of August and, unfortunately, his computer decided not to cooperate when he went to start it up again. He could not figure it out, the Apple technicians could not figure it out - we were in serious trouble. Finally, weeks after the problem first arose, a MacGenius was able to detect the problem and correct it. However, he had still missed about two weeks of work. It is funny how dependent we are, even in a world that is "on the fence" with technology.

Seeing my husband struggle through technological troubles made me think about if and how technology could turn against me in my life. As a teacher, if i plan a powerpoint or another digital presentation, or even an audio/vido presentation, I need to be prepared to have the technology fail, and have a plan B and maybe even a plan C ready. This does, unfortunately, mean more work and preparation on my part. In some ways, it seems like using technology is perhaps potentially more trouble than it is worth. After all, I got along fine in my school days without too much technology assistance...

However, there is that whole thing about "engage me or enrage me" - if I decide not to use technology, I run the risk of disengaging my students and losing their interest.

Is there any way to "guarantee" technological success? Is it possible to avoid the major headaches associated with living and working in a technologically dependent environment?