Poll: My mom's trying to take away MY computer

[RhombusHatesYou]

Obviously you have failed to clearly mark your possessions as belonging to you.

Time to start pissing on everything you own... and things you'd like to own.

 

[Danny Ocean]

The computer is yours, but you are arguing with a woman, you can't possibly win.

Excellent point right here.

Remember, when you start winning, they'll try and change the subject. Don't let them!

Also if she says something like "Well would you rather I was [opposite extreme to whatever you said]?!" point out that she's making a false dichotomy. My mum does this all the time.

For example:

"Stop mothering me, mother!"
"Would you rather I didn't care at all and threw you out?!"
"Excluding the middle again, mum. Get back in the kitchen."
*Smack*

Might want to leave out that last bit.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

Buy a new case and CD-drive and give them to her. Say "if you're going to be a child about this PC, here are the parts that are yours. All other parts are mine and it is a completely new PC. You may still use it but you must remember that it is mine, not yours. These are yours. Use them as you wish." You might want to paraphrase but I think those words will win you the argument. I don't think there is any more you can do than take out the parts that are legally hers and replace them with your own parts.

You could also rebuild the old one and give it to her telling that it's hers... provided you kept the parts of course.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Yeah, the sensible option is to discuss it with her rationally, knowing most of the machine is yours but you're living under her roof and she's paying the bills for net, electric, etc.

Or, if you could afford it, try to build her a basic PC that she can do her facebook and bookworm on (check Freecycle for an old PC you can refurbish), if she's daft enough to be attached to her case, then you can just swap the contents over. If you like you can remind her that a PC store would be charging her fifty bucks an hour to deal with this crap.

 

[Wicky_42]

If she's being really persistent then just do as others have said and buy a new box to put it in. Would be ideal if you could even give her her old machine back in working order, just to make the point.

Of course, anti-theft cable locked to your radiator is also helpful

You're 18, she should give you some autonomy.

One question though is why odes she want to take it away from you? Is she worried you spend too much time on it? Are your grades suffering? Does she need a computer but lack the money to get one? Is she neurotic? Explaining the context helps get relevant answers... and can make your family sound less bizarre

 

[WolfLordAndy]

"I've had this exact same broom for 30 years, though I've replaced the handle 10 times, and the brush head 20 times."

If you live in her house, where she pays the electric, net, food, water, etc, and you don't pay much towards, then I'm afraid you've not got much of a leg to stand on. Yes its mostly yours but I suggest you save up and get the few remaining bits (case being the main one, so it looks different) and truely make it yours.

As others have said, if you can get old crappy stuff to slap in the old machine so it half works, and give her that, all the better.

 

[loremazd]

If I were you, yeah, say when it comes down to it you need a computer, say you want to use the parts you bought, and offer to help her make a working one.

 

[loremazd]

Oh, also, get your receipts for the parts and tell her exactly how much cash you spent on it and ask to be reinbursed.

 

[Cogwheel]

I suggest asking her if she's willing to compromise. She can't have the computer, but she can have the ship of Theseus instead.

 

[Galletea]

First off. Getting all angsty about it isn't going to make her give it back. Does she know you've replaced most of the components? You said she doesn't understand the antivirus, does she realise that it isn't the same computer? I'd try reaching a compromise. Find out why she wants it. Is it just that she wants to use it or is it a statement of how much time you spend on it?

Either way, best thing would be to talk it out with her, rather than moan about who owns the computer.

 

[John the Gamer]

You could give her a box containing all of the parts you replaced(if you still have them) and say: all right, here's YOUR computer mom.

 

[Phoxinator]

Buy a new case for it and then she'll get confused...

 

[thahat]

If you still live in her house and it was originally hers, its hers. Also whats with all these "my mom is" threads today?

wrong! oral contracts do exist, and he is 18, so legit.
its his. also, i dont know where this guy is from, and if its outside of the EU i dont know if the law is the same but, if you own the most expensive/large parts of something made up out of multiple parts, its his anyway, whatever the hell she says about it.
god i love having paid enough attention with private law XD.
all she cOULD go is you stole mah stuff!. which she cant do cause she gave it to you XD.
cant have stole what you got given.

also also, why on earth is she constantly threating to take it away?

 

[Outright Villainy]

It's yours.

Not that makes a difference with parents. I bought every game I've ever owned (bar the odd christmas present) with my own money and my mother used threaten to take them off me all the time.

 

[hurfdurp]

The question is, why is she threatening to take it away?
I doubt she is doing it just to be a *****

Surprised no one asked this yet.

That was my first thought. I imagine this is more a matter of her attempting to discipline her stupid kid.

 

[tigermilk]

Give her the case, CD drive back. See how long before she notices it is an empty case. FROM reading the OP it sounds like she doesn't realise that the shell isn't the whole PC.

 

[endnuen]

You have the receipts?
If not, tough luck.

 

[MrTub]

The question is, why is she threatening to take it away?
I doubt she is doing it just to be a *****

Surprised no one asked this yet.

Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't just some kid whining about how his mom is actually punishing him for once.

Yup, right here. This whole...let's say "story" seems very one-sided.

Also, it's hers because no matter how old you are, you are still living in the house she's paying for. Technically, she owns everything in it. I'm 19, and I understand this concept. If you don't like it, move out.

So if I left something at a friends house he/she parents would own it since they own everything in the house? Sounds a bit odd.

 

[ItsAChiaotzu]

*snip*

Did I mention that...
*guru voice* I AM AN ADULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLT!|


(I hope someone gets that joke)

DBZ abridged! For the win.


I concur with everyone who says give her back the parts that she had of the original computer and keep your bits.

 

[VanityGirl]

Cut off her head & put it in the freezer.

That's what I do when my mum pisses me off.

Ah I do love your comments. Totally off topic but sometimes they just make me laugh