Archive for the ‘Computers’ Category

Grandsons and Computer Monitors

Monday, July 12th, 2010

I don’t let my grandsons anywhere near my computer, so they cannot be blamed for the problem that this article is actually about. If I had simply titled this “Computer Monitor” it would not attract much attention and few people would want to read it. The article is not actually about my grandsons or anyone else’s – although I suppose those people mentioned herein do, or did, have grandparents.

My wife and I will often have our grandsons over to the house for a few hours. This gives the boy’s parents a break – something all parents need. If the weather is nice outside, that is where we will spend most of the visiting time. If not, there are plenty of toys for them in the house. In either case we will closely monitor their activities.

Speaking of monitors, the other day I turned on my computer and monitor. But the monitor did not come on. The power on light emitting diode did not emit any light. I plugged the power cord into a different outlet. Still nothing on the monitor lit up. So I tried a different power cord – no change. I switched back and forth a couple of times and kept trying the power on/off switch. Never did it ever come on.

The very first computers did not have monitors. Actually the first computers were people – people who computed. Hence they were called computers. The first non-living computer was designed by Charles Babbage. It was called a Difference Engine. It didn’t do quite all of the things that today’s computers do. In fact it was only designed to calculate numerical tables.

Now maybe Babbage’s computer did not need a monitor. Or maybe he got sidetracked and never got around to designing a monitor for it. You see, he did get involved in sports for a while as evidenced by his inventing the cow catcher in 1838. But I don’t think that game ever caught on. Or maybe it’s a United Kingdom thing.

But eventually computers started to come equipped with monitors (no thanks to Babbage). My very first computer, a Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I came with a 12” black and white television set that was converted to receive and display computer data instead of television signals.

The rumor is that Tandy Corporation was so uncertain of the sales of the TRS-80 Model I that the original production run was for 4000 units. The concept being that if they did not sell, each store would be able to use one. As it happened, they sold 10,000 in the first month. I can’t prove anything stated in this paragraph – so don’t hold me to it.

Back to the future (well it was the future during the TRS-80 hey-day). I went on line to check the warranty policy of the manufacture of my non-functioning monitor. If the monitor was less than three years old they would email me a label for me to ship it back in the original packing and box. And, no surprise, I would need to supply the the original purchase receipt. Upon receipt of the defective unit, they would ship me a refurbished monitor.

I have the original packing and probably have the receipt. Due to my office perpetually being in a state of serious disarray, I’ve no clue where the original receipt is located. On an old Visa statement I found a transaction that I believe is the purchase of this monitor along with some other item(s). The month was September, 2007. But being within the three years does not help if I can’t find the receipt.

The monitor was purchased at Best Buy. In my looking I found some other Best Buy receipts. These were all so faded that I could not be sure what purchases they covered. In each case I could read just enough to know it was NOT the receipt I needed. So I do know that I did not have in hand the correct receipt at any time that day.

Well, I spent quite a bit of time going through the mess in my office looking for that receipt but never found it. I figure if I find it in time I can send the monitor in for replacement and then we will have a spare monitor. Next step: shopping.

I checked a couple of places on line but did not see anything that justified the wait for shipping. So then I checked Best Buy and Radio Shack. With Radio Shack I got the impression that I would have to wait for the monitor of my choice to be shipped to the store. The best deals at Best Buy also were “on line only”.

(more…)

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Banana Peel

Friday, March 19th, 2010

A recent article chronicled how I bought a banana. If you don’t remember or didn’t read it just go back two articles and look for a title full of fruit. This is a continuation of that ‘adventure’.

With the help of Scott, I got Ubuntu running on my computer. If you don’t know what I am talking about it would appear you did not go back two articles and look for that title full of fruit – or if you did you didn’t read the article. How much good do you expect to get by just finding the article?

Are you back now? Did you read it this time?

As I was saying: “With the help of Scott, I got Ubuntu running on my computer.” I was anxious to download all of the emails that Verizon had on their server and were holding for me. The default email program with Ubuntu is called Evolution. The initial download to the Evolution from Verizon was 135 emails. I had looked at some of them on the Verizon web mail but wanted them on my computer. Some I had not read at all, some I definitely wanted to keep in perpetuity.

So there they were, 135 strong, sitting in my inbox. It was my intention to make sub-folders and move each of the emails to the appropriate sub-folder. After the job was completed I would read them. A bit of a tedious job but when your life is as boring as mine it’s no big deal. I’m sorry, Margaret. I didn’t mean you were boring. In the meantime another 5 were downloaded so I now had 140.

I started creating the sub-folders as I would come to an email for that specific folder. As I created each folder, I would move the email to it. Twenty-three of the emails had been moved when suddenly I got a message in the inbox that said “There are no more messages in this folder.” My inbox was empty – just like that 117 emails disappeared. Kinda like my paychecks.

Maybe the emails had sneaked into a wrong folder somewhere. (Yes, ’sneaked’ is the right word. I wanted to use ’snuck’ but the spell checker wouldn’t let me.) I checked each folder to be sure none of the emails were lurking in the wrong spot. Playing hide and seek, maybe. When I got to the Trash folder I found a copy of each of the emails that I had moved to other folders sitting there. The originals of these emails were still where I had placed them. So I had duplicates of the 23 emails and NO copy of 117 emails.

It seems I may have slipped on a banana peel.

The sudden evaporation of 117 emails was not the only problem with Evolution. I don’t recall them all but it was enough to decide to seek a different program. I think Evolution needs to evolve some more. Fortunately I found one fairly easily that I really like. It’s called KMail.

KMail had its share of aggravations but I found solutions to many of the minor problems and Andy helped solve most of the major ones. One of the ‘fun’ ones was when I’d click a URL link in an email, instead of it opening Firefox (the web browser) it would open a calendar program called Sunbird. Andy helped me solve that one. OK, Andy solved that one for me – I had nothing to do with solving it. Now all of the important ones are taken care of.

OpenOffice is the office suite and I really like it except for some minor details. No program is perfect because everybody has a different idea of what they want in a program. (And no programmer has ideas that agree with me.) Of course when you are used to a certain word processor and you switch to a new one, there will be some learning effort involved. You are likely to find some things you like better. You are likely to find some things you dislike. You are likely to find some features missing. Often those missing features are simply hidden under different terminology. (More hide and seek.) Sometimes they just don’t exist. You have to get used to the changes.

The Sunbird calendar program I mentioned earlier is one that I really like. It is easy to work with and easy to get a printout showing my appointments and events, etc for the month. Again there was a different one that I tried and discarded quite quickly. My reason was that there appeared to be no way to show Sunday on the left side of the calendar. Haven’t these guys ever looked at a real calendar? I Suppose that because most people’s work week is Monday though Friday, the creators of that program only allowed a Monday through Sunday calendar. I don’t think that way and the lack of an option to correct it was reason enough to make me move on.

Speaking of moving on, I think I’ll do just that. I don’t know if I’ll ever tell any more of this saga as I’m not sure there’ll be anything interesting to tell. In fact, this one wasn’t all that interesting unless you are trying to learn about Ubuntu or bananas or unless you enjoy my suffering. So maybe you shouldn’t read this one.

Don’t know why but I’m hungry again.

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Apples verses Oranges verses Bananas

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Computers are so frustrating even for those who once knew a little about them (i. e., me). A month and a half ago I posted an article titled “Apples verses Oranges”. In it I sought the wisdom of the masses on the virtues of the Apple computers (Macs) verses Microsoft computers (oranges). I requested any and all readers to shower me with their experiences regarding computing. Only a small (read very, very, itsy bitsy, teeny weeny tiny) portion of the masses actually read my blogs – or even know about them. But one of them did respond (thank you, Sari). Actually, that could have been as much as half my readership (I know my wife reads my blogs – if I beg her to enough times). So I guess that may have been a pretty good response – percentage wise.

My original interest in writing the article was for the future. Someday I might decide to move to an Apple from the MS-DOS system I’ve been using. Always concerned about the higher cost of an Apple I really didn’t expect to make any changes soon. Still, my computer was getting slower and slower. Then it quit!

On Monday, the 22nd of February (in the wee hours of the morning when Margaret was too tired to realize what was going on) I got her to approve a blog titled “Who’s the Boss?” I then posted it before she could change her mind. When I awoke in the morning, as usual, I checked my email. As I was finishing checking it I received an on screen notice that Windows was about to reboot as it had been processing some automatic upgrades. I pressed the “reboot now” button and waited. I could still be waiting. It left town and never came back. Was this punishment for the blog article?

The error message was something about a device not allowing Windows to boot. So I disconnected every external device from the computer except the monitor and keyboard. Kinda needed those, I figured. And, besides, they seemed to be working. No help. Then I even swapped keyboards and used a different USB port. Still zilch.

A very useful program I have is called Checkit PE. It will check out the hardware: memory, hard drives, video cards, main board circuitry, etc. I gave that a try and discovered a bad spot on my hard drive. Then I ran Spinrite, a program that will, sometimes, clean up bad spots. Spinrite found the same bad spot and told me it was SO bad that it was unrecoverable.

One of my most consistent characteristics is that I am a procrastinator. One of the first articles I planned to write was about procrastination. And someday I’ll get around to it. That characteristic is what keeps me from making backups on a regular (or even irregular) basis. So, of course, I had none. Not only that, but I have no idea where the recovery disc that I made when I first set up this computer has disappeared to.

What to do? I went back to my “Apples verses Oranges” article and reread the comment sent by my loyal reader, Sari. OK, it could be that that is the only article of mine she’s read. At least she commented.

My options appeared to be 1) buy a new hard drive and a new copy of Windows. It would have to be Windows 7 as Vista is no longer in the stores. Or 2) buy a new Apple (Mac) computer. The new drive and Windows would obviously be the cheaper way to go. But perhaps a new Apple would spare me future pain.

It seemed to me that with the lack of numerous responses to my quest for help, perhaps I should directly ask those in the know. Computer experts. So I did. From those who own Macs, the answer came that ‘Macs are the greatest thing since sliced bread’. From those who do not, the answer was ’stay away from Macs’. Well THAT was a lot of help!

While making a desperate search for the missing OS recovery disc, I ran across a disc labeled: “Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop ver. i386 October 2007 Gutsy Gibbon.” It sounded like a story of an Aborigine from deep in Australia and a wild adventurer from the silent movie era. But it wasn’t. It was (and is) a disc with a version of Linux – a third choice in the mysterious world of computers. A banana. It was given to me some time ago – probably around or after October of 2007 (just a guess).

Mathue and Scott (two men related to me by marriage) both talk about Linux from time to time. But I guess I just tuned them out most of the time just like Margaret (a woman related to me by marriage) tunes me out when I talk technobable. Mat and Scott’s technobable is a higher level of TB than mine. In other words, I don’t understand them (or Linux).

Linux, of which Ubuntu is a version of (don’t ask about Gutsy Gibbons – please), is supposedly the best of two worlds. It has the security of Apple and the cost of Orange, uh, that would be Mac and Microsoft, respectively. Actually, it is MUCH cheaper than Microsoft because it is free. That’s right. I said “free”. So how, I wondered, could anyone (including yours truly) pass up this option – the banana.

So now I have the banana. That is to say I have a new hard drive with the Ubunto v9.10 installed. This version is known as Karmic Koala. (Still in Australia, I see.) And I like it. Usually. There are only four or five hundred things it does not do (or I don’t yet understand how to make them happen).

Enough of this, it is driving me nuts. I’ll write more on this adventure in the future but for now I’ll take a break. I know, I’ll go to the Outback and find Gusty Gibbons and save him from that Ubuntu tribe. I hope Gusty’s been nice to the Karmic Koalas.

I’ll grab a banana on my way out.

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I’m Back

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve not been too active on my blogs this past week. Several hours after I posted my last blog here my computer died. I had my next blog all written but it has gone off into cyberspace along with a LOT of other documents and email addresses, etc. On Friday I purchased a new hard drive and loaded a new operating system onto it.  I have been spending a lot of time these last couple of days recovering what I can and redoing what I remember. In the next few days I’ll have another blog article. It just might be another of my poems or it may be something new or ???

At any rate: I’m back. You may now cheer, hiss or shrug you shoulders – what ever fits your mood.

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Apples verses Oranges

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Apples verses oranges. Whoops! I mean Apple desktop and notebook computers verses IBM Compatible desktop and notebook computers. Well, that would have made an awfully long title.

Apple and Microsoft have their little spat going about which type of computer and OS are best. We know it costs more for an Apple system. We know Apple is generally more reliable. Worth the extra cost? That, I suppose, would be an individual choice. If money is no object, it would seem the Apple would be the natural choice. If the budget is tight (and one has the patience of Job) the Microsoft based system would seem to be the choice.

Never have I owned an Apple (computer, that is, I eat Gala, Fuji, and Jonathan Apples all the time [organic, please.]) I have certainly had my share of troubles with the MS based machines. Still, I’ve been reluctant to switch. Money is one reason. Another is uncertainty of what Apple may not do or run, etc. So I am looking for some help, folks. This is your chance to tell me where to go (I know some of you want to do that) – to the Apple counter or the Other counter.

Can you help?

If you have had experience (especially recent or current experience) using both Apple systems and MS systems, I’d like to hear from you. Leave a comment regarding your experiences and what you like about each as well as what you don’t like about each. Tell me all you can that you have first hand knowledge about. Uh, stick to the subject of personal computers, please. However, don’t limit it to what you personally have experienced. Include what you have found out via research and communication with other users.

Don’t those of you who lack experience with both systems feel left out. You can leave a reply with what you know about either (or both) system(s). Why did you choose what you chose and/or why do you wish you had made a different decision.

Yes, you do have to register (if you haven’t already) to leave a comment, but it is free and your email address will not be displayed to other readers. Nor will we spam you or an any way use or abuse your email address. I promise!

The more feedback I receive, the more helpful it will be. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies and offers their advice and/or opinions.

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From Technophobe to Facebook Fanatic

Thursday, January 28th, 2010
It’s my wife, Margaret, I’m talking about. A year ago I would have to beg, plead and cajole her if I wanted her to read an article I’d found on the Internet. She really wanted nothing to do with computers. She did understand that they were (and are) a part of society and of my life. But she wanted nothing to do with the little electronic monsters. If I asked her to read something and she could not do so at the moment she would agree to read it later. I would tell her how to get to it but that was not good enough. She needed me to open up the article and leave the computer on until she could read it. Or she needed me to print it out for her – that was her preference.

Margaret as a newly "crowned" nurse

Margaret is a Registered Nurse and works at a nursing home. Like all of us, she is not as young as she once was. She would like to get a job where she doesn’t need to be on her feet for the entire shift. Most (if not all) of the desk jobs require extensive computer usage. Margaret remains a floor nurse. At least that helps her keep her girlish figure. (Margaret is looking over my shoulder and made me put that last sentence in.) I think part of the problem was that she has heard about computer viruses and is afraid that SHE might catch one.
It was about this time last year when she became aware that a high school reunion she wanted to attend was being organized using a web site. Reluctantly she signed up to the site to keep up with the plans. She also started emailing a few of her old high school classmates. I was heavily involved in aiding her in all of this. So, you ladies who were communicating with her via email: you have no secrets with her that I don’t know about! Slowly but surely the computer bug (not the virus) got under her skin.
For Christmas she decided she wanted me to provide her with the notebook that I have, but seldom use, for her own use. I set it up on the dining room table (no place else available in the house) for her. It is hooked up to the power cord and uses an external keyboard and mouse for her convenience.

Then I had to help her get up on Facebook. And that is when our sweet domestic life as we had known it came to a screeching halt. Now I am lucky to have a conversation with her at home. The first thing she does upon waking is turn on the computer. Turning it off is the last thing before going to work or to sleep.

Friends. As of this writing, Margaret has 142 friends on Facebook. I don’t even KNOW 142 people! She has already passed each of her kids and they were both on Facebook before her. I think she is trying to get more friends than both of them put together!

She still has no interest in using a computer at work. She is still afraid of it if I’m not available to help her with glitches. For instance: when the computer hangs up and won’t boot or won’t shut down, I still have to help her resolve the problem.

It’s nice to know she still needs me.

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