While I was in the Netherlands, the hard drive on my laptop failed. This was the latest disaster in what has been a summer of technical discontent. My phone line was down for a week while I changed companies, my answering machine broke down, and my keyboard got trashed. Answering machine and keyboard are small fry but a banjaxed hard disk is something else. Mind you, it was about time for an upgrade anyway.
Therefore today, I paid a visit to PC World and was delighted to see that they were having a clearance sale of shop-soiled stock. I don't mind the dust and scratches and have a bottle of methylated spirit to wipe off all the gunk from the tape they insist on strapping all over the hardware. I was able to pick up a desktop PC and a mini laptop for what I was expecting to pay for one computer - I also got one of those big screens thrown in. The idea is that I do not in the future go travelling around in planes, boats and trains with my main computer in a rucksack.
There was a glitch setting things up with the desktop box. I have a cupboard full of wires, plugs and so on, so I was able to supply all the missing cables but when Windows opened, I found that PC World had left the computer tied up with their own passoword protection. Reinstalling Windows Vista took a while but I have now got past the first stage in any "Install Fest" which is to get on the internet and download the latest version of Firefox.
I'm hoping that my backup drive is all OK and that the various USB sticks with backups of critical files are working. One thing I think I will persevere with is Google Mail. I have not used this much previously but during the past couple of days it has been essential. I'm getting more impressed with it, especially, as you would expect from Google, the search facility.
Time to install some more software...
12 comments:
Dear Father,
there have been a number of complaints about the most recent version of Firefox. However its probably too late to suggest installing the previous version.
I can't believe you passed up the opportunity to get a Mac.
OK perhaps Macs aren't so common in England, but surely you of all people wouldn't prefer the ordinary over the extraordinary...
!Be careful downloading firefox 3 - [I think it's terrible!!!!] As to the password protection....don't forget about temporarily removing the CMOS battery....
Karen
I have used Gmail for a few years now and I too like it. For a long time I never got any spam at all whereas on my ISP I got reams of the stuff. Google listss what they think as spam and on accesses it all at one click and then deletes it all with one click. I think that the trouble comes when one's username is known and then the spammers simply add the rest. It is because I have this gmail that my real name, John, comes up on these posts.
JARay
GMail is simply the best email program I have ever used. The fact I can easily access my email from my phone, on the web from *any* PC just makes it essential. I used to use Yahoo, but GMail offers better spam protection, and of course the good search facility. With labels and filters and other such useful options, all emails can be stored easily and simply and finding a past received email is so simple. Add in the excellent storage capacity and you have an email service that is hard to beat.
Yes, the new Firefox is a bit strange but I think I will manage with it. I like the option to have several tabs as the "home".
Have decided on gmail - not got into it much yet but trust the many positive comments about it and I think this must be the way to go.
Were you using IE exclusively before?
And Motu, it was easy to go back to the last version of firefox 2
No. Only using Firefox for ages.
What do you think of Opera? I've used it a little. Lot of nice features and seems to be more flexible than the new firefox. Only drawback I've seen is that you need to download a plug in to handle websites that need activeX. It has a nice speed dial feature.
Not used Opera much - might take a look when I have restored all that needs to be restored!
Antonia - many thanks for your tip about Base Computers.
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