Subj : Y2K again..? To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Sat May 16 2020 08:25:00 Hi Nancy! NB>>>>> That is, however, how many people seem to think... Everyone is NB>>>>> supposed to jump on the bandwagon of the newest and supposedly NB>>>>> greatest... why keep old just because it works fine as it is... BM>>>> We're not 'everybody'! 'New and improved' might be better, but is it BM>>>> better for me? I usually don't need the latest and greatest, NB>>>> Indeed. And from my point of view, not having to learn new spells NB>>>> is a major goodness... :) BM>>> True! And sometimes with the new they took away an option used by a BM>>> Magic Spell so no longer works. May be 'new' but for that option not BM>>> an 'improved'. BM>> Appears 'improved' is a consideration by the individual. NB>> And sometimes merely in the mind of the merchandiser... ;) BM>> Well it is 'new' to both and 'improved' the bottom line of the BM>> manufacturer! NB> Only if enough of the individuals buy it.... ;) Very true. Initial sales might spike but if there are minimal repeat sales that probably means back to the drawing board. BM>> up by the time I got around to Zipdrives being useful thumbdrives were BM>> available and easier to use. Here generally transferred or moved BM>> large files using the network (LAN). NB>> And you had newer computers that could use thumbdrives... I think my NB>> newest laptop might have a USB port for using a thumbdrive.... NB>> otherwise I've not had that capability anyway... :) BM> And there are other ports which will allow the transfer of data in to BM> and from the computer: trying to think of the name of the one for BM> external hard drives (no, the other one from 'USB'!), not to mention BM> good ol' Serial and Parallel! ...LISB4, all depends on need. Plus a BM> bit of preference and compatibility mixed in! NB> Which is why (all the various factors) I usually leave that all NB> to the Wizard to deal with... ;) Around here similar: updates can be done because of 'training sessions' on what to do or not to do (looks different - check with me). And you might be slightly advanced: I don't think thumbdrives have been used. BM>>> Also have 3«- and 5¬-inch drives -- stored. Used to install on a BM>>> computer as I was building but used less and less until not at all. I BM>>> did get a 3«" USB floppy several years back (probably a lot longer BM>>> than 'several') but haven't used that in I don't know how long. NB>>> Richard got one of those 3 1/2" USB floppy drives, and uses it NB>>> for "sneakernet" to the Windows10 touchscreen machine.... for any NB>>> of the other machines I think there's a 3 1/2" drive installed NB>>> for "sneaker netting"... BM>> Right. I've been using 16 GB thumbdrives for SneakerNet and probably BM>> 95% of the time still have 15 GB free! For me just easier. NB>> Different computers have different capabilities, after all... ;) BM> Right. And it seems the 16 GB thumbdrive always works (more due to BM> file system than size -- I think could go to 32 GB), loads fast, and BM> probably a lot to do with price: if I can get (say) ten 16 GB BM> thumbdrives for the price of six 32 GB... I sort of use the BM> thumbdrives like scratch paper. Don't throw them out, but a stack BM> (16's) works out better than a single sheet (64 GB)). NB> Those are still rather large "scraps" of "paper", though... ;) True, just the simile kind of breaks down if describing as a ream or case of paper. NB>>> I use it when traveling, mostly... Back in the bad old days, I'd use NB>>> it to be reading the day before's packet while spending all evening NB>>> downloading the new message packet(s)... BM>> Yup: I used to spend an hour or so transferring the BBS packet. Now BM>> it's a few seconds! ...There are files which still take an hour or BM>> so, though rarely. NB>> Yup, it's only a few seconds here as well for the packets... And I'm NB>> not dealing with those huge files that might take an hour or more... :) BM> No operating system ISO's?! NB> Not for me... those are Definitely the province of the Wizard...! NB> ;) If you're doing ISO's you're probably more advanced than you're letting on! BM> Which reminds me: I was thinking Ubuntu BM> 20.04 should be out by now (current long-term is 18.04). ...Released BM> April 23rd, it is long-term support.... No real reason to BM> upgrade other than may take care of a few minor annoyances, which per BM> Ky seem to be more an issue with the hardware. NB> Check it out in a Virtual Machine...? Of course, that might not NB> show how it deals with the hardware.... ;) Based one my limited experience with Virtual Machines installing Ubuntu 20.04 (actually upgrading a VM of 18.04 to 20.04 to replicate what I'd be doing) should give a decent feel of what would be happening with the 'real' machine. The main problem would be the Virtual Machine is slower as doesn't have full access to the RAM plus 'everything' is from the hard drive (the VM is sort of like a partition). BM>>> About the only thing we compare for price is the Christmas Turkey. I BM>>> don't think have ever purchased at Hy-Vee because it seems their offer BM>>> is always buy a ham, get a free turkey. We don't need a ham! BM>>> Schnuck's, Target, Walmart, Aldi usually have a week with a BM>>> super-cheap price and get it then, making room in the freezer here BM>>> until time to thaw. NB>>> We don't get the turkey, either... ;) I'll generally buy a package of NB>>> two turkey thighs, and that will do us (especially as we much prefer NB>>> the dark meat, not the breast)... but then, we are generally going NB>>> somewhere else for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, so another reason NB>>> not to need for the festivity... Wegmans generally has some sort of NB>>> decent price per pound on it for the holidays, though... if we were NB>>> interested... BM>> Yes, if just the two of you no need to buy even a small turkey -- BM>> leftovers for next Thanksgiving! The drumsticks would be enough and BM>> enough of the 'turkey' feeling. We've done Cornish Game Hens: festive, BM>> something different, easy to cook, and no to one leftover meal. NB>> I don't think we've ever done them, but I have bought them in the NB>> past on request when buying for someone else... :) BM> Maybe you and Richard can try some day -- buy when on sale, which BM> currently may be a while due to the food processing plants issues. NB> Possibility some day.... ;) I might be keeping an eye open currently: Hy-Vee is having a frozen Food Sale (yesteday and today) with everything 10% off and so the Cornish Game Hen is probably included. BM> BM>> Freezers usually get packed so the built-in light is usually manages BM>> to get covered, or at least with incandescent type. NB>> Exactly. :) BM>> With the LEDs could probably put the strip at the front or along the BM>> top. IMO a freezer light is handy but not a deal-killer. NB>> I'd agree it could be handy, but never has been an option we've NB>> bought or even seriously considered buying... BM> For us the freezer light is a 'plus' and not a requirement; BM> refrigerator light is almost a requirement but not quite: I could rig BM> up one relatively easily. NB> Generally now, the fridge light is pretty much standard.... I'd NB> actually be surprised to find a full-sized fridge that didn't NB> have that... I guess I've seen ones in hotel rooms and such that NB> don't have the light, but they are small anyway... Yes, we bought a bare-bones upright refrigerator-freezer for the basement for storage and it has a light in the refrigerated section. I think the under-counter refrigerator at the hotel room did; don't recall: I stored my cheese and crackers in there and that was up front. (Crackers didn't need to be refrigerated, just kept the two together.) BM>> The ice maker does take up a lot of space, one reason why we have a BM>> second bare-bones refrig in the basement; plus my old 5.1 (or is it BM>> 3.1?) cubic foot freezer from the apartment. OTOH we do buy a lot of BM>> frozen/to be frozen food. NB>> Soon after we moved into this house, we bought a full-sized upright NB>> freezer which we put in the basement... we also buy a lot of frozen NB>> or to be frozen food... and years ago, I also bought a lot of veggies NB>> and fruits to freeze and put up for the winter... haven't done that NB>> recently though... I did green and wax beans, broccoli, cauliflower, NB>> blueberries, strawberries... don't remember what else.... BM> We've almost bought a full-sized upright freezer several times. Once BM> we thought the little under-the-counter freezer died; ended up the fix BM> was to just move the thermostat knob a bit - apparently got stuck in BM> the open position. A couple of times the "let's get the kitchenette BM> finished" and of course a But First wandered in and sat down...... NB> Funny how that works out... IIRC, the first thing we got was NB> a new fridge/freezer since the one that came with the house died NB> almost as soon as we moved in... while shopping for that, we saw NB> the freezer and decided to go for it... :) Haven't regretted NB> it... :) Yes, a freezer and if one has the room a second refrig/freezer are a good idea: mainly to take advantage of sales but also to keep from overcrowding the main one in the Kitchen. For anyone else reading through this I'd recommend a top/bottom refrig/freezer -- whether the freezer is on top or the bottom is sort of personal preference. As for the freezer, I'd go for cabinet (upright) over chest: chest might store a little more for the same size but on is always digging to what's on the bottom. Plus less floor footprint, and one isn't tempted to store stuff on top ==> the door then can't be opened! BM>>>> OTOH did see while back a case with a medium-resolution BM>>>> display on the case -- hmm: maybe put the weather stuff on it??!! NB>>>> Yup, some of the bells and whistles are just distractions... ;) NB>>>> But if one has a valid use for it, then maybe.... ;) BM>>> For me the display on the side of the computer case could be of BM>>> interest. Would require some rearranging: currently this computer is BM>>> on a little table (UPS is under the table) off the right side of the BM>>> Computer Desk - would either need to be elevated or probably make more BM>>> sense just to put the the computer on the end of the desk and use the BM>>> top of the table for storage. ...And one has to remember the computer BM>>> case's display is on the left side; I temporarily put the backup BM>>> computer on the left side of the desk and in that configuration the BM>>> display would not show! NB>>> Yup, you'd need to rearrange for that to work for you.... ;) BM>> Right. This computer desk has a space for a computer (desktop, BM>> upright) to my left, which I always thought was odd as most people are BM>> right-handed. There is a corresponding space on the left with a CD/DVD BM>> rack and two narrow storage spaces -- I've got notebooks in them. And BM>> no, can't be swapped. ...Actually the computer position on the left BM>> makes sense as they put the space for a printer on the left. The laser BM>> printer doesn't fit and so now has the shredder. NB>> Hmmm... that begins to sound like a major rearrange, along with NB>> possibly new furniture.... ;) BM> 'Urgh!' to both! If a major rearrange or new furniture is needed up BM> here in the Computer Room it becomes an even greater project as would BM> paint and replace the carpet. The Big Problem is where to store the BM> stuff during the remodel; the Little Problem is keeping the computer BM> doing the recording of the TV shows on-line. NB> The reasons against going for that new display case for the NB> computer continue to mount up... Though a monitor might be a little more expensive over the cost of the built-in option that outweighs the convenience of ease of locating! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... 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