I have XP machines which are pretty stable, have the apps that I need, and have all of the drivers for their hardware. I have absolutely no compelling reason to mess with any of them.
If a machine messes-up hard enough that a full reinstall is less troublesome than a fix, I'll put Windows 7 on.
The only exception is my HTC Shift, running Vista. As soon as I encounter a howto that manages to get /all/ of its hardware working reliably under Win7, that machine's getting an upgrade.
We used to get a couple around final-assignment-handing-in-time. Kid tells their teacher that the college network is useless, always losing files, always getting hacked, etc. And that's why his assignment isn't ready - it was there this morning and now all his files have disappeared.
You'd think an IT student would know better, and might have heard of things like system logs, undelete functions, and backups.
Kid comes, with teacher in tow, to us in IT.
"Okay, all your files were deleted <clickety click> within a couple of seconds of each other, this morning. By <clickety> somebody logged-in as you. Hang-on... from <clickety> the machine that you've been sitting at all morning.
"But not to worry. Just a quick <clickety-click> and, presto, they're back again. Quite a few pictures and MP3s, and not too many Word documents by the looks of it.,
"So, which one is your final assignment? I can print it off in here to save you the trouble...".
Took 'em a couple of years to learn, but learn they did.
Well, I've still got my BBC B and my Electron anyway. I swapped the Atom for a mate's TI99/4A, which I regretted as soon as I realised that TI's 3 channel sound, floating point arithmetic and colour graphics were no substitute for a BASIC that ran at a tolerable speed and an easily accessible assembly language.
It'd be better if it could play MP3s off the USB stick on a cassette player, using the same sort of magnetic transducer as those thingies you used to be able to get to use your personal CD player on the car cassette deck.
Taking the concept further, it could respond to Rew and FF to skip to the previous/next track.
I might pay £20 for that, given that my car still has a cassette player in it.
The Logitech Alto elevates the laptop but also provides a full-size keyboard (which can fold out of the way) and a USB hub so you can have a mouse permanently plugged-in too. Sort of like a docking station with a convenient screen height.
We bought one to evaluate a few weeks back. Now we've got a dozen of them.
Samsung UN55B8000 55" LED TV (Widescreen, 1920x1080, HDTV)
LG Electronics 42LH30 42" LCD TV (Widescreen, 1920x1080, HDTV)
Samsung UN55B8500 55" LED TV (Widescreen, 1920x1080, HDTV)
Sony BRAVIA KDL-40EX400 40" LCD TV (Widescreen, 1920x1080, HDTV)
Samsung UN40B6000 40" LED TV (Widescreen, 1920x1080, HDTV)
7 posts • joined Tuesday 3rd April 2007 13:22 GMT
Dave Skinner
It's quite simple → #
Posted Wednesday 19th August 2009 09:40 GMT
In Windows XP customers positive but split on Windows 7
I have XP machines which are pretty stable, have the apps that I need, and have all of the drivers for their hardware. I have absolutely no compelling reason to mess with any of them.
If a machine messes-up hard enough that a full reinstall is less troublesome than a fix, I'll put Windows 7 on.
The only exception is my HTC Shift, running Vista. As soon as I encounter a howto that manages to get /all/ of its hardware working reliably under Win7, that machine's getting an upgrade.
Dave Skinner
Nothing new! → #
Posted Wednesday 19th November 2008 12:10 GMT
In Homework late? Blame Russian hackers
We used to get a couple around final-assignment-handing-in-time. Kid tells their teacher that the college network is useless, always losing files, always getting hacked, etc. And that's why his assignment isn't ready - it was there this morning and now all his files have disappeared.
You'd think an IT student would know better, and might have heard of things like system logs, undelete functions, and backups.
Kid comes, with teacher in tow, to us in IT.
"Okay, all your files were deleted <clickety click> within a couple of seconds of each other, this morning. By <clickety> somebody logged-in as you. Hang-on... from <clickety> the machine that you've been sitting at all morning.
"But not to worry. Just a quick <clickety-click> and, presto, they're back again. Quite a few pictures and MP3s, and not too many Word documents by the looks of it.,
"So, which one is your final assignment? I can print it off in here to save you the trouble...".
Took 'em a couple of years to learn, but learn they did.
Dave Skinner
Still got mine → #
Posted Thursday 28th August 2008 12:09 GMT
In Acorn alumni to toast tech pioneer's 30th anniversary
Well, I've still got my BBC B and my Electron anyway. I swapped the Atom for a mate's TI99/4A, which I regretted as soon as I realised that TI's 3 channel sound, floating point arithmetic and colour graphics were no substitute for a BASIC that ran at a tolerable speed and an easily accessible assembly language.
Dave Skinner
Nothing to do with Warner... → #
Posted Monday 7th January 2008 09:55 GMT
In Toshiba remains upbeat about HD DVD
... it's entirely down to the fact that I bought my HD DVD player the day before this was announced.
With the best will in the world, I have to say that Blu Ray has probably won the format battle now.
Dave Skinner
So it's just an inert case then? → #
Posted Thursday 3rd January 2008 12:50 GMT
In USB 'compact cassette' promises 1980s nostalgia, home taping
It'd be better if it could play MP3s off the USB stick on a cassette player, using the same sort of magnetic transducer as those thingies you used to be able to get to use your personal CD player on the car cassette deck.
Taking the concept further, it could respond to Rew and FF to skip to the previous/next track.
I might pay £20 for that, given that my car still has a cassette player in it.
Dave Skinner
@Simon Connolly → #
Posted Tuesday 18th December 2007 10:52 GMT
In Darling plays wait and see on HMRC disc loss
Actually, if I heard the news right last night, the records lost pertain to 2004-2007, so you're probably one of 'em after all.
Dave Skinner
The logitech Alto is cooler → #
Posted Tuesday 3rd April 2007 13:31 GMT
In Griffin Elevator laptop lift
The Logitech Alto elevates the laptop but also provides a full-size keyboard (which can fold out of the way) and a USB hub so you can have a mouse permanently plugged-in too. Sort of like a docking station with a convenient screen height.
We bought one to evaluate a few weeks back. Now we've got a dozen of them.