Saturday, October 8, 2011

Bleep!

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The *bleep*s, I should write. After a bit of looking, I would have to guess that the loaner computer I am using is having some sort of error. I did find the bios and try to look it up specifically. Technology is not kind to old hardware data. I am sure, if I chose to spend days looking, I could find exactly what I am looking for... perhaps. Not going to happen. I did find a general error code for older bioses. All I have to do, to fix the beeping, is major computer brain surgery using parts that probably aren't made any more, and the problem will be solved. See, easy.

In other words, I must ride this lemon until the first of the month, find out what is happening with my computer (I think he broke my computer fixing a cosmetic flaw that was not the problem at all). So, I will simply have to figure out how to replace my computer and dump this lemon back to it's real owner. However, I do know who NOT to take a computer to for repairs. It was on it's last legs as far as technical use but should have lasted another year or so. Now it is simply a paperweight. And the loaner is now becoming a paperweight. Argh!

I may call and see if Verizon is open on Sunday. If so, I will take my phone in. I have a few questions. The first one regards data. When I first signed up for the data plan, required for smartphones, there wasn't a up/down-load limit. It seems if you are grandfathered in, you retain unlimited data. I want to make sure that is true. If not true, the phone goes back right then and there. I simply won't fight data usage AND a weak battery compared to power usage. After that, I want them to show me how to use Google's systems as a gps driving directions device, I want to know why Verizon's pay-to-play system kicks in when I am only using Google and make sure they aren't charging me the $10/month fee for that. I want that sorted out. There are a few other questions as well. The thing is a mess, in some ways. They honestly may not know the answers, which will also require a return. I need help setting up security, or more, resources to figure that out and recommendations in doing so in order to do that myself. The instruction packet that came with the phone was lame at best, and since it just came out, users haven't created great instruction sets yet. I don't need another easily hacked device, waiting around from someone to steal something else I literately can't afford. I don't want the local college kids getting "free" apps or ringtones (don't they get enough free shit from taxpayers, fuckers!). I don't need them "borrowing" my minutes. I want the thing secure.

Grumpy, today, and possibly rightly. Life is hard enough without a bad heart and a corrupt world on my back with slick salesmen selling me more debt, some of it not even rightly mine. My machines are falling down around me, the systems that work them are hacked and riddled with problems besides, professional techs often aren't very professional or techy, and yes, I have gotten used to some of the conveniences. And I am tired to boot. Bleh. I'm going to soak those beans and some rice. I never did get to it last night. Oh, and the other problem? My days are about to tumble. I seem to need ten to twelve hours of sleep but am easily able to stay up fourteen to sixteen hour days. Doing the math, it means I am about to take a high-speed spin cycle. My days and nights are about to begin shifting at a terrible pace. I'm almost getting nauseous thinking about it already. Butterflies, to be certain, are dancing in my belly.

Some days it all seems too much. Ah, this explains it.

Hmm, a snort of scotch might just do the trick, come to think of it.

4 comments:

  1. I'm looking at getting a travel notebook sometime before I go to Vegas again this late November. It is rather amazing how much computer can be had dirt cheap these days.

    I've had my eyes on an Asus laptop at Tiger Direct for $349. And this is no slouch for basic uses such as email web browsing, office applications, etc. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, and sufficient memory and disk space to be more than adequate for the tasks.

    I just wish I had the cash today, as I keep worrying they will sell out, or it will go off sale before I am ready to buy.

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  2. When I looked, the lowest I was was $399, an Asus. I have a micro-laptop. I think the guy who messed up my main machine lost the power cord to the micro (took them both in, the laptop was locked up). Bah!

    I really am thinking of minimalizing tech and just dumping stuff. I can't keep up, keep it secure, and trust to use so little of it since games have gone politically correct and become dumbed down and everything else requires signing contracts no one really understand and only courts, through cases, will be able to sort out (for better or worse). Can I unplug is the main question.

    No, I know. You need to stay plugged in and wired for work, for now. Would you change that, mostly, if you could?

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  3. Then what that means is their sale must be over. That is the regular price of the Asus I was looking at. Damn.

    Would I if I could? Not the internet, no. For all the crap, there are way too many tremendously valuable resources, (including information that TPTB would rather we didn't all have access to). Work or no work, there is the rest of life and learning. Stuff is right at our fingertips that could only be dreamed of even a decade ago. Wanna know anything about anything? It is out there. It would take dozens of subscriptions to specialty magazines and newsletters, plus constant trips to the library, hounding librarians for data and info, to even tap a tiny fraction of what is right here, right now via the internet. There is power in that.

    I don't need cell services for anything except telephone though. If I could get land line service out here, I'd even consider dumping cell phone service entirely. Just keep a deactivated cell phone in the glove compartment for 911 access.

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  4. While the internet is a source of information, and with a bit of common sense and various searches, mostly reasonable sources, given that there is little I can do at the moment, sometimes I can't see the purpose. Only if I get better. Then again, there is shopping. Not that I have a lot of money, but perhaps more so for that reason. I guess I can compare products and find a better price, which does stretch thin dollars.

    Still, I sort of wish I didn't need the darned thing. Nothing like turning $2-5k into a brick just through the passage of time, over and over. And I can't even guarantee I am the only one using it! I suppose my lady friend might have the right idea. She goes to the library and uses their computers. Oh, sure, all the rules. Being more libertine than liberal, rules are not her problem... or a problem for her. I suppose they would be for me.

    Heck, I am not even sure any computer we buy, if any memory components are Chinese, are clean. I am not even sure of US or others, but the Chinese manufacturing almost guarantees the device is bugged.

    ReplyDelete

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