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There is a McDonalds across the street from where I work, and the place runs like clockwork. Service is quick, friendly and accurate.. There is an Arbys and Taco Bell down the street that I wouldn't send my dog to.... and, they all make the same amount (minimum wage)..
Most people will do exactly what's demanded of them.. the people that won't do that, likely won't do it, no matter what they are paid (I work with a lot of them, too.. lol).
Just my $0.02..
kyfdx
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So, the other day I "invested" in an external DVD RW drive so I don't have to go through all the hassle when I need a CD or DVD in the computer. I have also sometimes wished for the capability to hook a USB drive to the netbook - although so far I've managed to figure out the files needed to transfer directly from computer to computer.
And ... ya gotta love "plug and play" ... but here's how it "plays out" around my desk ... First you have to find a place to put the drive where it's accessible. I have a large desk, but still ... and then you have to drag the stuff out from under the desk so you can figure out where you might be able to plug in ONE MORE THING with the many that are already down there. Oh .. and did I mention the dust and dirt .. so you also clean as you go because it's so NASTY ... after you get that done, you crawl around under the desk to realize that the extension cord has to be moved and ... uh oh .. did you really tip over the full paper shredder so that's all over the floor now, too???!!! ... so you find all the access holes in the desk to get the cord up to the new drive ... did I mention the contortions required here along with the fact that you're trying to get a flashlight in position where you can see as well?
So once you figure out the tangle of cords .. and .. uh .. what was this that just got pulled out of the socket? ... trace it to the printer and get it plugged in ... then put it all back .. clean up the shredded paper off the floor .. pull the computer out so you can plug in the drive into the back of it (and at least there WAS another USB port) ... straighten up the rest of the desk because at this point nothing is where it was before and .. cross your fingers that it all works now that it's all hooked up so you don't have to crawl around again and undo the whole thing you just spent an hour and half doing (all that cleaning and straightening, etc. while doing the laundry in between)
Yeah .. it works .. isn't "plug and play" wonderfully easy and fast?
(Now, what "other" jobs did I leave until the last day of our winter break before I have to trudge back to work tomorrow ....)
It wasn't long ago that 6-8 USB ports were common on a new desktop. This past spring we upgraded to a new Dell Core i7 system, only to find a measly 4 ports on the back. I ended up adding a 4 port hub on the desk for ipod and phone docks, and an internal card with a few more to support external HDD, UPS interface, a Magic Jack, and other stuff. Crazy the bundle of wires back there!
"oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to receive" ...
That probably is a result of how little I use it, though. This weekend I spent installing a new transmission into my plow truck. The end result? An operational truck and a plowed neighborhood! :shades:
I've just gone the other way. My strategy is to buy a fairly high end PC and keep it about eight years. I have just replaced the old one and have 13 USB ports including 5 USB 3.0 ports. There are also several ports for devices I have no idea about.
Should keep me future proofed for a while.
Cheers
Graham
Don't see any upcoming devices or software that really would justify an upgrade. I didn't even go with the latest and greatest cpu last time. Stuff just works anymore. Nice thing about my move last year was being able to get faster net (still "only" 15Mbps though).
If I need an ergo-friendly setup for serious keyboard mashing on a report or something, I would use a USB docking station and have a proper keyboard, mouse and 20" or larger LCD.
I recently took one of our 'abused' old desktops, and revitalized it. Stripped out all the unnecessary hardware (like the video capture card and WinTV card from when we used it as a DVR), reformatted and reloaded the OS & service packs, and only the bare minimum of software (a browser & Office). Made a ghost of the HDD in case it gets contaminated. My daughter just uses it for homework and reports, and I threatened her that any unauthorized downloads would be dealt with harshly!! It's amazing how fast it runs when there is no bloatware or other crap running in the background. Like a new machine!
I still build my own systems when I decide it is time for a new one; the current system was a March '09 build, but is still more than capable of running everything I ask of it, so I'll likely run it another couple years before doing a completely new build. I have never liked laptops or small-form-factor devices, so they're a rarity in our house.
When I finally get to wiring the main floor of the house, I'll run Cat 6 cable throughout with the intention of porting it to a central server/hub in the mechanical room. We already have wireless, but I'll reserve that for mobile devices that actually need it rather than rely on it for our entire network.
As far as all that HD TV, streaming, DVR, and the like junk goes, I don't have a clue. I haven't had "TV" in 12+ years, and am perfectly content with using my CRT television and DVD player that are at least that old. Well, that's not entirely true... my DVD player isn't as reliable as it once was! :P
reclinerdesk chair. I have two Ergonomic 4000s so when one breaks, I have a spare. The soldering iron should be nice and cool now from this morning's fix.My DSL provider gave me a router with wifi built in, and the speed difference isn't worth running cable to my desktop. Especially since my desk is on casters and connected to the wall socket with one plug-in (that goes to the UPS and everything else gets connected to it). Haven't figured out how to get rid of that one plug-in yet. (link and link). Note that the smaller monitor lives upside down to get the flat edge on the desk.
The laptop usually lives in the basement workshop unless my wife commandeers the desktop for watching a video (I could use the 24" while she watches the 28" on the desktop, but best not go there, lol). No TV here since '99. Didn't know you were one of "us" Wes.
Anyone else got geek workstation pics?
My cablebox DVR never gets all that full. I don't have my own content library because I haven't ripped my dvds that I used to purchase, and everything new is just a rental from a variety of sources.
And this is a guy who used to run his own web server, domain controller and even exchange server. (All MSDN.) I have none of that now, and I don't miss the functionality or certainly not the time spent messing with it all.
VHS VCR = 1982 (2 heads, wired remote!)
CD player = 1986
Hi-8 camcorder = 1993
Used PC (80286) = 1991
80486 = 1993
Color inkjet = 1994
Cell phone = 1996
Digital photograph = 2000
Home built PC based DVR and VHS tape converter to digital disk = 2004
Home wireless & ethernet = 2007
And if we went on her schedule, we'd have moved many of these dates up by 1-3 years! For instance, I refused to buy a VHS camcorder in 1990, opting to wait for Sony to get their mini units on the market. Man, that was a real source of heated family discussion! Same with a real PC that could run Windows 3.0 so that we could get an account on Prodigy/Compuserve/AOL.
You know, I can honestly say that photographing my workstation had never crossed my mind. Actually, I'd be a little embarrassed to share such photos. :P
I think I've come to the point in my life of feeling a sense of moderation. Too much of anything leaves me squirming. So, I dabble. Between building my own house, working on my own cars, raising/catching my own food, tweaking my own tech (what little I have), raising children, *trying* to keep a wife (
Although, I'm not sure I would mind having a tech-savvy wife if that meant less expense in other areas (such as crafting). Still, though, I have to think that my pocketbook would suffer somewhat as a result.
I look upon it as doing my part for the electronics industry & economy!
I'll think on it, Steve. I'm one of these guys who has no cell phone, let alone a device (other than a camera) with a camera on it. So, I'll actually have to make the effort to remember to use the camera.
Steve, sounds like you two should get into steampunk if you haven't already.
http://www.usbtypewriter.com/
http://www.multipledigression.com/type/
Been on the hunt for the 'right' keyboard and mouse to help with growing joint problems. My desk is littered with castoffs in my search. As cool as it might look, somehow I just don't think that an IBM Selectric conversion would be going in the right direction, however.
Mikey is doing awesome and there are no signs of his fun-filled (not) summer, other than a large scar that he likes to show off.
He is settling nicely into the second year of his Computer Drawing technical program at the Vocational High School - i'm now ears deep into AutoCad, Revit, Solidworks ... his home PC has student versions of all his school software, and he carries everything around on a jump drive. Thankfully, I did have two years of Technical Drawing in high school, and a year of Civil Engineering in college before becoming a business major, then a computer programmer, so at least I can eyeball a dimension drawing and tell him what is wrong. Of course, the computer is a challenge for me, only because back in the day when I did it, we had drafting pencils, t-squares and sliding rulers ... the PC was just a vision on the horizon ... it's so hard to imagine.
Other things:
Pug - congrats on the Outback.
Extended Warrantee - I have never bought one for any of the 3 Outbacks, and on the other hand, got it for both Legacy GT's. Never went wrong either way. The Outbacks tend to be very low mileage (34k on the 03 when traded, and 13k currently on the 09), while the Legacy's used to get the brunt of the mileage from my commute. I think I paid $1200 for the 5/100 +100 deductible for the LGT, the cost being higher because of the turbo, and broke even after 2 sensor issues and the driver's side seat heater malfunctioning.
Blackberry - d-e-a-d, dead. Yeah, after over a year of no RIM updates and lackluster apps, I jumped to the other side and got a Motorola Razr Droid. WOW! What a difference. Better general functionality. I use most of the same apps (but Android is more stable and more features).
The one downside, I went for Verizon 4G-LTE, and am seriously disappointed. Unfortunately, my lame little town is in the 'Extended Coverage' area, and my phone could not decide if it wanted 4G, 3G, or no connection at all, spending the entire time waffling and looking for my wi-fi connection, most of the time not having a data connection at all that it would completely drain the battery in 2 hours. Several calls to Verizon tech support had a new Sim Card overnighted, then all sorts of configuration changes until one awesome rep had me manually change the network settings to 3g, put the phone in and out of Airplane Mode, then showed me how to override the settings when I got to a 4g area (4 miles from my house).
The winter in general - imagine being in New England and having almost no snow this winter! Other than the fiasco last October, we have had maybe an inch of snow last week, the months of November and December being above normal temperatures. With so many 60 degree weekends, and the roads perfectly clear, I have actually pulled the Mustang out of storage and blasted around town on several occasions.
Yes Brenda, Angry Birds is extremely addictive. Karen got hold of my aunt's Kindle last night and actually missed most of the Pats game being so engrossed in killing those little pigs!
I guess this is enough for now. Happy New Year everyone!
We ended up with a surprise snow day on Friday. The weather showed great "potential" for the conditions but we really didn't get that much snow (maybe 6"). I think the cancellation was more over fears of the extremely low temps and kids that walk to school or waiting for buses - and also the threat of a lot MORE snow and blowing during the day. I was up and watching for an announcement online or a text on the phone and was just 1 step from the shower to get ready for work when it came through. So the one district cancelled and (since I work in TWO districts), I knew I had at least a 2 hour delay before I had to be at work in the other schools (which NEVER cancel). Within a couple minutes, the announcement came through that THEY canceled, too. I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed being home on Friday (even though I'll whine when we have to make it up later!)
So .... ended up with a 4 day weekend with the MLK, Jr day on Monday ....
a nice start to the 2nd semester ... lol
Say hi to Mikey.
Cheers Pat.
Our eighteen year old, Tamsin has just got her university entrance details confirmed, getting into the course that she wants (Arts) at Monash University, a heavyweight school near our home. Her results were marginally low for the normal cut off but she received some consideration for serious health issues. She is now working through subject choices with the enthusiasm of a hungry girl at a smorgasbord; there may not be space in a single degree to squeeze in everything that she wants to do.
We had been trying to persuade her to move out and attend university somewhere (New Zealand or United Kingdom, or at least a state or two away, featured in our suggestions) where she could live in college and experience life away from parents; no luck! Maybe we have made things too comfy as she has opted for a university at the other end of the suburb!
She is taking a gap year to work and possibly travel and also had a job interview today for a good job using her music talents. Here's hoping as the hours she is working in an electronic store will never make enough for her to survive; parents remain the prime source of funding at present.
After a shocking year of angst and trauma with her, things had to look up sometime.
Now we move onto worrying about the fifteen year old.
Cheers
Graham
Rob - glad to hear that Mikey has put the summer's trauma behind him. Right now, I wouldn't mind a 60-degree day! We're hovering near 100 degrees under that, and I managed to let my fuel tank run dry. The boiler went out at some point Friday evening, so Saturday morning it was cool enough in the house to notice something was wrong. Thankfully, even after 12-14 hours of no heat, the house had only lost as many degrees. So, while it picked a poor time to run dry, at least I now have confidence that even in the coldest of temps, if the power goes out for a day or so, I don't have to worry about freezing up. I certainly feel edified over all that effort I put into the house's weatherization!
Graham, congrats to your daughter! That she is so excited about it makes me think she will make the most of it. Right now (from my perspective with my own children), I would have to agree with you about her choice of college being so close, but I suspect this may work out to be a bit of a blessing, especially since at this point her living in your home has become a matter of choice. I wish you all the best!
-Wes-
I'm glad I did, mon!
The incident in Italy was due to pure negligence. The captain made an unscheduled and unapproved deviation from his course. How often do you hear of accidents on cruise ships? This is the first I can recall.
Now saying that, I've never been on a cruise and have zero desire to do so.
It wasn't a cruise ship, but it reminded me of the Valdez. :sick:
- Infectious diseases/ailments. Flu and other viruses, bacterial infection, food poisioning, and so on.
- Questionable rule of law and protections because of the ship's country of origin, particularly if incidents occur in international waters. Some people have been attacked or just straight up disappeared on cruise ships and very little can be done.
In May 1979, Beth's older sister missed her LA bound DC-10 connection on A.A. out of Chicago due to a tie-up in NY. I guess you could say that made her one of the very few ticketed survivors. It took her a while to embrace the idea of ever flying again!
I'm sure we'll probably cruise again, but we'll certainly take the muster station drill a bit more seriously!
On two of the days we were not even allowed on deck, anything not strapped down was being blown overboard. A lot of the deck chairs were blown overboard.
Needless to say that was the end of cruising for us.
Cheers Pat.
Last cruise was in October. Non-Stop - Lisbon, Portugal to San Juan, PR. Nothing but sea for 10 days ... I loved it.
I never thought I would be an advocate for cruising, but we had a great time on the ship, and at the points of call.
Well it took a few days but I just got done skimming thru the 1600+ posts that appeared in MTM since the last time I was on Edmunds. Glad to see everyone successfully weathered the snow storms, hurricanes, earth quakes etc.
I’ve certainly had an adventurous past year and a half. The majority of it was spent in Afghanistan. Although you wouldn’t know if from the press coverage, much of the country is really quite beautiful. Snow capped peaks of the Hindu Kush mountains looming in the background behind picturesque centuries old villages perched along the banks of rushing rivers in steep mountain valleys. I’m quite sure the many Afghans could make a very respectable living on tourism if they could just stop killing infidels and themselves
Anyway, I’m glad to be home again, although I’m still trying to figure where winter went. Seems like all the snow is stuck up in Alaska. However from the weather report this morning, it sounds like Tom got a fair amount.
Good to see most of the regulars are still around and nice to hear from Pat and Kate too! Anybody heard from Jim or Ken or Mike Smith lately? How about Patti with SOA?
I’m starting to get new car fever but can’t find anything comparable to my 2004 Forester XT. I really like the new Forester XTs but unfortunately Subaru dropped the manual transmission/turbo option several years ago. In fact, finding a well-equipped performance-oriented compact SUV with a manual transmission is proving a real challenge. Heck even BMW dropped the manual transmission from the X3 when they redesigned it and moved production to SC last year. Ultimate driving machine? NOT!
AJ, Bob, anybody else interested in going to the DC auto show? It runs 27 Jan to 5 Feb.
Frank P.
DC show? Yeah, my arm could be twisted—not sure how my back will hold up, but I'm game to give it a try. AJ, how 'bout you?
Bob
Regarding your vehicle choices, yup, performance SUVs or even CUVs with a manual transmission are very rare these days. The only things I can even think of that are remotely close to what you're looking for are the MINI Clubman ALL4 and maybe a VW/Audi product like the Tiguan or something. Pretty sure the latter have manuals only when FWD... 4Motion or Quattro instantly gives you automatic in the SUVs/CUVs.
How about a nice wagon? Might have more luck with a manual in those. Or, alternatively, you can test drive a manu-matic and see what you think. I still row my own but it's because I haven't replaced my car. As soon as I do, I'll be ditching manuals forever, excluding motorcycles!
Take care,
~Colin
DC Auto Show - definitely. I have b-ball both days on weekends, can you guys go during the week? Maybe opening day, the 27th? If not, pick a weekday the following week, I'm game.
Ken is still around, he popped in for help buying an AWD Sienna a little while ago. Not recently, though.
I spoke to Patti off line last year, also. I think she had health issues after that, but didn't hear back when trying to contact her. Hope she's OK. paisan seems to be best in touch with her.
Unfortunately I have this irrational fixation on only owning/driving MT equipped vehicles. The GLK is the first AT equipped vehicle I've ever bought but it's not my daily driver.
-Frank P.