Sunday, March 13, 2011

Windows 7

For a real startling change we decided to upgrade our computers before one of us had a major crash. This is a new direction for us, being proactive.

The wife's computer was a couple of years newer and much faster then mine. She'd spent the money to upgrade her ram and hard drive a while back. But since she does hard core digital scrapbooking, often using three different design programs at the same time all the while chatting on Skype with her friends all over the world, it was overloading her system.

She would complain that her computer was too slow and I would look and see her whole task bar jammed with open windows and she would be voice chatting and type chatting in messenger and designing new products all at the same time.

Me, I'd get more than three tabs open and my machine would lock up tighter than a congressman's wallet. Pfui.

So yesterday she was talking to her friend in Scotland (a wonderfully tech-savvy lady with an outrageous accent) and they were looking at computers online. They came across an Office Max ad depicting an HP computer with a 750 terabyte hard drive for $400.00.

It was a typo, of course. But it was fun to imagine having that much room to play with. At this point there are no commercially available units with that big a hard drive.

Being temporarily flush after my last comp time payout we decided to get us both new computers and not wait for disaster to strike. It was a spendy move but instead of having more useless junk we need to get rid of, we now have two extra computers to use as backup in case something bad happens.

Spent most of the day yesterday transferring files to my measly 1 terabyte external, deleting all of the extra unnecessary junk that came with the new unit and replacing all of my games and programs and bookmarks.

I'm having a hard time getting used to Windows 7. Things aren't where I am used to them being and I am spending alot of time looking for my stuff. I'm sure I'll get used to it. I'm all for technology, but why do they have to rearrange everything and rename the old standbys?

Just to be difficult, I suppose.

Today is, of course, Jewel Day and Daylight Savings Day. Changing all of the clocks in the house is going to occupy a good portion of my morning.

And Monday is National Potato Chip Day. I wonder... do we have a designated National Potato Chip?

6 comments:

  1. At first I hated it, but now I love Windows 7. I can have as many tabs up as I want and it never worries me. I guess it was a pretty good improvement on Vista.

    Congratulations on your new computers, by the way. I have never heard of digital scrapbooking before but it sounds interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Chanel- I'm slowly getting used to it, but I don't tolerate change well. If you want to learn about digital scrapping, go to http://www.ckscrappers.com/

    Apparently it's alot better than just paper scrapping but they do both. Don't know that much about it myself but the wife has turned it into somewhat of an obsession.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 750 Gigs is still pretty good at that price.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am no fan of change either. I had to change to win7 a couple of weeks ago too. It took me to even find my other networked computer, I felt like I was being punked! It honestly shouldn't have been that confusing.

    My oldest (12) came home from a friends house very excited, "mom you wouldn't believe what they have! They have books with pictures of all of their kids in them. We should really get some of those!"

    Obviously the art of scrap booking is lost on me. I have tons of pictures...still on my heard drive.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The new computers are very nice, if Windows 7 is a tad confusing for us at the moment. People keep telling us it is great once you get used to it, so I'm willing to deal with the learning curve. Anyone interested in Digital scrapbooking, pop on over to CKS and see us. There are free starter collections, free programs to get started with if you don't already have a photo editing program, and some really nice, fun people who will help you get started. That said, if you are the non scrapbooking kind, but would like to have some of your kids digital photos scrapped, be aware we are empty nesters now and I can always use more photos to work with. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bryan- Yup. I now have lots of space to play in. My old puter was getting full. And this one has twice the ram, too! Wheee!

    Sunday- The networking thing just about kicked my butt too. had to synchronize the freaking clocks of all things. And I'm sure Miz Rev will help with those pictures if you want some.

    Miz Rev- Hi hon! Trying to gently push some biz your way. Remember that the next time I do something stupid, okay? (grin)

    ReplyDelete