Thursday, April 30, 2015

Computer blues

Interesting things are happening daily and progress has been made on my projects ... that  is the good part.
The frustrating part is something going on with my laptop. It is always stuff that happens while I am not looking and without my even knowing.

Mister Google and Mister Windows (I'm sure those are men-types because women usually ask before they mess with other people's lives) Well, they go and make CHANGES!
I never know what I am going to find when I open the lid of my laptop.

I suspected something was up when I opened the lid and went to log in. A few months ago while I was sleeping, changes were made to the screen I see when I lift the lid. Suddenly there was a printed keyboard and a cursor to move across the screen. Well, in a way it was handy because I could log in in the dark without turning on a light to see the keyboard.

There were a bunch of issues I was not overly happy with because my screen became a touch screen suddenly and I spent a frustrating week and a long hour or so on the phone with my son in DC, solving the cursor issue.
Meanwhile, Mr. Google keeps messing with my blog settings and even a temporary fix of the no-reply setting has gone back to no-reply. ... and that is still a problem I can't seem to handle ... it is even more strange because I m no-reply to some blogs and not others. Maybe it is a fight between Mr. Google and Mr. Bloglovin. Certainly I was never asked my desires.

Now the problem has changed while I was out camping with the boys. (Maybe Mr.Windows is jealous of time spent with other male types?) Well, when I returned to download my pictures ... NOTHING WORKS! I opened the laptop and, to me surprise, the log-in had changed back to the original style.  Oh boy, something was up but I could go with that. Then ...  plugged in my camera and usually it is a simple thing ... the computer pops up an icon and when I click that, I get a list of cameras to pick from and a choice ...one of which is to download the latest pictures.

Nope! That icon is gone. It can't be located anywhere I can find. SO....I guess until I can find a guru or Mr. Windows makes the next change,  will not have any new pictures to share.

So I report... My cactus has bloomed gloriously. (But my husband broke two antique candle holders taking pictures of it.) That'll teach me not to bring my pretty plants down to the bureau.
My quilt is all quilted in the ditch except the outside sashing which I will hold off until the triangle areas are done. Now I am looking for ideas to use in the larger spaces on the blocks and the sashing.
I may go back to each book and see if the story suggests ideas.

Meanwhile ... I am wondering what other frustrations this computer will add to my days.
None of my friends my age have computers. I guess if you have managed around 80 years without them, you may not think they are going to add any more to your life.
While my kids were in school, the computer program was added and I was the one in the family to insist we move with the times rather than be left behind. I'm glad they all graduated before computers were required ... a certain type that connected to the school and had to be carried back and forth.(no more homework to be eaten by the dog) I wonder who solves the problems for the kids. Maybe that is why they all need to have a particular type of computer so everyone's changes hit at the same time and the school guru knows how to fix everything.

Oh well, this is enough to dump on my blogging friends without pictures. Having a computer was my choice. Little did I know how much of my quilting time might be taken up trying to figure stuff out!

11 comments:

  1. And to think we would not know our friends, help out, share so much, but not be able to FIX the problems. My screen never changes, Hugh's does, I have Windows 7, he has Vista, Joyce has Windows 8, and each is so different. And each laptop is Toshiba!!! When you are all ready to go, we will no doubt gets lots of photos to fill us with delight.

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  2. I hate it when things change - though I've not had near the changes you speak of - knock wood. I have Windows and so far it has been fairly kind to me - so far. Google and Microsoft are in a war and there are casualties that I don't think they care about.

    As for loading photos to the laptop - I don't connect the camera to the laptop - it has always been too slow for my taste. I open the little compartment on the bottom of the camera (same compartment where the battery is), take out the little san disk and use the slot on the side or edge or front (depends on the laptop) to insert the disk and it pops up a window and I upload the pictures from there - I can upload 200 photos in less than 2 minutes. I love that feature - they better not change that.

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  3. Oh I appreciate your pain! Computers are so essential these days but can seem to have minds of their own instead of being under our control. I hope normality is soon resumed but no computer equals more time for stitching! Have a good weekend.

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  4. I am sorry you are having computer problems. I always get paranoid when any little computer burp happens. I think my blog hacker is back or wonder who else can get inside my computer! But it always turns rout that I've done something wrong or the computer is just having a bad day. I have heard that if you shut down your computer AND pull the plug and wait 30 seconds to restart that the computer resets itself (this sometimes worked for me... not always.) It is pulling the plug that is important.

    I too put pictures into my computer from that little san disk at the bottom of the camera. I didn't realize there was any other way.

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  5. I wish I could help - but I have Windows 7 and don't want to even think about "upgrading" to a touch-screen. (As far as I am concerned - it would NOT be an improvement. I am perfectly capable of typing what I want and using the mouse to move the cursor - I don't want to have to "touch" or "swipe" everything like a child. Sorry for ranting on your blog - but I resent being forced to change something when "it ain't broke".) Hopefully Mr.Google and Mr. Windows will resolve their differences and let your life get back to normal - ;))

    And I don't even know if my camera HAS a san disk at the bottom. I use its cord to connect it to the computer when I want to download my photos - so I'm no help there either - ;))

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  6. does your hace a slit on it some where? mine lets me download pictures form my picture card

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  7. Hi Julie, that sounds incredibly frustrating. I recently had a serious computer problem with Adobe and Microsoft. I finally hired an expert to fix it. It cost plenty.. but he was able to fix it without coming to the house (there is a website which allowed him to "control" my computer remotely). Hope your glitches are only temporary... keep up the faith!

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  8. Sorry. I have a hate/hate relationship with computers.

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  9. Sometimes it seems like there's a conspiracy going on - computers united to disrupt our lives! :) blessings, marlene

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  10. Oh dear, I hope somebody sort you out soon. I wish I can send my husband to you!

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  11. Eeek! What a pain!! So sorry!! :(

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