My non-entry to MZM's 'What I've learned from Odd Jobs'

Sorry Robert, you'll have to count me out this month - too much to do, too little time I'm afraid.

Plus I feel I've lost two whole days doing all those odd jobs that come with selecting, buying, receiving and installing a brand new pc! And then teaching it how you like it to behave.

My old pc ('only' 2.5 years old) couldn't really cope any more with all I'd asked from it - sometimes you could even hear it 'chomping' away to try to fulfill all the commands I made. Starting it up every morning became a tiresome task - I could do all the odd jobs belonging to open up of the showroom, doing the washing up, open and file the morning post before it was truly up and running and emails were coming in. So high time to retire it.

It arrived last Thursday, new tower and wide flat screen with some programs installed (and I've to relearn MSOffice all over again, been working with Office 2000 since, well 2000). That wide screen is something you really have to get used to! But nice too, I can now run two programs next to each other (that's something the dear 'Doctor' forgot to mention in his 'Does size matter' blog-post of last month) - increasing productivity! (I hope, but am also sure I'll find more odd jobs to cramp into the day this way.) Only, my own website has changed colours! What used to be dark creamy now looks greenish on this new screen - and small!

Anyway, the other odd jobs with my new pc:

• making coffee for the chap who brought it in and was going to help me install most other hardware and software
• making space on my overcrowded desk so two flat screens could sit side by side for the coming days
• rummaging through odd boxes to find old cd-roms of my frequently used programs - and the licenses to go with it
• untangling cables, plugs and wires - not just once
• killing to Windows hideous start-up and turn-off music
• printing instructions from the old pc to discover that the printer was no longer attached to it - so making pdf-files instead, copy-paste to the new pc - click print
• making back-ups and restoring back-ups - to find that some files were corrupted - copy/paste whole files (good thing memory stick nowadays are given away as 'marketing' items - filing space a plenty)
• getting frustrated why the mouse isn't working - not so handy having two mouses (mice?) in front of you and trying to use one for the pc it's not connected to
• re-structuring the My computer and My Documents lay-out the way I wanted. No, I don't want it there - I want it right there. Not there I said - there. (Ended up with three sets of My Documents, three sets of Documents & Settings - now it's behaving a bit better)
• Revisiting all the frequently used websites and feverishly trying to remember all log-in details and passwords
• Emailing support services for programs that simply refuse to work the way they used to
• Finding old emails - supposedly copied over but lost in the deeps of the new pc
• changing the templates of this blog and the kiss2 blog because on the new wide screen both look, well, small!
• testing the webcam on skype again, to discover the installation cd-rom is missing (found it after two days in a box with business cards!?!)
• deciding when not to start up the old pc anymore and let the new pc do all the work (and so getting back my desk)

I'm getting there. Can't even do the washing up on my normal pace, the new pc is oh so eager to get to work.
So once again: very sorry I couldn't make it this time Robert - things have just got back to normal (well I hope, haven't had time to discover all the new features of the MSOffice 2007 software yet - that's got to be great fun so I'm told)
But see you next month on WILF

Comments

[Robert Hruzek]

I knew you wouldn't let me down, you rascal, you! I think we've all "been there", too! That first blush of enthusiasm lasts about as long as it takes to start rebuilding where you once were... :-\

[Karin H.]

Hi Robert

Rascal versus turtle? ;-)

Well, my enthusiasm is back - just a bit. This week I'm all geared up to work with new 'speed';-)

Karin H

[Marcus Goodyear]

Karen, I've been away for far too long! Reading this post makes me wonder why I'm thinking of buying a new computer at home. I can handle slow. But transferring files and untangling cords sounds awful.

[Karin H.]

Hi my good friend Marcus!

Yes, life has a way to keep us busy, isn't it ;-)

PC is behaving nicely now and even turning into a real ROI. So I think (with hindsight, but when don't we?) the hassle has been worth it.
Who knows, I might even find time to write more ;-)

Karin H.