Computing and change

[squiggle]

  I TOLD YOU there were members of this forum who were good on technology. The last few posts ---- I haven't got a clue what you are writing about. Probably because it was maybe before my time HaHa

I don't know how old (or young...) you are ormegolf (I'm 55 btw) but I'd guess it's more of a case of there being parallell universes rather than one of age?

The Rasperry PI I mentioned for example doesn't come into being until 2012 and I doubt you are that young!

It is however the type of device that could bring back memories perhaps to the likes of Ian and myself, I could say exploring a computer.  If that's what you want to do with one.

[Michael]

 eeerrrr the bit about before my time. That was just sarcasm I am 84.

[squiggle]

eeerrrr the bit about before my time. That was just sarcasm I am 84.

Ah, that makes me think of the Pointless quiz on tv.  I sort of mostly lost touch with chart music in the early 80s - some bits I know from there but names like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, etc.. are just names to me - I've no clue as to most of their output (although I did try to suss out the fuss about Adele recently and decided upon a terrible case of "distorted vowel syndrome").

It's a bit of a twist but rather than the standard "before my time" answer they frown on, there are times I'd like to be up there and say "that was after my time".

[DaveR]

My first computer was a Sinclair ZX81 back in 1981. It only had a 1k memory, but I learned BASIC on it.

Other computers since then have been:

Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Acorn Electron
Atari ST
IBM PC
Various other PCs
Apple Mac

Once you go Mac...you never go back! 

[Ian]

So true...

[squiggle]

Once you go Mac...you never go back! 

While there had been a couple of prior false starts, I could say once I really switched to Linux, I've never wanted to go back.

Apple actually seems further away from what I want than MS as I believe one becomes tied to hardware as well as software but that's just one view...

It's pretty easy to "evangelise" over ones own computer choices and if one's not careful (are you listening, you sheeple ) to bash users of other platforms.

In more open mode, my opinion is that there simple isn't a one size fits all platform.  There may however be pretty good matches for inividuals.

In my case, it is a particular Linux distribution (openSUSE) with a particular desktop (KDE).  Hardware wise, I usually go (complete or partial - I may opt for motherboard with RAM and CPU installed) self build.  Last on was my parents that wound up as a 6 core AMD with 8GB RAM and SSD. Off the top of my head I think it worked out around a £300-£350 build for them.  Actually more than they needed but it should should see them good for a few years and they love it.

[Neil]

I worked in a graphics studio for fifteen years, at the end of my career in the printing industry, only the Apple computers were consistently reliable, we had to employ a chap to look after the others, I realised then that apple equipment is well worth the higher price, in years of using apple equipment I have only needed to contact them twice, both problems were fixed quickly for no cost.

[squiggle]

Sinclair ZX Spectrum

Change of direction but my youngest brother had one of them and a few games.

Did you every come accross "Jet Set  Willy" or my favourite when I was allowed a go, Dragontorc?

I seem to (outside the odd game of card and mahjong patience and doing an online jigsaw puzzle every day) seem to have left computer games a long while ago but those old games could be fun,

I never really solved either of the ones I mentioned btw.  There was a poke cheat for JSW but infinite lives didn't save me from always falling off the Banyan tree - each new life would then start by falling off.  I missed something early on in Dragontorc which let me getting so far but prevented completion - I found the answer in a magazine in the end.

Thinking magazines.  I didn't get them regularly and can't remember titles but did anyone else ever type up BASIC program listings from them?

[squiggle]

I worked in a graphics studio for fifteen years, at the end of my career in the printing industry, only the Apple computers were consistently reliable, we had to employ a chap to look after the others, I realised then that apple equipment is well worth the higher price, in years of using apple equipment I have only needed to contact them twice, both problems were fixed quickly for no cost.

Sure, there are lots of  reasons why one may make a particular choice and as far as I understand things, Apple have long had an outstanding reputation in your field. 

For someone else maybe there is some business class software that really needs Windows.  For me, apart from liking the open source principle, I like free, don't mind the occasional problem solving and wouldn't have done anywhere near as much if I'd had to buy software.

There again, perhaps someone really just finds say the Win 7 interface just perfect, etc.

I just hope my (actually intended to refelect something I'm aware Apple users can be accused of being rather than accusing them of being such) did not cause offence.

In my humble opinion, while I can be reluctant at times to admit it... , informed choices can lead to Apple, Linux or Windows.

[Ian]

I think one myth is that Apple machines are much more expensive. Which? has just tested a windows laptop which it considered almost as good as a Mac and which cost £1500...

[Fester]

It seems like Google have embarrassed themselves with their April Fool trick today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35941806

[SteveH]

Changes to Twitter

Twitter users will now have all 140 characters available to them when replying to tweets on the social media site. The social networking giant has confirmed the change, which will see the names of those a user is replying to appear above the text rather than in the tweet itself, which Twitter says leaves “more characters to have conversations”.

The site has already removed character limits from Direct Messages sent privately between users, as well as no longer counting images and other media attached to tweets as part of the character limit in an attempt to improve the service.

“It’s now easier to follow a conversation, so you can focus on what a discussion is about, and who is having it,” Twitter’s Sasank Reddy wrote in a blog post announcing the change. “Also, with all 140 characters for your replies, you have more room to participate in group conversations.

“The updates we’re making today are based on feedback from all of you as well as research and experimentation. In our tests of this new experience, we found that people engage more with conversations on Twitter.”

The social media site has struggled to attract new users to its service, which founder and chief executive Jack Dorsey has previously admitted remains “confusing” to some people.

Twitter currently has around 313 million monthly active users, compared to rival Facebook’s more than 1.86 billion.

[Fester]

313m active users?  .....of which about 20% of those are actually REAL people.

[Bosun]

After worrying about the imminent failure of our PC, and the slowing down and continual crashes of the laptop, last weekend having agonised over the research we took the plunge and brought a AppleMac.

I can honestly say that it's brilliant, a different planet to to a PC. The software is simple, intuitive and light years ahead of Windows 10 which I loathed, and the transfer of all our documents, pictures and data was stunningly simple.

Try one. After a PC, you won't be disappointed, you'll be amazed.

[Fester]

After worrying about the imminent failure of our PC, and the slowing down and continual crashes of the laptop, last weekend having agonised over the research we took the plunge and brought a AppleMac.

I can honestly say that it's brilliant, a different planet to to a PC. The software is simple, intuitive and light years ahead of Windows 10 which I loathed, and the transfer of all our documents, pictures and data was stunningly simple.

Try one. After a PC, you won't be disappointed, you'll be amazed.

Hi Bosun, I've wrestled with the same issue for years, Ian and Dave have urged me to get a Mac.
However, I'm still hesitant due to one point that I'm unsure about.
That being, all of my accounts and work docs are in Excel.  I'm not sure if, or how, they can be transferred and continue to be edited under the different operating system.
You make reference to your files being simple to transfer.  Does that include any Microsoft office docs? If so, can you tell me more?