Technology. We've made it our master. Sometimes it seems a pity. Other times it's quite the blessing.
It is technology which allows me to make this post where (theoretically) people from around the world can read it within seconds after I PUBLISH POST. Actually, there are a few who pass through this site from time to time and I am very grateful for their visits. Which brings me to another positive of technology: I'm meeting wonderful people from around the world - and none of us has to leave home.
All the same, there are times when I feel like grabbing an old baseball bat and smashing some of my technology: the computer in particular. When I turn it on, or have to reboot (at least once each day), it will be five minutes or more before the thing is ready to receive my commands. I remember twenty years ago working with an old XT with a text monitor. It booted in about a minute. Now, with a computer 100x faster, it takes longer to boot, longer to do the tasks I want it to, and it locks up just all the time. Why? Because there is so much going on which I have not told it to do that there is very little processing time left to me.
Back in 2000, Spouse and I bought a new car. It has electric windows - which we cannot use right now because there was an ice storm and the windows are frozen shut. (At least they're shut and not open.) When the weather gets cold the dashboard lights tell me the antilock breaks are off line. I don't know if they are off, or if the cold is just saying they are. But since I don't know I have to assume I no longer have antilock breaks. I drive a '92 Eclipse. It has a nice hatch, which will only stay open if I use a prop. Been that way for more than ten years.
But it's computers that really drive me crazy.
Some years ago I spent several hundred dollars on movie software. Son was playing basketball and we were filming his games. I installed it and started to add music and running scores. Fine and wonderful. Now it doesn't work. Nothing's changed - except it doesn't work. Crap! I try to load it and it locks up the entire machine. It reminds me of something a programmer showed me back in '91: a booked titled, The Tao of Programming. In it there is an amazingly accurate observation: software rots with age.
I can really relate to Ron Weasley (from the Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling) when he asked the question, "Why is everything I own rubbish?"
Sailors on the Sea
Sunday, December 28, 2008
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8 comments:
"Which brings me to another positive of technology: I'm meeting wonderful people from around the world - and none of us has to leave home."
That makes it all worthwhile!
I'm so lucky, my sons are both very techliterate and when my pc goes belly up one or other of them sorts me out. Otherwise I'd be totally stuck.
It does. I'm glad you are one of the people I've met. I've written to several people since Christmas, so I may have already told you this, but I hope your Christmas was great. I hope, too. your new year comes in well.
My computer is causing me frustrations. I can download movies from my camera, but not the digital pictures from the little card. Waah! On my old computer (which cannot talk to either the internet or the new computer) I used a ZIO card. Don't suppose your sons have any ideas? Do I have to buy new software?
My son said, can you tell us what version of Windows you're using, what camera it is, how are you connecting it to the computer and what program are you using to try to download the pictures.
Version of Windows (from System icon on Control Panel): MS Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 3
Camera: Cannon NTSC ZR90
Connecting Port: 1394
Software Tried: Windows Explorer, Windows Movie Maker, Microsoft Photo Editor and the ZIO card reader.
Thanks for taking the time.
My son says that you look like you're doing all the right things, so it might be tricky to solve this. Can you connect using USB instead of the port you're using? Apparently that can be more reliable.
USB. That's the funny looking connection that replaced the old printer ports, right? (It's why my printer can't talk to the old computer.)
No. I will have to go out and buy a new cable for that.
I can download the video from the camera. I just burned a CD of my son's jazz band concert. It's the still pictures from the card I can't get. When I flip the camera's switch from video to card, I see the current picture show up in Windows Movie Maker, but nothing seems to happen. It just sits there, and sits there, ...
Am I supposed to be more involved when downloading pictures? With the video Windows Movie Maker did everything, including rewinding the film.
Maybe I should start taking still pictures with the movie film. A bit more expensive, I think.
Thank you again for your help. Much appreciated.
Son has gone to bed with a cold. I'll try to see if he has any more ideas in the morning.
Thanks.
Nothing serious, I hope.
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