Dan’s Thoughts

Short answer: No. Computers shouldn’t be easy to use. But the things people use computers for should be done easily. Allow me to explain.
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Pentium? Athlon? I’m often fond of saying that today’s processor names sound like characters from cheesy science fiction. In fact, I put my theory to the test.
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I’ll bet you’re probably too young or perhaps too fresh on the computer scene to remember perhaps one of the best product icons of the industry.
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I recently found PC monitor shopping to be a pain in the rump. No, it’s not because of the prices; LCD monitors are cheap! (In fact, has anyone seen a CRT monitor in a store recently?) The quality of the monitors is okay. But what’s irking me are the monitors’ aspect ratio.
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I was weaned on computers that were text-only. No graphics. In fact, my favorite monitor was an Amdek, 13-inch, amber monitor. It was heaven.
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One of my computers doesn’t automatic update. Instead, it alerts me to an update. The other day, the alert came up and, being bored and not wanting to work, I clicked the annoying bubble. The update was Windows Vista SP1. I installed it. I survived.
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After downgrading my old Vista test computer back to XP, I was in need of a Vista test computer. Additionally, I wanted to have a nice beefy system on which to run computer games. After much searching I found a delightful and surprisingly well-made computer system that cost me only slightly more than it does to fill my car’s gas tank. And get this: It’s a Dell!
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As you recall from my last blog entry, my Mac had a few restart and hard drive problems. As a computer troubleshooter from way back, that causes me to sit up and take notice. Such a thing on any computer should always be of concern.
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It was due. During a routine restart after a software upgrade, I lost a hard drive. Fortunately it was an external, backup hard drive. The most disappointing part, sadly, is that this is possibly the fourth external hard drive I’ve had crash in as many years. Why do external hard drive suck so badly?
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I recently downgraded my Windows Vista test machine back to Windows XP. Because I know this interests folks, I thought I’d explain How I Did It.
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