Setting up a new computer is a royal pain. It goes like this: Try to install zipped app, Winzip launches asking if you want to buy it, realize you don’t have anything installed that will unzip things, look for free unzipper, discover ALZip no longer free, remember something you read about essential Windows apps on Lifehacker, search for and find it. Select a bunch of “essential” apps you probably don’t need but which sound good. Wait for exe file to download, launch, wait for essential apps to install. Occupy yourself while waiting by fiddling with taskbar, try to remember how icons were arranged on old machine, boot old machine, realize you still have a lot of apps to install, shuffle icons around for 20 minutes, realize you forgot something, install it, create shortcut, pin to taskbar, delete shortcut, shuffle some more, realize you forgot another app, shuffle, give up and chuck everything up there, realize this makes the taskbar too full and you can’t tell what’s open, and also, you forgot xamp. Get up, make coffee. Come back and try to remember what you were doing before you made coffee. Give up. Write blog post to complain about how hard and time consuming it is to set up a new computer.
On the up side, I have a new computer. It’s a quad core PC that was surplus to requirements for one of Tonia’s co-workers, who gave us a really sweet deal. It’s running Windows 7, and is so much faster than my old laptop, it makes me dizzy. Rejoice with me.
Which is exactly why I’m an applemac girl – box to work in roughly 10 mins – perfect.
Brenda,
Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! My prayers will be with you whilst you growl with the new machine… Huge hugs! I’ve been there. How’s your shoulder doing? Hoping all is well. Also hoping you are having knit-tastic success…
Take care and Hugs,
Louise Ann Benjamin
Worthington, MN
With my last two MacBook upgrades, NOT ONE HAS GONE SMOOTHLY. Say all you want for Migration Assistant; there’s only so far you can go if there’s a hiccup in the system during transfer. Thank goodness I know enough to be dangerous on these things… 😉
Brenda, why go through all that hassle? Get a MAC next time!
I know macs are great. But. Cost of lightly used PC – £350, including flatscreen monitor. Cost of new Quadcore iMac – £1565. This is why I do not have a Mac.
Oh, nice! I’m a mac girl myself, at least lately. I’m still deeply familiar with the new computer dance though, and it’s never smooth no matter what sort of computer you’re using. Here’s hoping the new toy is worth the headache!
Congrats on your new toy, from another lowly PC user!
Wow, congrats on the new computer! It’s amazing how long organizing and reorganizing your computer stuff takes. I still find things that I forgot to install when I upgraded and it’s been a year, lol.
have you noticed that mac people are the only ones not only allowed, but actually ENCOURAGED to display their elitist snobbery? definitely not PC (pun intended.) stick with the frugal, you’re waaay better off. 🙂
I’ve enjoyed every one of your podcasts I’ve had the pleasure to listen to-still have a few more to go to catch up to this episode-since a friend turned me on to them. I rarely knit (is that okay to admit) since I’m not that good at it, but your podcasts have so much richness to them, they are my mandatory companions (via my IPOD) when I take my Borzoi hiking. So along our 3-4 mile and sometimes longer , you are keeping me in excellent company. I love your elegant, clear voice, your insights, your humor, the music you play, the audiobooks you suggestion, and your stories and interviews, even the knitting info is interesting. I hope you will keep us, your fans, in podcasts for years to come. Blessings to you!
I’ll be meeting my new quadcore tonight (I hope). I’m working on DH’s laptop with my own screen right now! Hope to have installed most of the “personality” of my sadly departed motherboard. All change is difficult, even that for good.
There are advantages to being a PC user, I haven’t figured one out yet but I’m absolutely certain there are. In any case, changing computers for ANY platform is still a hassle. I still had to shlep my stuff over from my external tera. Not to be ignorant, but don’t PC’s have the ability to do that, too? Just restore from the external backup? (;
Brenda, I’m SO happy you are back podcasting. You’re one of my favorite walks. Your voice, stories, insight, are all inspiring.
I’m also doing the new pc set-up this week. One of the first things I did was install Microsoft’s so-called critical updates and, wouldn’t you know, the computer would not restart. I quickly learned that system restore really works!
So glad your podcast is back. You have not lost your touch. I especially like it when you and Tonia go out foraging (birch sap and fiddleheads).
Also glad to know about trigger point therapy. Will be looking into it some more.
Francine
It tuns out that Windows 7 comes with a handy Windows Easy Transfer wizard that will take care of all the grunt work of moving your stuff from the old pc to the new pc without mucking up the permissions, still nned to plogh through programs and fonts manually though… As someone who uses Ubuntu at home (and loves it!)and supports PC and Mac in work, I have to admit to being much more impressed with Windows 7 than the dreadful Vista. Still hitting glitches with program incompatibilities despite the compatibility mode though…
Glad to hear the new PC is finally up and running. I used to work with PC phone support – I now own a Mac! No further comment required! I was so impressed with the onion skin dye video that I now have a paper bag in the cupboard collecting my own onion and shallot skins. I also have been gifted with 4 Scottish black face sheep fleeces to experiment with when the time comes. I’m not sure how well they will spin but the journey is the experimentation so I’m looking forward to it all. Have a great week. Looking forward to your next podcast. !
As a Windows and Mac user, I feel your pain, neither is perfect, but I wanted to say I’m glad you’re back! I really enjoy your podcasts for their quality and content.
7-zip is free (or was a few months ago). Fantasmic craftastic blog!
I completely agree. I have had a new laptop for 2 months and it still doesn’t have everything. I do like Windows 7, though and am glad I switched to that. I think we all need personal tech staffs. At least I do!
Reloading programs is a pain, but you get what you want – not what some big corp says you need! Plus the price can’t be beat.
Have worked on both macs and PC and can’t understand what is worth the extra cash on the Macs. They crashed more than the PCs I’ve had.
Great to have the podcast back, Brenda! Hope you continue to heal. And I have to agree with Marilyn: you have a lovely, elegant, clear voice that resonates so with me and my life. Thanks again for the offerings!
I just heard you on QN, you can’t believe how surprised I was! But glad, of course 😀
Setting up new computers can be a real PITA. Glad you survived it and associated headaches!
Hi Brenda,
I can totally relate to the new computer thing. I purchased one a couple of weeks ago and I still have stuff to transfer from the old to the new. Will it ever end???
Um….I am suspecting you are unwell or you’d have blogged/pod-casted more by now. I understand about the new computer…and still miss your wonderful wit and wisdom. Hope you and your telecom sytems are well and working soon!
Hugs from Canada!
@Margaret No, I’m not unwell. I’m fine. Just hugely busy trying to meet a few project deadlines. I’ll be back soon.