Computer Turnover

[ysabetwordsmith]

My computer has been dying for a while.  A new one is supposed to arrive on Saturday.

In theory, this should solve some problems I've been having.

In practice, technology has been moving farther from what I can use at all, let alone conveniently.  The new computer is supposed to have the major features I need.  However, past turnovers have meant losing some programs, some data, and some websites that I can't log into again.  If I'm lucky, I won't lose the use of my email, MS Word, Dreamwidth, or LiveJournal -- the most critical things at present.

It typically takes at least a day to make the transfer.  It takes a lot longer than that to get used to the new system.

Given the timing, I can't promise that the planned half-price sale will go up on Monday as usual.  I haven't even worked out the sale yet, because I'm trying to finish the last of the fishbowl stuff with the Americas invading Europe.

So if I suddenly disappear, that's likely why.  :/  Those of you with technomagick, please witch me luck.  We're all going to need it.

Comments

[jtthomas]

I'll backup all copies of files I've got, just in case. When MS Word breaks for me, I sometimes switch over to LibreOffice and cross my fingers, and it fixes itself. Meanwhile, much luck to you.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I appreciate the help.

[mama_kestrel]

Good luck.

[siliconshaman]

Prayers to St Turing and Babbage offered.

If I were you, I'd look at systems that were perhaps a few years old, and think about running linux, Mint. It does better on older machines and happily coexists with magick.

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I don't think I could handle learning a whole new operating system.

Re: Well ...

[siliconshaman]

Eh, it's not that different really, not from a user perspective. Linux versions of both chrome (chromium) and firefox look the same, Libre office is very similar to MS office (deliberately so.) and so on...

The real differences lie under the hood, where most users never go. Most of the customisation is right at the U.I level, should you wish to. the main difference is, they give you a plain vanilla system, then you can choose what additional programs you want from the software manger... for free.

Re: Well ...

[mdlbear]

I'll second this. The main user-visible differences between Linux and Windows are:

• Linux doesn't crash nearly as often.
• Linux has a huge ecosystem of free software.
• Linux is much less susceptible to malware.

[arlie]

I'm wishing you lots of luck.

It would be nice if the folks who continually "improve" our tools would put more emphasis on keeping things working, less on new features that they mostly can't be arsed to explain how to use. But that doesn't seem to make them as much money as catering to people who require constant churn to feel happy or successful.

FWIW, I'm dealing with something similar. I won't be able to do my taxes on my old, non-upgraded MacBook this year, but if I "upgrade" the OS, I lose all 32-bit programs, and "gain" disimproved discoverability (more controls invisible until you mouse over them, without the ability to configure them to be visible all the time) as well as the puke-worthy new look of MacOS BigSur. Also the computer will call home to check the signature of every program I launch, in case it's been revoked. Every program - not just big apps, but also every little tool I use in the shell. Plus some additional security improvements with similarly inconvenient side effects. and everything will use just-a-bit more resources, likely rendering an adequate machine too slow for comfort. (And of course it's not possible to fall back to one's prior version(s), after an "upgrade".

Or I could buy a new system, keeping the old one for what it can do. And either learn Windows 10, or some random version of linux with a doubtless similar interface, and equivalent documentation. (i.e. next to none.) Or (sigh) reward Apple for their disimprovements by buying a whole new Mac from them. Sadly, that's probably what I'll do; I've been using their Big Sur version at work, and while if there's one good thing about the UI changes, I haven't found it, I do rather covet their recent hardware improvements.

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Sadly so.

I have observed over time that while the amount of products is increasing, the quality and reliability are plummeting. It's difficult or impossible to replace things when they wear out. Either a new version isn't available at all, or it is greatly inferior to the older version. This has largely unsold me on shopping for things.

I think there's a great, untapped market in tech for computer software sold with the promise that it WON'T be updated for, say 5 years, and when it is the original version will remain usable for those who prefer it. Someone could steal market share hand over fist with that, because not everyone wants to replace things every few months. 0_o

And all the spyware is also unselling me on a lot of new tech. Fortunately I live near Amish territory so I have access to dumb versions of some things.

[gatheringrivers]

If I'm lucky, I won't lose the use of my email, MS Word, Dreamwidth, or LiveJournal -- the most critical things at present.

Save out the login information for ALL of that. And there should be a way to save out the activation key for MS Word (someone more desktop-techie than me should be able to give you pointers). I use email, dreamwidth and LJ via web browser, so changing machines doesn't impact those services for me.

Otherwise, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, all have office-like equivalents, and modern versions should be able to load saved files of older versions. (Though formatting MAY be a challenge, depending on what you did originally. But if all the words are there, at least you won't have lost anything.)

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I have no idea how to do most of that.

When I make a new account, I write down the information on how to log in. So I should have that on paper. The problem is, it often doesn't work. I call that "password decay." It means that, so long as I have the same computer running, I can get into sites, and the rate of spontaneous decay is fairly low (but does still happen). When I get a new computer, though, attempting to log in with previously recorded information often fails.

I have a list of my regularly visited websites, so I can type in those and recreate my browser field that way. But if any of the password-protected sites that require an account, like Dreamwidth, refuse to acknowledge my new computer, then I'm screwed. The only times I've been able to revive an account lost that way is when I personally knew the owner who could fix the problem by hand. Which is how I know that it's frequently caused by things that cause website developers to say, "This should not even be possible, but well, it's YOU."

Re: Well ...

[jtthomas]

At least with Dreamwidth, you've got probably thirty people who can report to the devs "yes, this happens," and they'll help.

Is there a backup email set up to prove you're you, on the email side of things?

Aramaic All Star

[zeeth_kyrah]

Unrelated to the computer stuff, I found a thing going around where someone in 2018 had translated the song "All Star" by Smash Mouth into aramaic. I thought it was pretty fun reading, and there's a recording on YouTube as well (linked in the translator's post).

[immortalje]

There was a time when I got a new computer every year (and most of it by necessity because I didn't treat them as well as I should have - even though I should have known better considering I was studying computer science at the time) and I don't know how I did it. I truthfully dread getting a new one nowadays and it can take me several weeks to get everything to my liking because there's always something I forget to install or setup until I need it and realise I've forgotten all about it.

I hope all goes well for you and keep my fingers crossed that nothing gets lost!