Fasttech Veterans

[Bobw1951]

..you remind me, I think I need a new eye test!

I haven't had one since 2012 when I had my final check up after having my eyes lasered to correct the short sightedness, trouble was because of my age (over 60 at the time) they couldn't do anything to correct the long sightedness that was starting to get worse - less than about 15" away is where I now have difficulty and either have to get the magnifying glass or reading glasses out.

Yes, good news - don't need a new computer today ...but in a way I'm disappointed to have had such dreadful performance yesterday, yet nothing to show why. I don't really like unexplained problems.

Sounds like it could have been a glitch on the connection between you and your ISP that was causing the problem, glad it's managed to clear itself though

 

[Davantrac]

How much for the cookie Pictor?

 

[Pictor]

I haven't had one since 2012 when I had my final check up after having my eyes lasered to correct the short sightedness, trouble was because of my age (over 60 at the time) they couldn't do anything to correct the long sightedness that was starting to get worse - less than about 15" away is where I now have difficulty and either have to get the magnifying glass or reading glasses out.

My last one was around 2 years ago, and there was barely any change from three years earlier ..the slight change was noticeable to me though once I had the new prescription in some specs!
This past 6 months though, I've been aware that my sight has got a little worse. I find that when doing simple cleaning, I can get a shock if I put my specs on and see bits I missed! Close work such as mine makes it fairly easy to tell when I need another eye test. Trouble is, it's school holidays and they're usually busy (and noisy!).
I always buy shallow rimless lens frames so that I can see over the top easily - that way can see things close up and also feet away without taking them off!
I did ask about bifocal contact lens for the same purpose, but the optician said they were far from perfected, and anyway, I have one convex lens and one concave

Sounds like it could have been a glitch on the connection between you and your ISP that was causing the problem, glad it's managed to clear itself though

Would anything to do with the ISP affect the use of programmes that I use all the time: ACDSee for instance? Every time I opened a folder in it, the screen would fill with thumbnails as usual, but only after a pause, and they'd be misted over, only clearing to full colour/contrast gradually.
I was grateful not to be needing to use Photoshop at all yesterday!
Even the desktop was slow to show up in full colour etc.
But, Outlook seemed to be working quite normally apart from some images not showing in the emails.

With the terrible slowness and issues I had all day with programmes and on sites such as this and those I was making purchases on, I suspected two issues at the same time: DNS perhaps and a graphics card problem.
I couldn't do a speed test ..just wouldn't run at either Speedtest or TBB, but the BT Wholesale one did, and gave a very good result fairly quickly. The BQM showed no packet loss all day either.

All a mystery for now!

 

[Pictor]

How much for the cookie Pictor?

Absolutely nuttin Dave message me your address and I'll send you it.

 

[Bobw1951]

Would anything to do with the ISP affect the use of programmes that I use all the time: ACDSee for instance? Every time I opened a folder in it, the screen would fill with thumbnails as usual, but only after a pause, and they'd be misted over, only clearing to full colour/contrast gradually.

In that case no it couldn't have been the ISP, normally what I do in those type of situations is close the computer right down, leave it for about 30 minutes and then boot it back up - a good reboot usually sorts a lot of minor problems, it can also tell you if you have a more serious problem.

 

[Pictor]

Sounds perfectly logical ..for some reason, I wasn't being very logical yesterday ...think some subconscious thought was that once closed down, it wouldn't reboot!

 

[Bobw1951]

Sounds perfectly logical ..for some reason, I wasn't being very logical yesterday ...think some subconscious thought was that once closed down, it wouldn't reboot!

Yep, had that happen before now, but I keep good backups, so can normally go back to the day before, might lose a whole days work, but better than nothing, and if worse was to happen and there was something wrong with a piece of hardware, then it's a matter of finding out what has gone wrong and hopefully replace it or even the whole computer itself, then use either the original HDDs to replace the data or backups and re-install all the programs from scratch.

I'm waiting to see what Win 10 is like at the end of the month, have reserved my copies for the desktop & laptop, will be trying it out on my Laptop first as that has Win 8.1 on it at the moment, might be able to cut down on a lot of small programs that I normally load at start up, as some of them will be running in the background on the Metro desktop instead of in the System Tray. As long as you don't delete the windows.old directory you can easily revert back to the last OS, and once you have installed Win 10 in the first year, you can then make a CD or USB copy of the Win 10 OS and reinstall at any time for that machine only, so if you have a desktop and laptop you would have to make 2 copies one by and for each machine.

 

[Bobw1951]

Had 2 companies email me today selling the Aspire Triton for £33.99 - the 2 I got from MyePack were £26.99 each with free shipping - £7 markup thieving G*ts

 

[Pictor]

Yep, had that happen before now, but I keep good backups, so can normally go back to the day before, might lose a whole days work, but better than nothing, and if worse was to happen and there was something wrong with a piece of hardware, then it's a matter of finding out what has gone wrong and hopefully replace it or even the whole computer itself, then use either the original HDDs to replace the data or backups and re-install all the programs from scratch.

I never seem to be in the right frame of mind these days for much tinkering around ..if it's something I need or am interested in, then I'll find out about it and set it up or whatever - but I then want it to just work
I don't want complex or bells & whistles ..just a basic workhorse that is fast and a bit bomb proof as long as it's looked after. This Photo Fusion has been just that, although SSD's have got bigger since I got this one, and I do worry about the o/s on mine at times. Still, it seems OK, and the log today apparently shows a happy computer - which is why they're at a loss to understand what was going on.

I'm waiting to see what Win 10 is like at the end of the month, have reserved my copies for the desktop & laptop, will be trying it out on my Laptop first as that has Win 8.1 on it at the moment, might be able to cut down on a lot of small programs that I normally load at start up, as some of them will be running in the background on the Metro desktop instead of in the System Tray. As long as you don't delete the windows.old directory you can easily revert back to the last OS, and once you have installed Win 10 in the first year, you can then make a CD or USB copy of the Win 10 OS and reinstall at any time for that machine only, so if you have a desktop and laptop you would have to make 2 copies one by and for each machine.

I really don't think I want W10 - the latest model of the Photo Fusion does offer a choice of 8 or 7 Pro 64 bit, which is what I'm using now, and I like it.
Another problem for me is that I'm using an obsolete Web programme that's working perfectly well, but there's never any guarantee it'll work with a new o/s. Everyone has been surprised that it worked through the last two new systems on new computers, and the last thing I want to get entangled in is building another site and trying to upload it, & optimise it again - took me 82 hours to build the first one, and then there was all the extra stuff to do, I don't think I have the mind-set for it anymore.

Whatever o/s I get with a new computer, I still hate all the backing up and hoping I don't lose anything important, plus hoping the database will transfer for all my image tag/key words ....there's many thousands of images, and I'd never find anything without the key words.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Don't know if anyone's interested in this - but these are three chicks that fledged this morning:
Dyfi Osprey Project • Live Stream

 

[Bobw1951]

Don't know if anyone's interested in this - but these are three chicks that fledged this morning:

They're fast asleep now - didn't know there were any that far south, thought most of them were north of the border, remember going to see them at the Osprey Center when we hired a caravan in Boat of Garten near Carrbridge about 35 years ago

 

[Bobw1951]

Photo Fusion does offer a choice of 8 or 7 Pro 64 bit

Anything that works with Win 8 will work with Win 10 and almost everything that work with Win 7 will also work with Win 10

 

[Pictor]

They're fast asleep now - didn't know there were any that far south, thought most of them were north of the border, remember going to see them at the Osprey Center when we hired a caravan in Boat of Garten near Carrbridge about 35 years ago

They've had a busy and enlightening day. This morning all three had their first flight, then two of them collided this afternoon and fell to the ground and spent a long while laid in their nest recovering.
One of their parents brought them yet another fish not long before dark, so they had supper then settled down - parent is sat on a perch nearby (or was when the camera panned out a bit earlier on).

Apparently there's a number of Osprey centres dotted throughout the country, but Dyfi is one of the most successful for volunteers etc.
Lovely seeing if the adult birds return each spring after their long trip from Africa.
Some get a tag on them and a year or two ago, it was possible to see the tracking for one of that years youngsters take off and travel through Europe then down through Africa and settle half way down on the west coast until almost spring, and then begin the return journey.
Amazed me to realise how much instinct for direction and survival such a young bird had.

This is another in Rutland that I watched one year: Osprey Webcam

 

[terry w]

I never seem to be in the right frame of mind these days for much tinkering around ..if it's something I need or am interested in, then I'll find out about it and set it up or whatever - but I then want it to just work
I don't want complex or bells & whistles ..just a basic workhorse that is fast and a bit bomb proof as long as it's looked after. This Photo Fusion has been just that, although SSD's have got bigger since I got this one, and I do worry about the o/s on mine at times. Still, it seems OK, and the log today apparently shows a happy computer - which is why they're at a loss to understand what was going on.

I really don't think I want W10 - the latest model of the Photo Fusion does offer a choice of 8 or 7 Pro 64 bit, which is what I'm using now, and I like it.
Another problem for me is that I'm using an obsolete Web programme that's working perfectly well, but there's never any guarantee it'll work with a new o/s. Everyone has been surprised that it worked through the last two new systems on new computers, and the last thing I want to get entangled in is building another site and trying to upload it, & optimise it again - took me 82 hours to build the first one, and then there was all the extra stuff to do, I don't think I have the mind-set for it anymore.

Whatever o/s I get with a new computer, I still hate all the backing up and hoping I don't lose anything important, plus hoping the database will transfer for all my image tag/key words ....there's many thousands of images, and I'd never find anything without the key words.

At least you are up and running again Trish, thats the main thing. As Bob said probably just a glitch somewhere on your system, and sometimes they have a way of sorting themselves out. Glad it`s ok for you now.

 

[Pictor]

Anything that works with Win 8 will work with Win 10 and almost everything that work with Win 7 will also work with Win 10

Well, I'll have probably skipped W8 if this computer stays steady, but hearing that 7 and 10 are likely to be compatible sounds promising!

 

[Pictor]

At least you are up and running again Trish, thats the main thing. As Bob said probably just a glitch somewhere on your system, and sometimes they have a way of sorting themselves out. Glad it`s ok for you now.

Evening Terry! Yes, was surprised and relieved this morning.
It's puzzled the computer company too - event log shows a healthy computer!
If it does happen again, I'll need to get either screenshots/snips or some photos of the screen so that they can see exactly what is happening. I think - assuming it would actually work in that state - that the Team Viewer could perhaps be more helpful with it.

Whatever, I certainly didn't sleep soundly last night! - reckon I will tonight though

Little four legged friend OK?

 

[Bobw1951]

This is another in Rutland that I watched one year: Osprey Webcam

and here is the one at Loch Garten, not sure if there is a bird in the nest though, that one at Rutland only had one chick in the nest also fast asleep

 

[Bobw1951]

Well, I'll have probably skipped W8 if this computer stays steady, but hearing that 7 and 10 are likely to be compatible sounds promising!

You must upgrade before the year is up (July 2016) if you want a completely FREE copy though, as I said you can upgrade, then make a CD/DVD or USB copy of the installation files, then un-install it and go back to Win 7, and that copy will install any time afterwards on that machine only.

 

[terry w]

Evening Terry! Yes, was surprised and relieved this morning.
It's puzzled the computer company too - event log shows a healthy computer!
If it does happen again, I'll need to get either screenshots/snips or some photos of the screen so that they can see exactly what is happening. I think - assuming it would actually work in that state - that the Team Viewer could perhaps be more helpful with it.

Whatever, I certainly didn't sleep soundly last night! - reckon I will tonight though

Little four legged friend OK?

Evening Trisha...I suppose stranger things have happened at sea eh Maya is doing fantastic thanks, and growing fast ! she`s very playful, and still nipping a bit, but she understands a firm NO now, so at least i can nip it in the bud, if you`ll pardon the pun

99% house Trained but literally stinking the house out with her Farts. Apart from that, we are really pleased with her !

 

[Pictor]

and here is the one at Loch Garten, not sure if there is a bird in the nest though, that one at Rutland only had one chick in the nest also fast asleep

Looks a beautiful place - not been that far up into Scotland, Oban is the highest up the country I've been. Could have happily stayed there too!
Yes, that nest looks empty, and the Rutland one said they'd fledged, so perhaps there's more, but roosting nearby ...not sure.
Nice to see the three sleeping side by side in that nest, and a parent sat on the edge of the nest dozing, but obviously alert.

There's a series of short videos here, including the three of them hatching, and one of them flying this morning. https://www.youtube.com/user/DyfiOspreyProject/videos

You must upgrade before the year is up (July 2016) if you want a completely FREE copy though, as I said you can upgrade, then make a CD/DVD or USB copy of the installation files, then un-install it and go back to Win 7, and that copy will install any time afterwards on that machine only.

That would not appeal to me ..tinkering around with such things always makes something go wrong for me! I'm likely to leave it as is, and then just get whatever is available when I need a new computer - I did with W7 and was pleasantly surprised. Whatever I get, I'll have to get used to it!

 

[Pictor]

Evening Trisha...I suppose stranger things have happened at sea eh Maya is doing fantastic thanks, and growing fast ! she`s very playful, and still nipping a bit, but she understands a firm NO now, so at least i can nip it in the bud, if you`ll pardon the pun

Sounds fun but tiring! They're hard work in those early days. Our little one knows practically everything we say to her, including 'No' ..but she has selective deafness - and she'll be 8 at the end of the month!

99% house Trained but literally stinking the house out with her Farts. Apart from that, we are really pleased with her !

Uggh! Sophie did when we first got her, but tripe had been part of her diet. Was OK once we got her off that Only thing we mustn't give either of them is even a morsel of ham/pork/bacon ...guaranteed to cause a less than pleasant aroma!