Scotsmist Personal Computer Support

Our Opinion July 2001

Our Opinion Page for July 2001

Why the free help, are you mad ?

I am always being asked about my website, what I do with myself, do I make any money and usually when I answer no I am asked, are you mad ? Not everyone, well me anyway is in it for the money. Sure I make a living from doing other things, like fixing computer hardware problems, upgrades or building a new computer. It just bugs me a little that computer illiterates do not (obviously) understand what it is I am doing at a computer all day every day.

Friends and family

My parents haven't got a clue about computers, videos, hi-fi's, DVD's, how to work the microwave, in fact pretty much everything technical. Most people my parents age (mid fifties) pass it off by saying they are to old to learn new tricks. What a lot of bullshit. All that knowledge and experience to tap in to, lots of years of learning and understanding which they just love to tell you about at any given opportunity (or at least mine do). The real problem is that they never read the flaming manuals. RTFM I keep saying to my dad. Have you read the manual, what does it say. I don't know son, he would answer, I haven't got my glasses on.

Heather

My daughter, is seven months old now and impresses me every day with her accomplishments. It's fascinating watching her try and achieve goals. I'm just glad that Microsoft haven't got the source code for her programming. I have, or rather my partner, Heather's mum and I have.

I've had a busy month, what with moving, having to relocate all my computers, fish, furniture and so on. After settling in, I started on the repairs needing done around the house. Every day that I complete some job, something happens, like the kitchen cupboard door fell off, the heater motor seized, the patio doors started letting in water during a down pour, we found asbestos in the walls, the TV detector van turned up because we forget to get a licence, the lawn mower burnt itself out (which I'm not even complaining about), the fan on the oven stopped, but we love the house, it's spacious with a secluded garden at the back which is a great sun trap (if we ever get any) and the neighbours are very neighbourly.

Digitally signed E-mail

I finally signed myself up for Thawte's Personal Certificate System. I can receive encrypted e-mail from anyone who has my digital-id. They say that sending an e-mail un-encryted is like sending a letter through the post without an envelope.

August's Opinion

June's Opinion

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