Archive for Computer Tips

Customer walked in this morning – this is as close as I can come to the conversaton:

Me: “Can I help you?”

Customer: “do yo’ sell adappers?”

Me: “Adaptors for what?”

Customer: “Adappers fo’ computers”

Me: “What kind of adaptor? There are many different kinds of computer adaptors.”

Customer: “Adappers fo’ th’ internet”

Me: “What kind of internet adapter?”

Customer: Blank look

Me: “How do you get to the internet?”

Customer: puzzled blank look

Me: “What kind of internet adapter, there are serveral kinds”

Customer: “ah need an adapper fo’ mah computer fo’ th’ internet”

Me: “How do you get on the internet? DSL? Cable? Dial UP? Air Card? Satellite?”

Customer: Puzzled blank look – “ah need an adapper fo’ mah computer t’go t’th’ internet”

Me: “Do you have an internet connection?”

Customer: “ah need an adapper so mah computer kin git th’ internet”

Me: “OK so you need to get on the internet? Can you get on the internet now?”

Customer: “No ah cain’t git on th’ internet mah neighbo’ won’t let me use his computer no mo’e”

Me: “So you used to use your neighbors computer to get on the internet?”

Customer: “Yep but he won’t let me use his computer nomo’e, he says he doesn’t be hankerin’ his kids seein’ whut ah was lookin’ at on th’ internet”

Me: “So you want to connect your computer to the internet?”

Customer: “Yup ah’s hankerin’ t’git th’ internet on over th’ air”

Me: “Over the air? Are you looking for an Air Card?”

Customer: Blank stare

Me: “Do you want to connect to the internet with cellular?”

Customer: “Mah brother said ah c’d git an adapper an’ git th’ internet on over th’ air”

Me: “Get the internet over the air? Where would it the internet be coming from?”

Customer: “Whuffo’ fum mah neighbo’, he won’t let me use his computer nomo’e so ah need an adapper fo’ mah computer sos ah can git his internet on mah computer”

Me: “Can you tell me how that works?”

Customer: “Sho’nuff, ah need an adapper sos ah can git th’ Internet on over th’ air fum mah neighbo’. Like mah brother acrost th’ street does”

Me: “Your brother gets his internet over the air from the neighbor across the street? Is this the same neighbor who won’t let you use his computer any more? How does your brother do this?

Customer: “Yep mah brother jest takes his lappop out t’th’ po’ch an’ he gits th’ internet on over th’ air fum mah neighbo’. On account o’ he won’t let me use his computer no mo’e ah need an adapper sos ah can git th’ internet on mah computer”

Me: “OK your brother has a laptop and he can get your neighbors internet over the air from his porch? Does you neighbor know your brother is getting in to the internet from his wireless?

Cusomer: “Thet’s right. Mah brother gits his internet on over th’ air on his lappop fum mah neighbo’. An’ no mah neighbo’ doesn’t know, mah neighbo’ doesn’t like mah brother at all, ah reckon.”

Me: So what you want is a wireless adaptor? Do you have a laptop or a desktop?

Customer: “Thet is whut ah said in th’ fust place, ah need an adapper sos ah can git th’ internet on over th’ air on mah computer. Mah computer aint no lappop it is a box unner th’ table wif a screen on th’ table.”

Me: “You need to have your own internet service, maybe you should call the phone company and see if you can get DSL – if you can they will give you an adapter to connect you computer to the internet.”

Customer: “ah doesn’t got no phone, ah doesn’t need no phone, th’ phone costs too much. ah jest use mah brothers phone when ah need t’call some one. ah jest need an adapper sos ah can git th’ internet on mah computer.”

Me: “OK now I think I know what you need, I do not have any, you need to call the computer repair people that work out of here maybe they can help you. {I gave him the computer repair peoples phone number knowing full well that they will not connect a WiFi card so someone can steal WiFi}

NOTE: PLEASE CHECK YOUR WIFI AND MAKE CERTAIN IT IS LOCKED WITH A WAP OR WEK KEY – THIS GUY AND HIS BROTHER COULD BE YOUR NEIGHBORS!!!!

Categories : General Computer
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Dec
11

Visio Replacement – Dia

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A few years back I used to use Visio a lot to do technical drawing, room layout, rack layouts, organization charts and a lot of other things. Visio had a lot of drawing elements and was easy to use. Microsoft bought Visio and while they do offer it as an add on to Microsoft Office it got far too expensive.

I have been needing a program for a long time now that can do various drawings. I have tried Open Office Draw but it just is not robust enough.

I do have AutoCad Lite for complex drawings however it is just too difficult to use for very simple drawing.

This week I found a Visio Replacement. It is called Dia – it comes with a lot of drawing elements and there are more available to download plus it is pretty easy to design your own elements. The part is it is Open Source and it is FREE. You can see it HERE

Here is a simple drawing that I did with Dia Speaker Layout

Categories : Computer Tips
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Today I had to do a project on a clients’ computer. The computer was running Window 7 Home. So this was the first time I have used Windows 7.

What I found was really interesting. I have been using Window XP since it first came out. The 6 or 7 PC computers that I have all are running XP. When I first opened the store two of the store computers had Vista. My experiences with Vista could be an entire book. Long story short I did not like Vista, it would not do what I needed it to do. After struggling with Vista for several days I rolled those two new computers back to XP, and they have run just fine every since.

I have encountered Vista several times since and each time I just plain did not like the experience.

In fact a few months after the terrible Vista experience I got an Apple Mac Pro, it ran on Tiger for a few months, then Leopard and now Snow Leopard. The MAC operating system is great. Certainly different than the PCs that I have used for many years, there was some things to learn but the bottom line is I really like the Apple MAC OS. It is easy to learn and use and has always been a good experience.

Today I had to do some work on a clients new laptop – running Windows System 7. While I had briefly looked at System 7 I had never actually used it before today. I though it would be a lot like Vista – and that today would be a struggle, I am pleased to say that System 7 is like nothing I have ever used before. System 7 is great, things work the way I expect, the layout make sense. After several hours of doing a whole lot of pretty complex things on the System 7 computer I find I really like it. It looks like Microsoft has a winner with this new operating system. It may be time to begin to think about replacing some of my older XPs with System 7 computers. Actually I was really surprised that I actually like the newest OS from Microsoft.

Categories : Windows System 7
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Jul
04

Laptop or Desktop

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should you choose a laptop or desktop

Categories : General Computer
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It is time to get a new computer?  The very first thing to ask yourself is do you really need a new computer?  In order to answer that question there are a number of things to consider.  Keep in mind that the places that sell computers as well as Microsoft who makes the operating system really want to sell you a new computer.  The prices for a new system have come down at lot and there are all sorts of special packages and deals designed to make you want to buy a new computer.  The reality is you may not need a new computer and that is the first thing to really think about. Read More→

Categories : Computer Tips
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Jun
28

Windows 7

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There have been some good reports about Microsoft’s latest operating system. I do not have anything running System 7 yet, however I am hoping to be getting a System 7 machine soon.

Categories : Windows System 7
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Jun
28

Microsoft Window Vista

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I do not use Vista. I have some really difficult times with Vista when it first came out. I could not get it to network or even recognize my printers. Spent days attempting to get Vista to work and then rolled the two computer I had gotten with Vista back to Window’s XP. I understand that Vista did get better after a service pack was added. Microsoft does not offer Vista anymore. If you are using Vista one of the “geeks” that works with me on this site does use Vista so we will be able to deal with Vista specific questions.

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Jun
28

Microsoft XP

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this will have tips for Microsoft XP

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