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Computer Fun (warning technical content)

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I had to build a new computer when the motherboard in my personal computer developed a few faults and is being replaced. So I have been trying out Windows Vista.

I must admit to being underwhelmed. Different versions of the Video drivers have caused lockups at inconvenient moments (is there a convenient moment ?), the Aero effects are nice but I turned them off as every time you run a non-compliant (with Aero) program the display flicks off and on (annoying!!), the explorer directory window will not show the total size of the files on the status bar unless you select all the files and the details view has had all the items changed and about 500 extra items added. Duration is now called Length, Dimensions is now two items and so on.

Installation is improved over XP but it really depends on your hardware. I could not get all the hardware supported for an ASUS A8S-X motherboard until I installed XP first and upgraded to Vista. Trying to install XP drivers for the motherboard and other hardware failed with all sorts of strange messages such as "unable to create files" and "unable to save settings".

The problem that may force me back to XP is the "Insufficient Resources to complete that operation". This happens when copying files around and is one thing that never happened with XP. Perhaps a windows update will fix it before I get fed up!! At the moment I don't try and copy more than one file at a time.

Comments

Arabella said…
Well, it would never happen if you gave up this silly Windows business and bought a Mac.
Vista...OS X 4 years ago...
1 July 2007 at 7:16 pm
Arabella said…
Uncle Michael.,
That previous comment was from Daddy (your little brother) he's always carrying on about apple's. Personally I can't see what all the fuss is about, I prefer pears myself.

He says you used to have a fake apple once, back in what he calls the "80's" and that you and he used to play all sorts of pirate games on it. I like pirate games, what did you play? Walk the plank or Sack the gold bearing spanish galleon (my favrit)
Your niece, Arabella
1 July 2007 at 7:18 pm
Michael Taylor said…
I like dried apricots as well as apples.

It was a trading game with pirates that robbed your ships.
1 July 2007 at 8:00 pm
Bruce Taylor said…
Actually, Arabella and Michael, I was talking about hte sort of software that is illegally acquired. Using Locksmith or other such Apple II software pirating stuff.
The game Uncle Michael is talking about was called Taipan, and the greatest profits where to be had from smuggling Opium. Don't know what that toaught me as a youngster, but jeez it was a good game.
2 July 2007 at 1:27 pm
Michael Taylor said…
Taipan, that was it!! Great fun. Actually the way to make money in Taipan was to borrow from the moneylender and then pay him back more than you borrowed. The interest soon built up and made you very rich! A nice bug, the programmers never thought anyone would pay back too much!
2 July 2007 at 1:56 pm
Bruce Taylor said…
Ah yes thats right, the old pay the moneylender back too much. Can't remember how we discovered that particular bug, but it kind of killed the game once you started it.
Poor money lender, we must have taken him for millions.
My particular favourite game on the Aplle 2 was Rescue Raiders. Although I never got past level 4.
6 July 2007 at 3:45 pm
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