Simply..a progress report....

14/10/2018

I titled a recent post about the pace of my life fast and slow. It could equally apply to my computer!

Not yet at the repair shop for various reasons, I decided to try a little self help. I watched a couple of tutorials and I managed to refresh my browser and delete cookies and some documents and downloads and the effect was amazing. Much faster.

I confess I am lazy about learning about the computer, and so embarrassed about my ignorance I avoid asking for help when I need it! How foolish is that?

I am finding this site helpful. Hate to be sexist but the fact that it is written by a woman shows - it's in English! I took the laptop to a repair shop once where the guy only talked computer-speak and preferred to talk to men. Barry had gone to park the car so he was forced to speak with me but when Barry walked in he turned - in mid sentence - and spoke to Barry (who wasn't much more computer literate than me, if truth be told and didn't know what the problem was with my computer.). I still feel so indignant!

Despite my best efforts however there are still problems, so if I suddenly go quiet.....

21 Comments

Sheena

15/10/2018 02:55:39 am

Oh, Freda, I could have written that myself. I will check out the site you mention because it often seems so difficult to even find intelligible instructions. Well done for not letting technology beat you. You have inspired me to try again to make my tablet behave.

Freda

15/10/2018 02:23:12 pm

I hope your tablet listens to you Sheena, and does what it is told!

Gail

15/10/2018 03:22:12 am

computers require more from me than any other tool I own. My computer is just a tool I use, but it expects me to know all about it (memory capacity, computer-ese terms, etc). I think my computer thinks it’s my pet and I should have a relationship w it.

Freda

15/10/2018 02:24:17 pm

Mine is a very fraught relationship....

Lotta

15/10/2018 03:36:22 am

I would have felt indignant too! (I have some of the same feelings about car problems and male mechanics...)
I confess my inner geek quite likes the challenge of solving technology issues, but I'm not very familiar with Windows these days. Maybe if you posted a list of your computer problems we might be able to help with some of them between us? Without computer-speak! It might help other people too.

Freda

15/10/2018 02:29:05 pm

I am trying to adopt an attitude more like yours Lotta. I got a lift to the repair shop today and it was closed although withing 'opening hours' advertised. More frustration. The main thing is it freezes or says Mozilla Firefox not responding after use for 10 - 30 minutes.

Julia

16/10/2018 04:54:50 am

Freda, i could post a reply to you and every single comment here! But what popped out at me was Mozilla Firefox. I have never had any lukc with that. Can you switch to google chrome? I like the idea of finding a computer whiz from the local university who could make a home-visit and get this all straightened out for you and perhaps teach you a weekly maintainence routine. Our computers need decluttering even more than our houses and minds do! At least our devices in our homes will still work no matter how messy the house is. But our computers are somewhat like our bodies: without a good cleanout of the “pipes”, so to speak , everything grinds to a halt.

Freda to Julia

16/10/2018 12:38:53 pm

I use Firefox because it is a not-for-profit. I thought I could declutter the computer after I had done everything else, but it's telling me otherwise!

Lucille link

15/10/2018 05:50:39 am

Builders/ decorators/ plumbers/ car salesmen/ do this too. And yet I am the one who organises all that sort of work. They find it well nigh impossible to maintain eye contact with me if my husband is present. It's foolish of them. The ones who can behave naturally and talk to us both equally get the jobs or sales!

Freda

15/10/2018 02:30:27 pm

I'm a bit dismayed to find this is so widespread yet in a way glad it is not just me!

Linda

15/10/2018 02:36:59 pm

Not to me, they don't! I'm the practical one in this house, and builders etc soon realise that I'm the one to deal with. I come from generations of builders - I think it's in the blood!. They each only underestimate me once, though!

Freda

15/10/2018 02:53:02 pm

Good for you Linda!

Mary

15/10/2018 10:13:57 am

Your comment on the fellow who only wanted to talk to males reminds me of time when my husband and I went car shopping (for him). Now he loves cars and was practically salivating about a particular one he wanted. I, on the other hand, handle all our finances. The salesman made the mistake of not including or looking at me when discussing the terms even though I was asking all the questions. I finally asked my husband to leave. I turned around to the fellow, told him what terms were acceptable. He sputtered on for a minute, so told him I was fed up with his nonsense and got up to leave. Let's just say, my husband got his car, but on my terms. I'm guessing the salesman probably still hates women.

Hoping your next encounter with the repairman is not as trying.

Freda

15/10/2018 02:31:23 pm

Love it Mary!

Susan

15/10/2018 11:44:18 pm

Some of my best friends are men: intelligent, kind, respectful, funny men. None the less, increasingly, I'm seeking out female professionals and tradespeople, so that I'm met with an expectation of my intelligence and competence.
When dealing with tradesmen, I learn what I can in advance, online, including some key technical terms, and have my requirements clear, and measurements with diagrams on hand Some initially patronising men, have been flummoxed by this. But, this prior effort shouldn't be necessary, in order to be respected.

Freda

16/10/2018 12:42:07 pm

When working in landscape and garden design I oftem worked with men who had to create my designs - we soon understood each other and mostly it worked really well. Professionalism and mutual respect were key. There are as you say some great guys out there!

Susan

16/10/2018 01:26:07 am

Just a thought ... if your laptop isn't under warrantee, how about a visiting tech person, rather than having to lug your laptop to a shop?
Is there a local recent computing-graduate, who might be glad of a little freelance job?

Susan

16/10/2018 01:33:18 am

I see that Argyll Uni at Dunoon is only 30 mins drive away.
How about 'phoning the computing department and asking to place an ad. for a female student to visit?

Freda

16/10/2018 12:43:00 pm

Thanks Susan - it's in hand!

Viv link

16/10/2018 01:54:09 am

I need to get down to a digital declutter again - everything builds up over time then you suddenly realise one day how slow your computer has become.
At work I had to show the men how to do things on the computer but they took it well - they had no option as I was the one with the knowledge and I would have just said sort it yourself then and walked away if they had given me any grief!!

Freda

16/10/2018 12:43:50 pm

It's a shame you are not nearer me Viv!

Simply..a progress report....

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