Conference 7.286::digital

    Hi again!
    
    Well, thanks to three gentlemen, I now have my laptop back!  Special
    thanks go to John Daigneault from the Programs Office who took time to
    explain in English (non-technical terms) just what I had done and for
    looking up a MicroSoft number for me; Ken Honer who actually helped me
    with the setup so I am back in business and explaining monitor setup;
    and to EMDS::HSIEH who called me with how to change monitor setup.
    
    My boss will be happy too, that I am now back in business!  As a
    proposal manager for Government contracts who works with lots of prime
    contractors and who has to provide electronic copies of proposal input
    in different formats, my laptop is a very important tool that I have
    come to rely on.  From now on, I will ask before I do!
    
    Again, thanks to all who responded!
    
    sue 

There is a notes conference for the laptop program.  

	sonata::pc_program

use kp 7 to add to your notebook.

    Sue, for future reference, you can change the video driver for Windows
    without actually going into Windows. From the top directory, type CD
    WINDOWS, then type SETUP. This lets you fix things from the DOS level
    when you've screwed up the Windows setup do badly that you can't get
    into Windows. :-)
    
    Next item. Sounds to me like you need to immediately get (and learn to
    use) a good hard disk backup program. If the disk croaks, so does all
    the data stored on it. As a CSE in Desktop Services I see lots of
    customers who never thought it would 'happen to them'. One customer
    hadn't done a backup in 3 years. There are companies out there that
    specialize in data recovery, but they don't work cheap.
    
    Harry
    

    And therein, folks lies half of our problems. People in the computer
    business, who don't know how to use computers, and computers, that we
    don't seem to be able to make, that can cope with these people...
    
    q
    

>                     <<< Note 2339.4 by STIMPY::QUODLING >>>

... Cheap Shot

    I disagree that .4 is a cheap shot - it is a very accurate truism. The
    solution - get a Macintosh! Learning it is easy & can get you into the
    stream of familiarity with the "modern age" in no time. Soon we will
    sell them, maybe someday the O/S will run on ALPHA AXP? There is no
    technical reason why it could'nt.

>                  <<< Note 2339.6 by GLDOA::MORRISON "Dave" >>>

You know... Been in the Air Force...  The mission was defined as keeping
planes in the sky in support of the national defense.  Each and every job
in the Air Force supported the mission.

What % of the folks in the AF do you think know how to fly or fix airplanes?

I think .4 is a cheap shot because there is this implication that one is a 
schmuck for not being able to do some fairly complex computer support...
I also caught the "why don't we make simpler computers" comment, but overall
I think we need to cut folks some slack.  If the second point was the main
purpose of .4, it could have been phrased a whole lot better...

/mlm

    When I attended the laptop training in the Summer of '92, I asked about
    backup and was told that it was NOT the purpose of the training to
    teach people how to backup their systems.  If you wanted that kind of
    training, you had to go to another class and of course your cost center
    would be charged mucho-bucks for the course.
    
    I never have understood why we give people tools and then refuse to
    teach them to use them properly.
    
    Bob

    Tools, be they computers, cars, or ... require care/support. The best
    part of computers is the productivity gain. The worst part is the
    additional investment necessary to keep them working properly.
    
    As for Macintosh, I use them out of personal preference. Don't be
    fooled that they aren't support free either. Just look at the notesfile
    devoted to that system if you don't believe.

>           <<< Note 2339.9 by GUCCI::HERB "Al is the *first* name" >>>
               -< You shouldn't have to be a mechanic to drive. >-

Thank you...

    re: .9  Was your reply directed at me?
    
    Bob

RE .9
        You shouldn't have to be a mechanic to drive, but you better know
    how to at least change a flat.  If you don't know how to change a flat
    then read the manual! 
    
    
    On another note, has anyone caught the new Apple Adds...
    
    Connect you mouse to com port 1 at IRQ 3, however, if com 1 is being
    used then connect to com 2 at IRQ 4.  
    
    When will we learn to make these thing easy to use!  Ooops, I don't
    want to be out of a job now do I.
    
    - Mike :')
      

        Re: .12

>        You shouldn't have to be a mechanic to drive, but you better know
>    how to at least change a flat.  If you don't know how to change a flat
>    then read the manual! 

        It's no big deal if you can't change a flat.  Standard driver
        training will teach you everything you need to avoid most flat
        tires.  If you stay off the dirt roads and you have a reasonable
        car, reasonable tires, and have your tires checked when you take
        your car in for service every six months, then you will have few
        flat tires.  When you do get a flat tire, you will be able to
        pay someone to change your tire without significant inconvenience.

        On the other hand, there is no standard training for computers
        that will let you avoid flat tires and other disabling problems. 
        There is no clear-cut line between `any fool should be able to
        make this customization to the system' and `do this and your
        system is unusable'.  If you forget which octane to use in your
        car you might waste some money or get sluggish performance. 
        However, if you forget which stupid acronym is used to describe
        the monitor that is part of your computer system (.0), your
        computer becomes disabled.

        					B.J.

>        You shouldn't have to be a mechanic to drive, but you better know
>    how to at least change a flat.  If you don't know how to change a flat
>    then read the manual! 
 
	I resent this, why should I have to know how to change a flat tyre? and
	I don't read car manuals either, I heve never been able to understand
	such user-unfriendly stuff.

	I have never had a flat in 20 years of motoring, the servicing/checking
	done by the garage ensures I don't have to, and if by some unknown
	circumstances I did get one, then I'd call the AA (AAA to those across 
	the pond) to get me where I was going, and to fix the car.

	If I had to know how to change a flat before I drove a car, I'd buy
	a more user friendly car and recovery service.

	Heather

    
    "Cheap Shot" not in my humble opinion. A very expensive shot!
    
    The first computer company to convince my wife to buy a computer will
    make millions. You see, a lot of folks KNOW how to care for and feed a
    computer. They're buying today. Many millions more are hanging on to
    their money cause they don't want to learn how. My wife wants a
    computer with no more documentation than the T.V. or stove. As carefree
    and as reliable. Both of these appliances are multi-faceted and used
    for dozens of purposes; complex and simple. Yet, the user is put in
    touch with the purpose for the product not the details of accomplishing
    the connection.
    
    The computer company that uses the increasing power of hardware and
    software to lighten the load on the non-tech user will be the winner. I
    haven't seen it yet. Till then the message is a very expensive shot at
    an unresponsive info industry.
    
    J.B.

I had a problem with my PC awhile back.  Nothing that a jack and tire-iron
couldn't fix .... 

Re:     <<< Note 2339.17 by CSC32::D_RODRIGUEZ "Midnight Falcon ..." >>>

>I had a problem with my PC awhile back.  Nothing that a jack and tire-iron
>couldn't fix .... 

Ah, you re-tired it then?  :-) :-)

-  David

    re .some...
    
    As the author of the "cheap shot" in .4, I am here to defend it...
    
    As the computer company who claims to be the provider of some of the
    best "ease of use" computers in the world, we are sadly sitting on our
    hands  at the moment. We have released world-beating hardware, we have
    a plethora of better than average software, but we seem to be unable to
    bring it all together.
    
    Mind you, neither has anyone else. I have seen very computer literate
    people stumped by wierd diagnostic messages freom Macintoshs and
    MS/Windows machines. WE have next century hardware, we have gui's that
    will last reasonably well, but the base undelying paradigms upon which
    we are basing the user interaction, haven't changed much in the last
    few decades. 
    
    re .6 (Macintosh on AXP) - I have friends at Apple who claim it would
    be a breeze to implement, and would outperform the apple/ibm powerpc
    technology. UNfortunately, it conflicts with the Soda Salesman's view of
    the world...
    
    
    q
    

    RE .14
    
    Heather, 
    
    You have obiously never driven in New York City.  There are more road
    hazards per mile then any place on earth.  I've had at least 3 flats
    from screws alone in the last year.  And in some parts of New York,
    there are just some places you don't leave your car. Unless you don't
    want to find it! :-)
    
    RE .17 I think.  Sometimes a tire iron is the only thing to get a PC to
    work.  Sure gave a sick man with the flu a good laugh!     Thanks!
    
    - Mike
    

    
>    Heather, 
>    
>    You have obiously never driven in New York City.  There are more road
>    hazards per mile then any place on earth.  I've had at least 3 flats
>    from screws alone in the last year.  And in some parts of New York,
>    there are just some places you don't leave your car. Unless you don't
>    want to find it! :-)
 
	I have driven in New York City, and you may not want to leave your
	car in some places, but I'd rather leave the car and get it covered 
	by insurance, than get out of my car alone, and try to fix a flat.

	Heather