COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[PanBiker]

Jo replied to my email and has seen Bryan who used to admin the site. He says that the security certificate was not renewed because a lot of the information on the site is not up to date. That will explain why before it went down the updates I made to Bosom Friends entry on the site were not actioned. It needs a proactive administrator to keep on top of the housekeeping. Pity, it was launched in a blaze of publicity in Town Square Marquee season with an accompanying booklet if memory serves me well.

Anyway, it's a redundant link so I will remove if from here.

[Stanley]

What a waste and a shame..... Well done for tracking the truth down Ian.

[Big Kev]

With the upcoming demise of Google Play Music I downloaded everything (nice easy option provided by Google) and created my own music library on a NAS. I've used a 4TB Western Digital Mycloud and the whole operation was seamless, all the music files are mp3, in a single folder, and the Sonos indexed them all. They're all now accessible by either artist, song, album or genre.

[plaques]

A minor success between my laptop and mobile phone. Actually it may just be flagging how much behind the times I am on this subject.
My newish laptop , windows 10 android. and my Moto g7 phone didn't easily transfer pictures from phone to laptop. The phone doesn't have a USB port for cable connection so it requires a Wifi link.
The basic nuts and bolts to achieve this are...
Laptop > open setting and go to phone (this may require more than one step depending on the age of the laptop). click the required buttons for your laptop then move onto phone.
Phone > on google go to WWW.aka.ms/yourpc. work your way through the options until you come across > your phone companion, download it to your phone. I found this part rather frustrating that there were loads of other options tabled that I didn't want then when finally having got there there were numerous requests to 'allow this to access your...' which I was suspicious about and restricted it to photos only. Finally when I'd finished it worked OK.

[PanBiker]

I use Google Drive to transfer images from my phone to my laptop or PC. Share to Drive from the gallery, (single or multiple images or anything else), go to Drive on PC or laptop and download. If there are multiple files Drive automatically zips them into a single archive. A lot simpler than it sounds.

[Tizer]

The phone doesn't have a USB port for cable connection so it requires a Wifi link.

Isn't the charging port also the USB port?

[PanBiker]

I was going to say the same the specs say it has a USB C which is the same as on most phones.

[chinatyke]

Today's tip is: don't spill a cup of coffee on your wireless keyboard, it makes the coffee taste funny!

[Stanley]

Swill it with hot water China, then methylated spirits and then dry in an aired oven. It could rescue it!

[chinatyke]

One day a plant manager decided to clean our office computer keyboard using acetone. The solvent took off all the white markings on the keys and partially dissolved them! Luckily keyboards are dirt cheap and disposable items.

I've cleaned mine as best as I can, shaken all the dirt out, and dried it in the hot sun, and it seems to be OK, but I'll order a new one when we return from Nanning later next week, they are only about 6 quid for a wireless mouse/keyboard set. I don't like using the keyboard on my laptop.

Expensive cup of coffee!

[Stanley]

[plaques]

Today's tip is: don't spill a cup of coffee on your wireless keyboard, it makes the coffee taste funny!

For me it isn't a tip its a golden rule. Although I use a mouse with the laptop I always use the built in keyboard. Your eccentricities have save your bacon.

[PanBiker]

Just a note regarding using Meths for electrical clean up jobs. Not a particularly good idea as it leaves a sticky residue behind from the colouring dye.

From my 40 years in the game one way or the other, you either use Isopropyl Alcohol or you can get proprietary safe cleaning chemicals in aerosol cans such as PC Clean or Switch Cleaner which clean but leave no residue behind.

[Tizer]

China, oh dear, I'v ju t cl aned m k ybo rd wi h ac tone!

[Tizer]

I suppose this was bound to happen sometime soon...
`Amazon web outage breaks vacuums and doorbells' LINK

[Stanley]

I heard a report yesterday that said that AWS was already the largest segment of Amazon business activities.

[Tizer]

Two stories this morning on the same page of the BBC web site - they go well together don't they?

`Your data and how it is used to gain your vote' Data

`Algorithms: Public sector urged to be open about role in decision-making' Algorithms

[Stanley]

I'll believe anything that is said against algorithms Peter. I know that if they are used correctly they can be wonderfully productive and efficient. That was after all the reason why we started using them in the first place, to make systems more productive with less human intervention, in other words cutting the numbers of the work force.
They started the cutting before the systems were perfected to the stage they could manage the loss of human intervention. That's why waiting times for responses to simple questions about procedures increased so much and simply increasing the numbers of outsourced battery hens in call centres didn't improve things. Did you see the mind-boggling numbers of people waiting for answers connected with immigration status this week? Examples like highly qualified doctors being barred from working because simple immigration procedures weren't being addressed.
My point is that over-reliance on algorithms or any other technical 'improvement' before we have proven results is a mistake. Ignoring the problem once we get into it by refusing to admit it exists is an even worse betrayal of the system.

[PanBiker]

The Mosaic algorithm mentioned above for the Labour and Tory parties above will be relied on heavily for a while during the pandemic as direct canvassing and leafleting for the electorate is not allowed. telephone canvassing is the only contact method allowed under covid rules.

In practical terms and directly PC related. The left hand hinge mount on my laptop display disintegrated yesterday so I had to pull it a part and replace the poxy 8 BA or thereabouts crews that held it in place with something a bit more substantial. I have fixed the hinge problem but seem to have introduced a charging problem. It's intermittent and I will need to diagnose whether it is a dodgy plug on the charger or in the socket or hardware of the laptop.

[Whyperion]

The Mosaic algorithm mentioned above for the Labour and Tory parties above will be relied on heavily for a while during the pandemic as direct canvassing and leafleting for the electorate is not allowed. telephone canvassing is the only contact method allowed under covid rules.

Really ? Unless it was when london was in tier 2 had a mayorial candidates letter blurb delivered and a local tory MP's round-up missive.

[Stanley]

Good luck with the laptop Ian. I dread something happening to the FM3. What should I do about a backup? Any advice appreciated.

[PanBiker]

It's something on the mainboard. I reckon the hinge failing has introduced a hairline crack. I have had it apart again and there is nothing obvious. If I just plug in the charger nothing happens but if i balance the plug which bends the mainboard slightly it shows that it is charging. Our Jack is going to see if they have a spare mainboard in the store at work. Apparently the hinge problem was endemic to this particular model of laptop and half the store is full with failed examples. A final option would be to hardwire the charger in but there is no access to suitable pads to access the charging circuit without fully removing the main board from the base chassis. These things are sent to try us.

[Wendyf]

What is your laptop Ian? It might be worth seeing if Col has a suitable replacement board in 'stores'.

[PanBiker]

Stone NT310 Wendy, It think they were made for the education sector.

[Wendyf]

Ah, that will be a no then!