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I would say at least half of us on this site know very will about paying bills with checks. We also remember life very well without the internet.
With that said, paying by check "can be" the safest for the entity you owe money too. Believe it or not, it is extremely difficult to forge paper checks (personal checks) accurately. Credit cards can be stolen, and cash cannot be tracked via an electronic system and can be counterfeit.
Some places here in the States require a cashier's check, which you get from your bank, as that is even safer than a personal check.
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Does your bank have a bill pay option? I can have my Credit Union send a check to anyone. That might be easier than ordering checks.
Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it.
Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.
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Finally took the time to play around with the rPi. For giggles, got Postgres loaded on it, DotNet Core 2.2, got C# talking to Postgres both on the rPi and from my Windows laptop, rPi boots from an external 2TB drive, etc.
And yes, article forthcoming. A few more things deal with first based on what I'm trying to accomplish.
[/edit]
Published!
[edit]
Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads
Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny
Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802
modified 6-Jan-19 18:10pm.
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Awesome, look forward to the article.
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart
I forgot where I was going with this but I do know I love bacon!
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Published! .NET Core nginx, and Postgres with EF on an rPi
Actually went faster than I expected, given I had to learn a whole bunch of stuff, including the basics of nginx!
Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads
Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny
Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802
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But you could do all this on your computer !!!
Caveat Emptor.
"Progress doesn't come from early risers – progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Lazarus Long
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abmv wrote: But you could do all this on your computer !!!
Yes, but there's something cool about carrying around an entire computer complete with web server, database, and a real working website implemented in C# and .NET Core in my shirt pocket. It's a geek thing.  All for $80 if you exclude the cost of the external drive.
Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads
Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny
Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802
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So my sister apparently told a friend of hers that I'm "the computer guy" in the family, so of course I got a call around the middle of last month. She wanted to buy a "newer" computer - she even asked me if I had a second-hand computer I could sell her. I honestly don't, but even if I did, then while my machines work for me, I see no reason anything couldn't flake out a month from now, so if I sell one of my machines I don't want anything to do with it from that point forward--I'm not in the business of selling hardware. She doesn't have much money to spend, but I did convince her it would be a better idea to get a laptop from Wal-Mart (plenty good for her described needs) as it'll come with a warranty and what-not.
I have no problem telling people to get PCs/laptops from Wal-Mart, given that their employees don't know their products and don't give a damn about them, so if there's any reason to ask for an exchange or refund, they treat it like it was a toaster; basically no questions asked, whereas if purchased from a more reputable computer store, then requests for exchanges/refunds are typically met with a little more resistance.
Aside: While I can certainly understand some people's financial predicaments, man, I hate having to make recommendations for something so cheap I wouldn't want to use myself.
Anyway, long story short: We went to Wal-mart on the last Friday before Christmas (December 18th) and I found her something semi-decent. Since she didn't have time on that day to have me set it up at her place, I brought it back with me to complete as much as I could, but told her I would still need to come over to set it up with her wireless connection (she's at the level where she couldn't do that herself), configure her email, set up her printer, etc--an afternoon or evening at the most. I told her I was back at work on January 7th, so I left it up to her to call me whenever she finds time before then. We're now closing in on mid-day, January 6th as I'm writing this. I have basically an afternoon left, she still hasn't called, and quite frankly there's other things I'd rather do with the last afternoon/evening I have before heading back to work.
I'm doing this without expecting anything in return; I feel I've been generous with my time (and she's said so herself)--I don't owe anything to this person I otherwise know nothing about. The a-hole in me is starting to feel like if she doesn't call before end of day, I'm going to wait until 9pm tonight, drive to her place, knock on her door, hand her her laptop, and tell her she's had over 2 full weeks to get me to finish that setup for her, and sorry, I'm just going to be too busy with work in the coming weeks to help her out (which is exactly the truth). I'm feeling rather strongly this is, at worse, abusing of my generosity, and at best, not respecting the value I place on my time off.
Am I overreacting?
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dandy72 wrote: Am I overreacting?
No. But it's family. And who knows, maybe some crisis occurred on her end that prevented her from getting back to you sooner.
Latest Article - A Concise Overview of Threads
Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny
Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802
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It's not family. It's a friend of my sister's, and I had never met her before she called me. That's the repeating pattern - I get introduced (without asking or being asked) to people whenever they have computer troubles.
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dandy72 wrote: It's a friend of my sister's,
You really want to lose an open opportunity?
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An "opportunity" to hook up with someone who had to be talked out of buying a used computer because that's all she can afford? Yeah, that sounds like a diamond in the rough...
Worse still: I'm 46. She's retired.
modified 6-Jan-19 16:38pm.
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dandy72 wrote: We went to Wal-mart on the last Friday before Christmas (December 18th) and I found her something semi-decent. Since she didn't have time on that day to have me set it up at her place, I brought it back with me to complete as much as I could, but told her I would still need to come over to set it up with her wireless connection (she's at the level where she couldn't do that herself), configure her email, set up her printer, etc--an afternoon or evening at the most.
Those damn estimates!
You're being helpfull and kind; I usually tell them to buy the cheapest new PC they can find 
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
"If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.
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well,
you could format the C drive, drop it off to her and tell her she needs to go back to Walmart and return it as broken... less than 2 mins to provide those instructions
or:
part 1: explaining to her what the wireless router is, where it may be so you can find get the password/key printed on it, setting up the wifi password, assuring her no one is spying (yet).
part 2: how to turn on the laptop, the battery icon and how to plug in the power,
part 3: how to open the email, what email is, what an email address is, what "e" is,... how to read the messages, how to avoid scams, how to reply or delete, how to send the reply,
part 4: how to open the browser, what is a browser, what is a url, what is the internet, that google won't turn on her camera and look at her but others might, what a webcam is, what a web is
.... and about 7 hours later how to shut it down.
And then she will want to try it again before you go to make sure she got it all.
If lucky you should make it back in time for a shower before heading off to work.
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That first option won't buy me much: She'll get it exchanged for another, and then I'm going to have to start all over again (which will include everything else from your second option by the time everything is said and done).
Or are you suggesting I only do that first part, and only that?
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dandy72 wrote: Or are you suggesting I only do that first part, and only that?
yup, option 1
then get "too busy"
Message Signature
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I can sympathize, having in-laws who regularly need help.  At least they aren't local, so I usually put them off until I have the time for a remote.
If I were in your shoes, I'd go ahead and put a free remote client on her system that can be easily connected. I'd also do as you are suggesting, delivering it today and at least getting wireless and email setup. (hopefully, she knows her passwords!) Good luck!
dandy72 wrote: not respecting the value I place on my time
Yeah, those in-laws I mentioned are retired, and seem to have no qualms about calling me in the middle of a work day to commiserate or ask for help. According to him, he knows I'm usually busy, and is doing me a favor by interrupting me so I can have a break. While I'm ranting, he's the kind of guy who will not be ignored...if I don't answer, he will sometimes leave a stupid voicemail like 'hey it's me...call me' that I have to take the time to remove. If something is really bothering him he will just continue to call until I finally give in.
The point is, there are a lot of selfish people out there who will take as much of your time as you will allow. You were nice to let her set the schedule but in hindsight probably would have been better off setting a date for delivery/setup.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Quote: I'd go ahead and put a free remote client on her system that can be easily connected
I have a cousin who had come to count on that to ping me any time of the day, since everything's "a quick fix and you don't even need to get out of the house". I eventually removed it and told him it was discontinued, and nobody's ever made a good replacement.
kmoorevs wrote: According to him, he knows I'm usually busy, and is doing me a favor by interrupting me so I can have a break
Wow. That would get a phone slammed down pretty hard on my end. I take my breaks on my own terms, thank-you-very-much.
I always tell people who know I'm working from home to consider that, if I was working in an office, would they call me there during office hours, or would they wait until they knew I'm back home. Those who have any sort of common sense at least get that.
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Mycroft Holmes wrote: And what is wrong with retired ladies, I sleep with one every night
By "retired", I really did mean "not in the same age group".
I mean, would you get with women who are significantly younger than...oh, wait. That example doesn't work here.
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I can't help helping other people, being relatives or not. There is always a reward to it one day or another.
Yes it is my time, which is of course valuable, but I have no other talent which I can help people with, so let it be "the computer guy in the area". My part to society.
I used to react as you did or wanted to, but this does not lead anywhere good. Even if I am being "overused" by some people, I can live with it.
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Rage wrote: I have no other talent which I can help people with
Same here, so in principle, I'm ok with doing what I do best for people and they do what they do best for me...
But unfortunately, the people who need computer help are often equally even more incompetent than I am and have nothing to offer in return - 'cept maybe coffee and cake, which I don't really need...
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
Mark Twain
modified 7-Jan-19 5:44am.
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I won't get involved - even for pay - as then you are permanently on call for their problems.
If you were a store, you'd say "out of warranty" and charge them some more and they'd not think twice. But you're not a store and you are thereby indentured to them for life.
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Exactly.
If I start charging for "real" money (in the sense of making it worth my time), then I put myself on the hook for making sure things keep running. If I don't...then I might be able to eventually guilt someone for something in return. But some really don't.
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When asked for recommendations, I usually explain that I work on professional equipment designed for a very different job to a domestic user. I say it's a bit like asking an F1 racing driver for advice on a budget runabout, or a long-distance trucker advice on which city car to buy.
If pressed I explain further that I just program the things. You wouldn't ask an aircraft technician to fly your 747.
Even if they don't "get" the comparison, they usually get that you're just not that keen on helping with their particular predicament. If all else fails I just tell them they couldn't afford my fees.
That generally works though in true emergencies I have been known to save the day, as I'm sure we all have.
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