|
Or do it my way - I stopped doing family and friends support as soon as my oldest son built his first PC; he's the support person now. I only work on my machines, and my wife's if necessary; everybody else gets referred to my son.
|
|
|
|
|
<a href="https://www.codeproject.com/Lounge.aspx?msg=5585956#xx5585956xx">Reply</a> ain't directed at your particularly, but it very much applies.
|
|
|
|
|
Member 9167057 wrote: you seem to expect her to call you anytime yelling at you, asking for you to do her bidding RIGHT FRIGGIN' NOW (or maybe next Saturday at 4 in the morning) and you seem to feel obliged to follow her bidding.
That's probably what's stressing me out. Based on past (and very real) experience, some people have no problem leaving me hanging for however long it suits them, but the instant they decide something needs to be done, then they feel I should be making it a priority. Hey, I've "had this long to prepare for it", apparently.
Some people need to learn to say no. I fully admit I'm one of them.
|
|
|
|
|
Maybe doing what I'm doing will suit you better than your current attitude. I usually am a helpful person, when someone asks me for help, I reply. Be it about technical stuff or anything else (separating technology from sociology). When it's something small and I have a couple moments (which I usually have), that's not an issue. If it's something bigger, I reply with "Look, that'll take time, I'm busy ATM. I can call you in 3 days at 15:30, then I'll have plenty of time." Something like that. When the person is a functioning mature human, they understand.
The moment someone goes "But I want you to oblige to my terms", I tell them off.
The trick here is to go into this open-minded. People asking me for help aren't random strangers, they're friends or friends of friends. Since I don't surround myself with morons, chances are high, they'll understand. I don't assume the worst from the get-go but when someone stresses me, I close it immediately. That way, I am still helpful but don't stress myself out.
You said earlier that this person is rather aware that you don't owe her anything and doing quite the favor here without anything in return but a warmhearted "thank you" (which is still rewarding if it's honest). Chances are, she won't treat you like a slave. No need to assume the worst here.
|
|
|
|
|
Looks like SlashDot has been hacked...
503 No Backend Servers Available
No backend servers were available to answer your request. Please notify the site admins.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
|
|
|
|
|
Looks good to me. Must have had a quick down time.
|
|
|
|
|
Nothing to report.
Still working, just like last weekend, and the one before, and the one before that, and the one before that, and the one before that, and the one before that, and the one ...
No need to poke it with a stick, scrabble around for drivers, or resort to arcane command lines. No need to recompile the kernel, re-educate Herself, or find some way to run applications that have worked faultlessly for years...
Just thought I'd mention it. 
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
OriginalGriff wrote: No need to poke it with a stick
Me either.
OriginalGriff wrote: scrabble around for drivers,
There are no Linux drivers.
OriginalGriff wrote: resort to arcane command lines.
Unless you're running a server version of Windows.
OriginalGriff wrote: No need to recompile the kernel,
Here either. But you can if you want/need to.
OriginalGriff wrote: re-educate Herself,
No need here either because FireFox and Thunderbird work the same as they did in Windows (and Linux Thunderbird even uses our old Windows Thunderbird profiles), and Libre Office lets her do her spreadsheet stuff (and that's the same as Office as well). All I had to do was make her legacy documents available and tell her where they were.
OriginalGriff wrote: find some way to run applications that have worked faultlessly for years...
You mean the stuff like Visual Studio? Faultlessly? VirtualBox to the rescue.
OriginalGriff wrote: Just thought I'd mention it.
Back at ya, cupcake. 
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
modified 6-Jan-19 8:09am.
|
|
|
|
|
As it is weekend there try an update a Win 7 machine to Win 10 - while working on it (Yes - did it two weeks ago moving from Fedora 27 to 29 without interruption)...
As today the only thing Linux has no - for developers - is VS...
Granted - there are lot of issues with Linux for not-technical persons that makes it a no-go, but for our kind it is much better, IMHO...
No need for drivers research, no need for command line (but it is actually pretty nice to work with - similar to writing code)...
On the other hand - herself's computer runs W10 now and she can not change the resolution/font-size, because a years old tax-related software (based on Access)...
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge". Stephen Hawking, 1942- 2018
|
|
|
|
|
OriginalGriff wrote: Nothing to report.
Which is to be expected on Windows; but if you're moving to another OS, you're bound to run into things. Always a good idea to look beyond your comfort-zone
..and quite happy there is no-one posting about their iOS weekend 
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.
|
|
|
|
|
yup, get in there with the millions of windows users that shutting down to go to bed think to themselves, "will it still boot tomorrow?"
Message Signature
(Click to edit ->)
|
|
|
|
|
Linux is for consenting adults.
If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
|
|
|
|
|
theoldfool wrote: Linux is for consenting adults
...with an outsider subsequently asking "you agreed to what"??
|
|
|
|
|
Windows is great; it's all the other stuff.
Check Task Manager and see what's running in the background ... with multiple instances.
All internet browsers are pigs.
"(I) am amazed to see myself here rather than there ... now rather than then".
― Blaise Pascal
|
|
|
|
|
Nothing to report.
But I do have a 500gb nVME drive sitting here without a way to use it until Tuesday...
EDIT (for OG ) ===============================
This whole Linux migration thing started in (late) September 2018 when I got my new laptop (because I absolutely refuse to use Win10 at home), and yes, there were some bumps and bruises along the way. However, I only have one Windows VM for Windows dev work, dvd ripping, and maybe for turbo tax if SWMBO decides she doesn't want to do our taxes on the web. Here we are, about 3-1/2 months later, and we're finally fully migrated, including seven desktop machines, three laptops, a NUC, and three Raspberry Pi's.
This is the first weekend since I started this that I didn't have to do anything to address an issue regarding Linux. I'm feeling pretty good about that. I hope to never do it again.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
modified 6-Jan-19 8:08am.
|
|
|
|
|
So which would you say comes out the cheapest, in terms of time + real money?
a) dealing with Linux's idiosyncrasies
b) Windows license + its own idiosyncrasies
|
|
|
|
|
Linux, by far.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
|
|
|
|
|
And I find it hard to disagree, at least in principle, once you're past its initial setup - with a caveat.
I have a lot more experience working out the kinks in Windows than Linux; I know I can expect X amount of time babysitting Windows in a given week or month. Linux, not so much. So long as it keeps going and doesn't fall flat on its face, that's all time saved. But when Linux goes south, I have a much harder time figuring out what's wrong and how to fix anything. I've lost count of the number of times I just recreated a Linux VM from scratch rather than getting to the bottom of a problem (but that's probably because I mostly use various distributions to tinker with, and don't have anything terribly valuable running on them so there's really nothing to reinstall/configure).
I have to think someone equally knowledgeable with either OS would pick Linux, given its assumed ability to "just work". Personally I'm not there yet.
|
|
|
|
|
For the most part it "just works", but so does Windows. I especially like that Linux just works with my video card and dual monitor setup. I didn't have to do anything additional to it. However, if you're using a laptop and wireless, there are issues that require you to seek assistance. Of the three laptops I have, only one is usable on a wireless connection. The other two (6-8 years old), not at all, but that can be remedied with a USB wireless dongle.
If you're not a Windows desktop app dev, spending money on Windows is a waste of resources and dollars (IMHO).
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
|
|
|
|
|
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote: If you're not a Windows desktop app dev, spending money on Windows is a waste of resources and dollars (IMHO).
I've never thought of it that way, but you may be on to something. I've seen plenty of very smart people get stuck with Windows, and it just may be that you have to be intimately familiar with its internals to even speculate what might be the source of problems in a lot of cases - otherwise you may very well find yourself going down the wrong rabbit hole. Whereas to keep a Linux system going, you might only need to be able to google for the right thing. This almost sounds counterintuitive, but my perspective has to be undeniably tainted.
I've been mostly shielded from Linux hardware compatibility problems because of the fact that most of my Linux instances are VMs - so the virtualized hardware always appears the same, and by now, well-known to most distributions. My experienced on real hardware varies however. I had to give up on the idea of converting an old Atom-based system of mine to Linux, because I couldn't find a distribution that recognizes its onboard video (Nvidia Ion) and provide hardware video acceleration (desperately needed for 1080p), whereas getting that to work on Windows was as straightforward as it could be. Sad, because that's this particular machine's only job (it's hooked up to my projector), and I'm getting more p*ssed with Windows's performance on it with each iteration.
|
|
|
|
|
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote: his is the first weekend since I started this that I didn't have to do anything to address an issue regarding ...
shhhh, don't say that too loudly, as a total computer geek the rellies, friends, in and out-laws will want you around to help them fix up their PC still broken by the last w10 upgrade degrade
Message Signature
(Click to edit ->)
|
|
|
|
|
I've started using SWMBO (the words, not the acronym) in casual conversation. It's amazing how many guys know exactly what you mean  .
Software Zen: delete this;
|
|
|
|
|
Try "RCH"...
It's been scientifically proven to be a reference to the smallest measurable distance, or width.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
|
|
|
|
|
Not sure what's in your fridge? Problem solved!
FridgeCam | The connected kitchen - a new way to start your day Smarter[^]
So ... every time you close the fridge it takes a picture which you can look at on your mobile. So your SO can see that you had a midnight snack and ate his / her yoghurt, or - if your fridge is anything like mine - can't see bugger all because it's full.
And as for the "start your day Smarter" bit ... walk to the kitchen - you were there anyway to make the coffee - open the door. Look. Go "Oh, it's full of food" or "Oh, I need to get milk". And save yourself £150 ...
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
THOMAS!
So many companies really do appear to be at the point where they haven't got a clue what to make, with this new tech, so they're just jumping on the stupidest ideas that the noisiest (and therefore probably least talented) people in the company come up with.
But if you think this is bad now, wait until there are 150 million poorly-trained AIs floating around -- those lacking in human intelligence will really go to town.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
|
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
