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Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted -
17/12/2010
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10:26
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Over the years I've not done so bad when it comes to working with computers, and most times I can eventually fix things up when it all goes pear-shaped.
Yesterday my Mac went not just pear-shaped but a complete fruit pudding with meringue and custard. Over the past few weeks it had been getting slower and slower until it said: "You know what? I can't be bothered anymore. I quit." And it did.
Fortunately there's a thing called Time Machine which regularly backs up the OS and all files to an external drive, so I wasn't too nonplussed.
Unfortunately my Mac refused even to start up. Missing its core thingies or something.
No probs - just re-install the OS from the original discs. Almost there - the discs were a bit out of date but I could easily update the version from the internet.
Went to restore all my settings, files, programmes, etc from Time Machine. Unfortunately my finely tuned and slimmed down original system had bloated by about 20GB when reinstalled - and my drive didn't have enough space on it to complete the job.
Grrr.
My backup drive (1TB capacity) is also getting full so it looks like I'm going to have to buy another to dump my data into, then give it all a good clean out.
On top of that, once you start messing with reinstallations, I find much of my work software needs reactivating from the software companies - it's going to take me absolutely ages to get back to where I was a few, happy and organised days ago.
I hate computers.
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Tizer
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Posted - 24/12/2011 : 10:56
Pluggy, when you set up Ubuntu for these people do you instal any firewall or antivirus software or just rely on the default setup? I know the arguments about no viruses for Linux but also see some people on the Ubuntu forums recommending antivirus to make sure the user doesn't pass on a bad file to a Windows user. I ask in case I had to set up a friend with Ubuntu, someone who knows little about computers and software.
We hear the government saying that more should be done to teach how to use computers in and out of school but I wish they wouldn't keep relying on Microsoft to provide the support!
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pluggy
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Posted - 24/12/2011 : 16:00
Controversial Subject, Tizer. I just leave it as default. The firewall isn't really relevent IMO, There are no attack faces open on the default setup and as its very unlikely to be infected itself its not going to have an agent on the inside communicating to the outside world. The only way you could pass on a bad file was if you forwarded an email with a dodgy attachment that came from somebody else. In this day and age using email to move malware around is a dying game, most ISPs have some form of checking in place and the bad guys know this. Social networking is the way they do it these days. The bad files aren't going to do you any harm, and you have no control over what others do with them so its a non issue. If real live malware ever seriously appeared on Linux I'd rethink my stance.
Need computer work ? "http://www.stsr.co.uk"
Pluggy's Household Monitor |
Tizer
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Posted - 24/12/2011 : 16:56
Thanks for that, it's heartening to know I'm OK! Merry Christmas!
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 25/12/2011 : 06:45
And you're not paying a pound a week for protection. Thanks to Pluggy I am still ecstatic about my Ubuntu 64bit. It's like having an excellent butler looking after the household.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Tizer
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Posted - 26/12/2011 : 11:49
Protection money! I've always wondered if it might be the antivirus companies who are sending out all the malicious viruses just so most people end up buying their products. After all, just look at what the banks and newspaper companies get up to!
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panbiker
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Posted - 26/12/2011 : 12:34
I have often thought that too Tiz. Particularly as you find that as soon as a new virus is discovered they seem to have a magic cure for it with their existing product or some downloadable code to zap it with. If those programmers had been at Bletchley Park, WWII would only have lasted 6 months Makes you wonder.
Ian |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 27/12/2011 : 04:59
One thing that has played into the hands of the anti-virus companies has been the incompetence of many 'computer experts'. Faced with a fault they can't understand opr cure easily they can always say "Youve got a virus" and blunder forward. We've all seen the effects of a virus on screenshots shown on the TV but I wonder how many people ever had one? I know there is malware about but as Pluggy says, the miscreants always go for the soft target and at the moment I suspect this in internet enabled mobile phones. As long as they leave me alone........
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 29/12/2011 : 10:22
It's that time of year again! Sorry if this disturbs anyone by reminding them of things they would rather forget but it's archiving time again. I've decided to have a rest from standing in the shed and do some serious sorting out. The whole of last years work transferred to the external hard drive and selected text and research backed up on DVD for physical storage. A new My Documents file for current 2012 work. I intend to start the New Year with a straight edge!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 30/12/2011 : 05:24
All done, finished by 11:30. Amazing what that little black box has inside it.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |