Spring 2024

[nukecad]

It's years since I used a blender or food procesor, years since I even owned one.

I had in the last uear or so considered buying an electric whisk for making pastry, dough, etc. but decided to stick with arm power while I still can.
Simarly I was looking at stick-type blenders for soup etc, but a potato masher does about the same if a bit more rustic than smooth.

I suspect that If I did buy either one it would just sit in the cupboard because I'd still do things by hand rather than go to the faff of getting the gear out, plugging it in, etc.

PS. I've used Softmaker Free office for years, easy to get to grips with and just works as it should with no fuss.
It's never had an issue opening files from others with MS Office or one of the other free office apps,, or them opening files from me.
Ok you do get an occasional nag to upgrade to the paid version with more options for advanced business use, etc, but not so often as to be a problem.
https://www.freeoffice.com/en/download

[NewTricks]

Just what I was hoping for, a download link! 🎉 I like to see alternatives. 

I agree with all your points on blenders. I've never gone the 'powder' route, but a shaker cup should do the trick. 

Here we are June 1st, only 3 weeks from summer. 

 

[David H. Lipman]

I have a 6-speed and Pulse Oster Duralast Classic Blender.

Edited June 1 by David H. Lipman
Edited for content, clarity, spelling and/or grammar

[NewTricks]

I consider myself a minimalist, but this happy piece 'spoke' to me. From our resident 86 year old artist.

[David H. Lipman]

There was a fork in what was StarOffice that lead into two major directions;  OpenOffice and LibreOffice.

OpenOffice has had updates but has been relatively static and is very limited in capabilities to LibreOffice. 

LibreOffice is highly recommended over OpenOffice.

The combination of LibreOffice and Mozilla Thunderbird (aka; T-Bird) is by far the best competitor to Microsoft Office.

@1PW keeps us up to date on LibreOffice

[NewTricks]

@David H. LipmanYes, thank you. I am learning about that and went with LibreOffice. I still have to find my bearings with Thunderbird. I have it, used it, but then drifted away when life got chaotic.

But now, I'm diving in and have some help sites bookmarked. It's VERY EASY to find answers with LibreOffice! Thank G-D! My initial questions were about formatting columns, font colors etc. Thanks for the tip about @1PW. He's a fan favorite. THANK YOU 1PW!

@nukecad your recommendation led me to Collarbora. I could not find anything else to work on a Chromebook, even after a year of searching. WHOA! What a wonderful app that is. Granted, very basic, and experiences a tiny, microsecond of lag time while typing, but every review mentioned that. It's not objectionable, as long as it doesn't increase. It's serviceable.

😇

Now, this is a question in advance of need, which is probably 4 weeks away. I plan on traveling to care for my brother who was in an e-bike accident. He is a curmudgeon, resists change, and has the most pitiful Wi-Fi I've ever seen. Yes, I can configure with a mobile hotspot, but wonder is there's anything else out there, I can either purchase, or use short term, say a month max. I know we've visited this topic before, my long term memory is Swiss cheese.

Thanks for the hand holding everyone. 💯

[nukecad]

I'd reckon a mobile hotspot is probably the best bet, I can't really think of anything else - unless you can tap into a neighbours wifi? (With their permission).

Chromebook, I've never used one.

I've been thinking about maybe putting ChromeOS Flex onto my second laptop, just to give it a whirl.

I'm looking at it as going to be another option for the older machines that won't run Windows 11 because of Microsofts daft hardware restrictions. Flex may be another way to keep them from becoming e-waste.

No doubt Alphabet/Google have realised that too so may be working on improving Flex. Expect to hear more about it as Win10 approaches EOL.

The 'standard' way of installing it on an older PC doesn't seem to like any of my USB sticks though, that's a known issue. So it looks like I'm going to be downloading an ISO and then using Rufus to create a bootable USB. And there's no guarentee Flex will even run on that laptop, it should do but ......

[NewTricks]

Thanks for the idea about using the neighbor's wifi. We're friendly so that may be a good way to go.

I see your thinking about ChromeOS Flex, but having the experience and knowledge that you do, you're likely to be disappointed. But who I am to advise against it? We might both have a nice surprise.

One question, who or what is "Rufus?" It's probably a joke, but I missed the punchline.

 

April 26, I lost a USB at college, but was 99.9% sure I lost it at home. After crawling around here, nothing. Today the computer department dug in their box of detritus and voila! FOUND. Saved again. God loves fools and babies.

 

[David H. Lipman]

On 6/2/2024 at 10:40 AM, nukecad said:

The 'standard' way of installing it on an older PC doesn't seem to like any of my USB sticks though, that's a known issue. So it looks like I'm going to be downloading an ISO and then using Rufus to create a bootable USB. And there's no guarentee Flex will even run on that laptop, it should do but ......

1 minute ago, NewTricks said:

One question, who or what is "Rufus?" It's probably a joke, but I missed the punchline.

 

https://rufus.ie/en/

Quote

Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives, such as USB keys/pendrives, memory sticks, etc.

It can be especially useful for cases where:

• you need to create USB installation media from bootable ISOs (Windows, Linux, UEFI, etc.)
• you need to work on a system that doesn't have an OS installed
• you need to flash a BIOS or other firmware from DOS
• you want to run a low-level utility

Despite its small size, Rufus provides everything you need!

 

[NewTricks]

psychedelic speckled petunias

[nukecad]

13 hours ago, NewTricks said:

One question, who or what is "Rufus?" It's probably a joke, but I missed the punchline.

 

David has already linked to it and quoted what it is/does,

As for the name: Rufus - The Reliable USB Formatting Utility, with Source

Last time I used it was to put Windows 11 on an old laptop where Windows said it wasn't supported so wouldn't update to or install Win11.
Using Rufus I got Win11 sucessfully installed on it and running fine.
So much for Microsofts 'This PC doesn't currently meet the minimum system requirements to run Windows 11'.

Quote

I see your thinking about ChromeOS Flex, but having the experience and knowledge that you do, you're likely to be disappointed. But who I am to advise against it? We might both have a nice surprise.

It's the same laptop, but this time (when I get round to it) I'm going to try ChromeOS Flex on it.
Then once I've has a play I'll put Windows 10 back on it.

The Idea is that there are going to be a lot of PCs and laptops about that MS say can't/won't run Win11.
So I'm looking at the alternatives available to keep them going as useful machines rather than just becoming e-waste.

Linux is without doubt the best all round replacement OS for them, but many people seem wary or even scared of Linux. (usually those who have never used or tried it).
ChromeOS Flex may be a viable, even attractive, alternative for those who rarely use anything but their browser anyway.
ie. Those who don't care what OS it is as long as they can still get on Faceache/X/YouTube/TickTock/etc. and use Amazon or other shopping sites.
Flex doesn't currently give you what a full Chromebook does, but close enough for many.

Edited June 4 by nukecad

[NewTricks]

2 hours ago, nukecad said:

Using Rufus I got Win11 sucessfully installed on it and running fine.

😁 Of course! I am coping with this decade's playground with all the convolutions-I still believe messages & warnings. But a recent experience has shown me much of it can be dismissed as an outright LIE. I feel a bit betrayed, but ignore it more and more. When I receive some sort of error message, anywhere, I'll do two things; repeat the action (3-5X) or reboot. Sometimes both. That's effective about 55% of the time. For the remainder of glitches that come my way, if they can't be fixed with reasonable efforts, I accept it.

 

3 hours ago, nukecad said:

people seem wary or even scared of Linux. (usually those who have never used or tried it).

I have looked at Linux and admit fear and trembling. I don't know whether Linux is user friendly anywhere, but I'm getting fed up with MS. Perhaps there are kindergarten tutorials on YouTube. One of my many items on the "to do" list.

 

3 hours ago, nukecad said:

So I'm looking at the alternatives available to keep them going as useful machines rather than just becoming e-waste.

That's the way more people should be thinking. I admire you for doing that and being in all recycle efforts across the board. One of my strategies is to give my spent devices to the grand-kids. Now, even that's outdated. I miss my Toshiba from 2009.

[NewTricks]

[nukecad]

4 hours ago, NewTricks said:

One of my strategies is to give my spent devices to the grand-kids.

LOL, "Grandma is nice, but she insists on giving us all this old stuff"

Kids want the latest - the stuff that the advertising says they need/must have!!.

The laptop I play about with is a Toshiba M9, released in 2007 so from about that time or a couple of years later. I have added more RAM than original and a SSD but nothing more.

[AdvancedSetup]

Wow, you're more patient than me. I have a Toshiba laptop that was from circa 2009 that I put max RAM and SSD into and it was still too slow for me to use for much.

 

[NewTricks]

5 hours ago, nukecad said:

she insists on giving us all this old stuff"

The "babies" (3-9)  are appreciative because they don't know better. Penny keeps a tight rein on digital devices, at least for her offspring!

2 hours ago, AdvancedSetup said:

I have a Toshiba laptop that was from circa 2009 that I put max RAM and SSD into

I'll take it. 😉

[NewTricks]

Patios views (this was not cheap!)

[NewTricks]

A power nap helped me get up and out. Straight up a hill. Fortunately the sidewalk has been repaired, so it was smooth "sailing." On the way home, 4:37 PM broad daylight, a deer ran across the road to munch on the trees. (magnified beyond clarity)

[pondus]

14 hours ago, nukecad said:

It's the same laptop, but this time (when I get round to it) I'm going to try ChromeOS Flex on it.
Then once I've has a play I'll put Windows 10 back on it.

You probably know this ….. you can run ChromeOS Flex from the USB stick without installing

[AdvancedSetup]

1 hour ago, NewTricks said:

I'll take it. 😉

Already gave it away last year

 

[nukecad]

13 hours ago, AdvancedSetup said:

Wow, you're more patient than me. I have a Toshiba laptop that was from circa 2009 that I put max RAM and SSD into and it was still too slow for me to use for much.

Nah, I just have some time on my hands to play about.

'Slow' is relative, particularly if you are from the days of 8 bit machines, 3.5" floppys, and dare I say even magnetic tape storage.
My first home computer was an Atari STfm, took 15 minutes to boot from a floppy before you could even start using it.

10 hours ago, pondus said:

You probably know this ….. you can run ChromeOS Flex from the USB stick without installing

Yes I did know that thanks, I haven't created the USB yet though.

I've been busy on another forum where I mod (for now anyway) and the dung has really hit the windmill in the last few days. They are stealthily 'crippling' a major part of their free software and making it a paid option.
It isn't so much what they are doing (which is unfortunate but their choice to make) as the way that they are going about doing it.
The news has already reached other fora and no doubt it will be spread more widely over the web as more people notice.
https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/67171-ccleaner-62411060-will-not-do-a-custom-clean/#comment-348886
My personal comment there:
https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/67171-ccleaner-62411060-will-not-do-a-custom-clean/#comment-348891

Edited June 5 by nukecad

[AdvancedSetup]

I was already an adult and out of the service, but the firs computer I got to play with was the TI-99/4A

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-99/4A

 

[David H. Lipman]

Me too.  TI-99/4A connected to a Radio Shack Thermal Printer and Tape Recorder for storage.

[NewTricks]

6 hours ago, nukecad said:

My first home computer was an Atari STfm, took 15 minutes to boot from a floppy before you could even start using it.

Ahhhhhhh, you reminded me of 1987. I was required to take a computer course in college and ended up with the Atari. That's the source of my computer angst. I used to go wash my dishes in the 15 minutes it took my first home computer to boot up, or PRINT. (24 years?)

Yeah, I had floppies, first large, then smaller. Then CDs (still have a bunch) Now USB's.  Music has gone the same way from vinyl, & 8 track to cassette tape (still have some) to .wav. Life is in constant state of change.  

 

6 hours ago, nukecad said:

https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/67171-ccleaner-62411060-will-not-do-a-custom-clean/#comment-348891

Sigh, that is a poor way to make changes of any kind. Upfront, transparent and authentic gets my vote. I'm sorry you are caught in the middle, so to speak.

 

16 hours ago, AdvancedSetup said:

Already gave it away last year

Oh well. That TI-99/4A looks like it would be in an exhibit with rotary telephones. Desk model not wall mount.

Thinking about telephones: remember when you could dial and reach a person?  Buttons replaced dials. Then the newfangled voice mail and options with numerical choices. Now fast forward to bots of all kinds.

[NewTricks]

Twice a month I use Google Meet for business and have always used the Chromebook. Since Penny's last visit in May, she obliterated my router settings, my Chromebook pairing and caused total havoc. I finally reset my router password from the (dreaded) admin. I eventually found under that under the Connectivity Tab. (thank you to all my patient teachers!)

Her apology was cancelling her plans and spending Friday night helping her Mother as much as possible. When that didn't work well, she bought me a freestanding mic, and send me her used Webcam. After both were set up, we then spent an HOUR trying to make it work. It is during that process that I learned about permissions in the address bar. I never needed it, so wouldn't know.

Today's big accomplishment:

Today, I was feeling confident that I'd know exactly where to go to enable permissions. Famous last words. Nope. I enabled, refreshed, x 8 or 10. No dice. I looked online, for 45 minutes, finally landing on the answer. I had blocked permissions in settings in Firefox, checking that little box that says BLOCK new requests to access your microphone/camera. Unchecked that box, saved changes and problem solved.

A nagging question remains. Why didn't those settings cause a failure with our Zoom call?