COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[chinatyke]

.... although my new Macbook retina (Core i7 Quad Core) is arriving this week. I will be running the image of this machine inside VMWare or Parallels for the majority of the time. And the viruses? I've never had one, and I don't often run Virus Scans.

Steven, I presume your new Macbook has Maverick OS 10.9.2. That is what I am using and I was under the impression that Maverick does not support Parallels?

[Stanley]

"Looks like you are out of your depth Stanley, stick to the key board, and leave the covers on."
Planet Hartley has spoken and must be right. No need to take covers off, FM3 runs like one of my steam engines. (Makes you wonder how I got all that work done)
"Windows XP I presume you are talking about, is extremely poor at managing resources."
No, 2000 Prof and it never let me down, still running on the old IBM upstairs, rock solid but not connected to Internet. Besides, it was Word 2000 that staggered with the big files and was not stable.
As for anyone converting to Ubuntu cold turkey. Even someone as dim as I am (according to Planet Hartley) did it with no major problems. The only facilities I lost were use of the Mormons genealogy programme and a driver that suited my scanner so I kept the IBM running and use it for these and an old laser printer that Ringo gave me for big printing jobs.
I reckon Pluggy is right, 'internet security' is important but too often is used as a bogeyman to get people to spend money. I took it seriously and spent money on it. It must have been good because I wouldn't know a virus if it punched me in the face!
I always remember my daughter's response when I once asked her about a problem I was having with Windows and she told me she was useless with computers and I'd better ask Harry. This is the software engineer who has just gone back to work again from retirement because she was made an offer she couldn't refuse on her own terms. Her forte was using the machines and on a lower level, that's always been my attitude. I didn't lift the bonnet until I needed to because it wasn't doing the job. That, plus the fact that I admire the principle of the free software movement was why I wanted to get away from Microsoft.
Another bunch of free upgrades just came in.....

[Steven Chorkley]

The market share is Windows entire problem. Linux will stay secure as long as it remains a backwater. Before Google got their mitts on it and turned it into the worlds most popular phone operating system, Android was Linux. Now you need AV on your phone.

Installing Ubuntu for a very naive computer user isn't an issue, you just show them how to to get on Facebook and they're happy - a web browser looks and works pretty much the same in any OS, but if they have a degree of Windows experience it becomes a much bigger problem. Many of my customers wouldn't know what a Windows tool was if it bit them. No disrespect to them, but there are a lot of people with lives out there who don't live to write Word documents and defrag their hard drive , and if a computer will do what they want the OS is immaterial.

If they know and love Microsoft Office, Linux and Libre/Open Office is a non starter.

If everyone thought like you regarding Office suites, Microsoft would have abandoned Office a decade ago. I'm no fan of Microsoft and their draconian licensing is a pain in the backside, but I believe if you want Microsoft Office, you should pay for it. I don't do hooky software, company policy, most of my customers respect that, although I've had 2 in 4 years that weren't impressed. If you want Windows & Office for nowt, there are people who will entertain you, but I don't do it.

Since software is much more affordable, I have quit pirating completely within that chatagory. Before College I was unable to access student discounts, there was just no way I could purchase content. My only issue is DRM

I think I pretty much agree, but in my role I must use the systems used by the vast majority of users! That's where my argument is coming from

My wife uses Windows 7 and Office 2013 at work and Ubuntu on her laptop at home, she's never asked me to change it. (It could be that she doesn't write many Word Documents at home and Candy Crush works fine in Firefox on Linux.....). She's a little disappointed with the new Machine at work, she was expecting a big improvement when XP and Office 2003 gave way to Windows 7 and Office 2013. Its no better, its just different she says.

I don't enjoy Microsoft Office, but again, it's the standard in office suites. I prefer iWork, but incompatability is a bigger issue than apple ever advertised. "Compatable with windows" -- The understatement of the year. I also find Office 2013 to be slow and painful to use, especially when using equasions ect... I always use 2010.

I don't swear by office, however it's the industry standard... that's the only argument I have. If another suite takes over, I will switch.

[Steven Chorkley]

.... although my new Macbook retina (Core i7 Quad Core) is arriving this week. I will be running the image of this machine inside VMWare or Parallels for the majority of the time. And the viruses? I've never had one, and I don't often run Virus Scans.

Steven, I presume your new Macbook has Maverick OS 10.9.2. That is what I am using and I was under the impression that Maverick does not support Parallels?

I understood that, however I didn't know that was still the case as I never ran the final release of Maverics. Thank you, looks like I will be running VMWare

[Pluggy]

I haven't had one in a long time, but I got a good old fashioned Nigerian scam email today. I'm the next of kin for someone who has disappeared leaving 18 million dollars apparently.....

[Stanley]

They're scraping the bottom of the barrel then, sending one to you?

[Tizer]

Pluggy, would Gloria have a problem perhaps with her family history work if she switched to Ubuntu? The family tree packages seem to be the usual Windows-only stuff as far as I remember. There's at least one family history package in the Ubuntu software repository and I once gave it a try but I've never had much interest in the dedicated packages and preferred to make mainstream software such as spreadsheets do what I needed.(Same with accounts, when running a business we always used spreadsheets, not accounts software, and when we got Ubuntu it meant it was all free too!)

Mrs Tiz has used Ubuntu almost as long as I have and wouldn't want to be back on Windows. Of course she's got some help from me but rarely needs it and then it's only because she hasn't had to learn the more unusual bits in the past! For Gloria it all depends on how willing she is to learn some different ways of working and finding a way around any family history software issues. She could always go for a dual boot Ubuntu and Windows set up to try it out, or try the Ubuntu Live CD (although it's slow, being on CD rather than hard drive).

Now then, what's all this about and should we be worried I wonder....
BBC web site:
Heartbleed Bug: Tech firms urge password reset
Several tech firms are urging people to change all their passwords after the discovery of a major security flaw. The Yahoo blogging platform Tumblr has advised the public to "change your passwords everywhere - especially your high-security services like email, file storage and banking". Security advisers have given similar warnings about the Heartbleed Bug. It follows news that a product used to safeguard data could be compromised to allow eavesdropping.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26954540

[Pluggy]

Yes Family Tree Packages are a problem, as you say they are almost all Windows only.

You either stick with XP or replace the computer (Or you do with Gloria's old Laptop which I've worked on). Very good specification machines with XP will take Windows 7. I've just come across a desktop from a small computer shop which came with XP in Early 2010, its gizzards are contemporary for 2010 and IMO should have had 7 on from the outset. Thats a relatively cheap new OS to fix.

I'm sucking it and seeing with the Hearbleed vulnerability. Its not going to affect OGFB because it isn't a secure site to start with. I think the news relaease is a bit 'over egged' (famous last words...)

[Tizer]

I'm sucking it and seeing with the Hearbleed vulnerability. Its not going to affect OGFB because it isn't a secure site to start with. I think the news relaease is a bit 'over egged' (famous last words...)

I guess if it were really such a danger we'd be hearing much more shouting and screaming from the vocal celebrities who fear so much for their security!

[PanBiker]

I would agree that the heartbleed info released has somewhat jumped the gun. The problem lies with a security vulnerability which has been discovered in Open SSL (Secure Socket Layer). This is a protocol used to provide the security on lots of websites, its the bit of code that gives you the padlock or key on the URL bar when using a secure connection.

They have jumped the gun in advising everyone to change their passwords, this in itself will not make one iota of difference until the site(s) in question have fixed the flaw in the protocol or replaced with a patched version to "plug the potential hole".

It has been mooted today by one security expert that announcing this vulnerability has to some degree invited more trouble as there will be those that were previously unaware of the problem who will now attempt to exploit it. It would have been much better to keep quiet until a fix was deployed, it is a security issue after all, why broadcast a potential weakness to the entire planet!

It up to the secure website owners to fix their platform first and then advise their customers to change passwords. No point doing anything while there is still a potential hole in the bucket.

[Steven Chorkley]

Ancestry runs online, not extremely well.... but it's certainly good enough to be used as it's only client. Maybe try Wine? Although I dont think that it's the easiest thing to setup on your own accord

However, the SSL exploit... I don't think it's an issue. Especially if you use a LastPass, they will notify you when you need to change your password (once the exploit is fixed on the individual sites). The chances of this exploit effecting the vast majority will be very small, only if your on Public WiFi ect...

[Steven Chorkley]

I was wondering if anyone knows the nearest location we can recieve 4G near Barlick, either EE or 3.... any news?

[Stanley]

Only thing that is certain about the Heartbleed announcement as far as I can see is that security firms will get plenty of enquiries....

[Pluggy]

I was wondering if anyone knows the nearest location we can recieve 4G near Barlick, either EE or 3.... any news?

If EE's Map is to be believed - Kelbrook.

http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/network/4gee/coverage-checker

I'm not going to spend a lot of money signing up to 4G on the strength of it. If I ever do, I'm planning to get rid of the mobile when I retire. Evil Device....

[Tizer]

If I ever do, I'm planning to get rid of the mobile when I retire. Evil Device....

By then you'll probably find that you can't exist without one, not because you're addicted to it but due to organisations starting to make it impossible to access essential products and services. Mrs Tiz and I are as near as we can get to `immobile', each having only an ancient pay-as-you-go phone for emergencies (dialling out for help) and only switching it on otherwise if we are expecting a call. Only the family know the phone numbers. But we still get put under a lot of pressure at times to give a mobile number - when we were selling Mrs Tiz's parents' house in London it was almost impossible without a mobile phone.

On a related matter, have you heard about the new Stonehenge visitor centre that opened recently? You can't just turn up and expect to see Stonehenge now, you have to book in advance to make a visit...and the only way you can book is online. As you can imagine, they're getting a lot of flak, especially from the archaeology community.

[Stanley]

I'm in the same mind as you and J, an old pay as you go that Doc gave me years ago. I occasionally use it to text the family, nobody else apart from Doc has the number. I well remember the joy of being a long distance wagon driver, nobody could contact me and interfere with my day (or check where I was!) Why should I want to have Big Brother in my pocket? Like Pluggy, I believe they belong to the devil....

[chinatyke]

LUDDITES!
You should embrace new technology.

[Stanley]

Even when it spies on you? No thanks China, I'll stick to my steam powered land line....

[Gloria]

I had a basic pay as you go mobile, didn't even do photos. Then a month ago I got a smartphone, so b----y smart I struggle using it. It keeps trilling it's little "text message" music but there is nothing there. It takes me ages to find my contacts which my other found straight away. I can go on t'internet, if I wish, and knew how, I could send photos, if I wish, and knew how. It didn't come with an all singing all dancing instruction manual, it was just basic, expecting you to know most of it . It has £10 month of texts, calls and internet usage. I'll be lucky if I have used £1 and that is only cos it is so fiddly to use.

[Gloria]

After reading my message and deciding what a drip I sounded I decided to get to grips with "the phone". I have since sent my grandaughter a pic as an attachment on an e-mail via my mobile

[Pluggy]

LUDDITES!
You should embrace new technology.

Tired old eyes don't work well with screens that fit in your pocket. I'll stick with the desktop, A puny screen by desktop standards these days, but twice the size of a typical laptop, 10 times the size of a typical tablet and 40 times the size of a phone. Maybe some one will resurrect the big magnifying glasses you stuck in front of an old telly to make it look like it has a bigger screen than it actually has.

[Steven Chorkley]

I was wondering if anyone knows the nearest location we can recieve 4G near Barlick, either EE or 3.... any news?

If EE's Map is to be believed - Kelbrook.

http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/network/4gee/coverage-checker

I'm not going to spend a lot of money signing up to 4G on the strength of it. If I ever do, I'm planning to get rid of the mobile when I retire. Evil Device....

I looked it up, they are fitting 4G LTE into Barnoldswick and Nelson next month! Home and College covered ! I sold my S4 and pre-ordered my S5, picked it up yesterday. Amazing service from 3. People were queing outside the door! I was lucky that I decided to order mine early.

Even when it spies on you? No thanks China, I'll stick to my steam powered land line....

They don't spy, the only tracking software I know of is installed on Android phones. It's google, they have your phone return the location of WiFi access points, before they enable this you have to explisitly accept their terms and conditions. They offer you a service in return. I completely trust Google, I have google wallet and google apps... with internal encryption and secure connections... So I believe it's a non issue. As to the iPhone, well Apple messed up, but that's no longer an issue.

LUDDITES!
You should embrace new technology.

Tired old eyes don't work well with screens that fit in your pocket. I'll stick with the desktop, A puny screen by desktop standards these days, but twice the size of a typical laptop, 10 times the size of a typical tablet and 40 times the size of a phone. Maybe some one will resurrect the big magnifying glasses you stuck in front of an old telly to make it look like it has a bigger screen than it actually has.

I think 15" for a laptop is perfectly adequate, and 21" for an external monitor. I hate the 27" iMac's, way too big to cope with... I often use them for design.

As to the phone? My mum is exactly the same, however, she dived head first and I got her a Galaxy S2. She used walking maps and grew to really like it, at her next upgrade she got the S4 and we made the font large. She can use it with ease, I think you'd be fine with a 5" screen... otherwise you could get a Note, One Max or Z1?

[chinatyke]

I had a basic pay as you go mobile, didn't even do photos. Then a month ago I got a smartphone, so b----y smart I struggle using it. It keeps trilling it's little "text message" music but there is nothing there. It takes me ages to find my contacts which my other found straight away. I can go on t'internet, if I wish, and knew how, I could send photos, if I wish, and knew how. It didn't come with an all singing all dancing instruction manual, it was just basic, expecting you to know most of it . It has £10 month of texts, calls and internet usage. I'll be lucky if I have used £1 and that is only cos it is so fiddly to use.

Sorry for calling you Luddites when I am in the same class. I only use my mobile for calls and texts and never on the internet. It is a basic Nokia C2 hand-me-down from my wife, otherwise I would still be using my 10 years old Nokia that had no internet capability.
I'm fed up with going to lunch with people who pull out a mobile phone and sit there tapping away, engrossed in their phone and eating meals with a fork in the other hand. Don't they know it is bad manners to 'read' at the dinner table? Or the annoying people who shout into them on buses and trains, they really don't need a phone - you can hear them 10 miles away. I want to buy a mobile phone jammer and watch their panic stricken faces when their infernal machines appear to go wrong!

[Stanley]

"I think 15" for a laptop is perfectly adequate" Wait until you get older and your eyes start to deteriorate..... You'll sing a different tune then! I have a 27" screen and still have oneguy on zoom which was the only way I could see it when I was waiting for my operations. So easy to see and a pleasure to use.
China, I knew you weren't really shouting at us. As for 'they're not spying on you', Why do you think so much money is spent on mass data collection? I can't escape them but I can refuse to make it easy....

[Tizer]

"I completely trust Google"...Steven
Rather you than me! This is the company that thought it was OK to go ahead and put the complete texts of authors' books onto Google web pages and not pay any copyright fees, not even contact the authors and ask permission or even forgiveness, and thereby threatening the livelihood of authors who depend on such fees. Blatant disregard for the law. In the end they were forced to back off and only use sections of the texts. That's like if you ran a computer shop and someone came in and gave away all your stock for free and didn't even warn you and showed no remorse.

I see that `we' (well' not me, of course!) will now have the pleasure of being able to pay money from their bank account into someone else's bank account on their mobile phone by using the other person's name and mobile phone number. I wonder how long that will take to be compromised? Better keep a watch on this page: https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/security/banking/