rich: test
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changed username to Ron Ron: Hey guy rich: hi Ron Ron: finally remembered rich: you mAde it this week I see Ron: yep rich: way to go - get my email yesterday? Ron: re virus? rich: actually re virus stopper, SurfinGuard Ron: ok. shows you how closely I read it. Ron: wil have to go back and have a better look rich: well, I sent out a general one about the virus too Ron: Only recall seeing one rich: but this was from the finjan site Ron: ok rich: I have downloaded SurfinGuard but haven't installed it yet Ron: is there a Mac version? rich: don't know, but I don't think so Ron: Would be surprising if there was rich: of course Macs are pretty virus-resistant anyway Ron: Actually, my dealer here for Macintosh is of the opinion that virus protection is not required for Macs rich: still, you use a DOSbox on line sometimes, don't you? Ron: Don't know whether I agree with him or not rich: Frances feels virus protection is even useful for the Amiga Ron: My experience so far tells me he's right, but sure doesn't inspire me with confidence rich: most vandals go for teh big obvious targets, but you never know when you'll get unlucky Ron: Oh yes... and I have Zone Alarm on that Ron: so I can try SurfinGuard rich: SurfinGuard supplements both Zone Alarm and your anti-virus Ron: well that's my dealer's whole point.....although from the reading I've done on the net, Mac users can't assume they're immune rich: essentially it looks for apps doing things they shouldn't like writing to the registry Ron: Even Linux users are having to be aware Ron: sounds like a good idea rich: well, that's an environment where everyone has to have a bit more computer knowledge than average rich: so even if the population isn't large, the number of hackers is Ron: yup Ron: this week, the chief danger to my iMac has been the bloke sitting in front of it rich: anyway you can turn it on and off - that's necessary otherwise you couldn't install new software Ron: poor old beast is going to give up rich: oh, Ron, what have you done to the poor thing now? Ron: was having trouble with a bad connector on my USB Hub, and must have jarred something inside the mac Ron: ended up zapping the OS rich: creating bad vibes - like blue smoke? Ron: I am, as usual, the author of my own misfortune rich: computers, I've found, are remarkably useless without an OS Ron: well, no smoke, but I must have generated some kind of collapsing magnetic field Ron: 'tis true Ron: I am becoming an old hand at installing (and re-installing ) Operating systems rich: some things are supposed to be hot-luggable - that's supposed rich: pluggaBLE Ron: well that's what I thought rich: yes, I do seem to recall you've put in a fair variety of OSs over time Ron: trouble I have, is that I cannot really leave this particular port alone, because the little videocam, and the feed from the VCR don't like eachother. Both Ron: are USB plugs, and it's an 'either/or' situation. So I have to plug and unplug rich: So much for theory when it comes to practice Ron: Has something to do with the power draw on the hub Ron: Things are getting so complicated these days rich: USB peripherals are supposed to be daisy-chainable - yeah, allatime Ron: No that's SCSI rich: USB too, from what I've read - but then, I've seen the theory Ron: But the hub is supposed to allow you to connect 4 devices at once, and the system is supposed to be capable of handling up to 256 devices rich: I have heard the theory only works when the items plugged together have their own power supplies Ron: actually, you're right, because my usb mouse is connected to my keyboard, and the keyboard is connected to the hub, and the hub is connected to the computer Ron: Now hear the word of the Lord rich: if it doesn't work I guess it's because the devices cumulatively are trying to draw too much power from the USB cable at once Ron: Some USB devices, (such as camera's) have to be connected directly to the computer Ron: in the manual it said that rich: I wonder why, and wonder if I really want to know that Ron: but I found it's ok on the hub, as long as there's no other video device present Ron: prob ably not Rich Ron: I keep getting the feeling that I'm not using the iMac as Steve Jobs intended. Ron: Think I'm supposed to be a loyal little consumer who just does wordprocessing and a few MP3's rich: well, video devices are bandwidth hogs - maybe the cable's too narrow for two Ron: that could be rich: I though the iMacs were for totally manic graphics gurus rich: think I hear Frances at the front door - brb Ron: well, pretty much (we've got a couple in the club here) but theiMac - the way it's written up in the magazines- is supposed to be a 'consumer computer'. If you want Ron: a real mac computer you're supposed to buy a G4 Ron: ok Ron: The iMac is supposed to be the 'poor man's Mac rich: yes, the G4 is the real hot rod in the family Ron: and now even my dealer says, "well you've got an older imac" .........(followed by total silence) rich: still, it's supposed to be great for streaming video and audio and all that sort of neat stuff Ron: damn thing isn't even 2 years old yet rich: older iMac???? how long have you had it, six months? Ron: It is Rich actually. but all of that is better with DVD capability Ron: it'll be 2 years next November rich: OK, you've had it 18 months Ron: I've long since decided there's no point in trying to keep up rich: that may be obsolescent in computer years, but not obsolete - yet Ron: well no rich: I don't remember how long I've had my 166MMX rich: it is teetering on the trailing edge but hasn't (quite) fallen off yet Ron: It still all depends on what you really want to do with a computer rich: shhh!! if I thought about that, I'd still be using the Adam exclusively rich: actually that's unfair - the Adam won't hack it on the 'net Ron: :) Ron: It's still true that I have more fun with the older computers including ADAM rich: and the more power you get, the more the opportunities expand, and the more power you lust after Ron: I understand them better Ron: iMac here sometimes causes me to feel stupid rich: with the DOSbox I tend more to inchoate rage Ron: right Ron: really...... with them I feel at home rich: my one consolation is that I can often see when the "experts" who set things up screwed up horribly Ron: which tends to lend credibility to a remark once made by a Transport Canada System Administrator I used to work with Ron: he said, "one of these days all you old DOS farts are going to die off, then I can get on with my job." rich: that would make me a little suspicious rich: like, he'd rather deal with folks who don't know how it should work? Ron: suspect that was the case, yes Ron: he used to call us "Power Users" rich: that's revealing Ron: most days I didn't feel like one rich: the old bit about the expert being the one who knows one thing more? Ron: right..... also heard, if you're a teacher and you're only 1/2 hour in front of your students, you're ok rich: yes, it's an in-joke but not without basic truth rich: personally I always liked to stay one lesson plan ahead Ron: well, let's just say that my experience of computers generally is such that I tend to look under the hood more....in hopes of finding what, I don't quite know Ron: but it's been a real ride Ron: that's about all you need.... one lesson plan Ron: This afternoon I have appointments with 2 people whose computers need attention rich: yes, poking under the hood is often informative rich: of course mistakes can get expensive Ron: neither will pay me a centavo, but I'll probably have fun rich: but there's always pushpins Ron: hey! forgot about that rich: computers prove the couplet - a little knowledge is a dangerous thing Ron: true rich: do you know the second half? Ron: no Ron: tell me rich: :sdrink deeply, or taste not the Pieran spring" Ron: why have I never heard that before Ron: not associating with the right people I guess rich: either dive in headfirst or don't even dip a toe Ron: oh I get the point Ron: Sometimes I wonder what my dearly departed father (God rest his soul) would say if he could see his workshop rich: computers are the outstanding example of that truth rich: I have the feeling he'd understand very well Ron: no doubt rich: what computer ills do you have on your schedule today - besides dead OSs? Ron: A Win 95 box that doesn't get beyond the opening screen, and another similar whose mailbox has just up and disappeared Ron: both 'legacy' items rich: guess you'll have to start the first one up on the step by step confirm Ron: might be 10 minutes apiece, might be 10 hours apiece, who knows rich: maybe with the mailbox you can find it - what's the suffix, .mbx? Ron: I have over the past while, put together a sort of 'Doctor's medical kit' I don't leave home without it Ron: DOS, some favoured utilities, diagnostics etc Ron: yup. mbx Ron: but she doesn't know that rich: yes, utilities have their utility rich: anyway, if the mailbox has been deleted, not sure how you find it to undelete it Ron: comes from many occasions where I arrive at someones place only to wish I'd brought this, or that Ron: well we'll see what's in the directories Ron: I know approximately where it should be rich: but how do you get teh directory to show you deleted items, even if not overwritten? Ron: I have a utility that can set file attributes, and 'undelete' those which have not been overwritten. Then they usually show up again. Ron: It's not much different from ADAM really. Ron: But if they have been over written then you're pretty much hooped. rich: yes, the neat thing about File Manager is that it shows all directory entries, deleted or not Ron: yeah, and basicly this DM Directory manager is the DOS equivalent rich: I have often wished there were a program half as good for DOS Ron: It's as old as the hills, but It's a staple around here rich: what's the "official" name and whre does one get it? Ron: My standard response to situations where I'm unable to proceed because I don't know enough is to suggest a 'real Ron: expert who can take it further.... but at least then my party knows what questions to ask when the 'clock' is running rich: yes, even eliminating a few wrong answers helps when you're paying a buck a minute Ron: OH... DM...(just looking a couple of lines up) rich: it may also help suggest just how expert your "expert" really is Ron: It's an old hobbyist prog. I'll send you a copy. It'll fit nicely in a file attachment rich: runs under DOS, I assume Ron: true Ron: yup it runs under DOS Ron: Ian Cottrell in Ottawa gave it to me -saying here....you're gonna need this rich: I am not all that comfortable in DOS, but tend to accept it when there ain't no other answer Ron: Don't know if you ever met Ian rich: no, although I've heard a lot about him from you and many others Ron: he's still around I believe Ron: he was our acknowledged CP/M guru. rich: or maybe I did, if he was one of teh ones who came by when we were at the Computer Fair there Ron: Only person (other than Tony M.) who I heard Guy Cousineau ask advice from rich: Robert Mallon claims to have been in touch with him recently, if I recall Ron: yep, he was there, so you may have met him rich: didn't Michael get some PBBS help from him, too? Ron: Haven't been in touch with him in several years Ron: yes... Ian was the last 'holder of the torch' for PBBS Ron: that would have been him rich: by the way, have you heard anything from Guy of late? Ron: no, not a peep. Must do something about that Ron: I do have his mailing address Ron: he re-married eh? rich: I assume he hasn't just faded into the mists like Tony rich: he did? not sure if I heard that or not Ron: suspect so. Last I saw Guy his real interests were with CB Radio, and that surprised the hell out of me rich: yes, I could see him with ham radio, but CB? Ron: yes, last occasion we exchanged messages he said he'd moved south of Ottawa and had married again Ron: exactly Rich. CB'ers don't seem to fit rich: well, I seem to recall that his first marriage was rather unhappy Ron: yeah, heard the same, basically from Tony Ron: w' Ron: Well my friend, I'm due out in 1/2 hour, so better get ready rich: in fact I have some vague recollection of someone remarking that he should have left it long ago rich: right, time marches on. glad you did turn up Ron: only problem was that when Guy realized that, we began to lose his ADAM attention Ron: he did a lot of programming for ADAM to escape that unhappy marriage rich: yes, and after teh split he was very distracted, I heard Ron: yup....ok Rich. See you Wed rich: look forward to it, Ron. Bye now Ron: later Ron: poof
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