rich-c: confirm
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changed username to Dr.D. rich-c: hi Rich Dr.D.: Hello Richard, just popping in briefly. rich-c: how are things over in Cleveland today? Dr.D.: Weather is okay. Dr.D.: Computer situation is somewhat dire, however. Dr.D.: Major network outages at CWRU, cause still unknown. rich-c: we have cold - about -5C but sunny and predicted high was -10 Dr.D.: It was 26 F when I got back from the lab about 30 minutes ago. rich-c: got all the local gurus chasing about madly, I gather Dr.D.: But it feels like 40, not sure why. rich-c: if you have sun like we do, that will do it Dr.D.: We did earlier in the day, now overcast again. rich-c: anyway, I assume the individual computers work fine off net? Dr.D.: Other computer problem, however, is my venerable 486: Joan seems to have accidentally killed it yesterday. rich-c: oh dear - what sort of killed? Dr.D.: Off-net computers work fine, just can't communicate if needed. Dr.D.: As in she slammed the freezer compartment door of our basement fridge into it. Dr.D.: The 486 table sits next to the fridge. If the door is allowed to go open more than 180 degrees, it will hit it. rich-c: oh, oh - sounds like something got jarred that shouldn't be jarred Dr.D.: She somehow really flung it open--the 486 was scooched about 8 inches out of position, the entire integrated stand/keyboard tray that you've seen at ADAMcons. Dr.D.: Yes, seems to have had major HD head crash, at least. Dr.D.: I came back from the Film Society last night and saw it with a BSOD. Dr.D.: Failed to reboot, always BSOD> Dr.D.: I turned it off. rich-c: if I recall HDs back then were a lot less shcok resistant than they are now Dr.D.: Retried it just now, can't even get out of BIOS POST, when it hits the drive check, it hangs. Dr.D.: I haven't done any physical troubleshooting, so it could be misseated card or connector. Dr.D.: But I bet it's head crash. rich-c: well, the machine may be OK, but sounds like the hard disc is history Dr.D.: I hope not, of course only partial backups exist of stuff. rich-c: but yes, you will have to check all teh cables and connectors Dr.D.: It's actually a 2-drive system, C: is the original 340 MB, D: is a 2 GB I added much later. Dr.D.: Anything I really care about is on C, D was just to make it easier to run WinNT. rich-c: you should be able to save the D drive then, unless it suffered teh same fate Dr.D.: So, that's what I'm going to do soon, take it upstairs and troubleshoot. Dr.D.: If controller has died, I can at least take the SCSI drives into the lab and dump the data to one of the SCSI-based Macs. Dr.D.: I have an external box I can put the drives in one by one and connect them to a Mac SCSI bus. rich-c: I'm feeling much better now; just about the first thing I did when I got my DVD burner was an image backup of my hard disc Dr.D.: Accidents do happen, but truth be told, I am quite furious about it, unfair as that may be. rich-c: yes, if they respond in the Mac, at least you'll know it isnt a head crash rich-c: *I know how you feel - a few months ago Frances deleted all my bookmarks on me Dr.D.: Joan and computers should not be anywhere in the same room, she is bad for them, and they are bad for her. Dr.D.: They caused her trauma in college that she has never gotten over. Dr.D.: :-( Re: bookmarks rich-c: as you know, Frances' approach is rather dissimilar to that rich-c: I later realized I could copy most over from my laptop, as I'd synchronized them not all that long before Dr.D.: That's at least something. Dr.D.: Well, I suppose I should go start my autopsy... Dr.D.: If Daniel shows up, tell him hi. rich-c: today we're having an argument because I don't want her signing up for N>E>T> Passport (on MSN) rich-c: I will do so, ditto should we get Ron on Dr.D.: Passport is a giant security hole from everything I've heard. Dr.D.: Still no news from Ron? Dr.D.: I'd think if Mother actually died we'd have heard at least that. rich-c: still no news from Ron, and I confess I'm getting worried rich-c: it's the leadup - we've been down that road too much in the last 20 years, Frances and I Dr.D.: I know his mom has been really important to him. rich-c: yes, and for that matter it isn't that long ago that he lost his father Dr.D.: I know my mom was. Dr.D.: I didn't know that about his dad. Dr.D.: I can't recall him ever talking about his dad, just Mother. rich-c: can't give you a time line but it was either just before or just after he retired Dr.D.: That was some time ago, though, at least 10 years, right? rich-c: his father had a big model train collection and I remember his having to help sell it rich-c: one loses track - it's hard for me to realize I've been retired 13 years now Dr.D.: :-) Dr.D.: So much fun :-) rich-c: yes, there's that, for sure Dr.D.: I can't believe ADAMcon IV was 14 years ago. Dr.D.: No, 12. Dr.D.: What was I thinking. rich-c: but went to the trailer show Thursday and - still no viable replacement for our 20 year old unit Dr.D.: Nothing even close? rich-c: not really, no Dr.D.: You might just have to bite the bullet and spend more than you'd like and get something that's nice. Dr.D.: I presume that's the chief objection, at any rate... rich-c: one Jayco unit that might not be intolerably offensive rich-c: oh no, cost is no consideration, weight and width are Dr.D.: Too heavy and too wide for Meteor? Dr.D.: I'd think you could pull stumps with Meteor :-) rich-c: we'd happily get an Airstream Bambi if they added about 3 feet to it - though then it would weight 3 tons 8-( rich-c: oh, the Meteor will pull stumps and so will the truck, especially now with the V-8 Dr.D.: Maybe a whole motor home is what you need...it seems that's the direction such things have evolved into, rather than separate trailers. rich-c: but - having been spoiled by an 84 inch wide trailer, 96-100 inch width doesnt appeal rich-c: they are so big now they're hopeless too Dr.D.: Yeah, that's the other problem, too big. I saw George Koczwara's once and I have no clue how he can drive it. rich-c: in fact there is a nw class evolving being called the B-plus Dr.D.: Just to get it in his driveway, it clears his 2nd story window awnings by about 6 inches or so. rich-c: exactly -I need to find a 1973 GM Motorhome in really good shape - a 23 footer Dr.D.: If he has a bad day, he will take out the whole corner of his house. Dr.D.: Arizona or New Mexico? rich-c: yes, even teh Slopsemas' old rig is a large handful Dr.D.: Not sure where else you'd hope to find one that old in good shape. Dr.D.: At that point, I guess you need to do the John Madden thing and hire a driver... rich-c: well, they have fibreglas bodywork, so rust is less of a problem Dr.D.: Or get your own Pullman car :-) rich-c: I'd rather drive myself with a trailer behind that meets our needs Dr.D.: Of course, understood. Dr.D.: Maybe you need to go through some agent or something. rich-c: but the industry now has all sorts of brands all offering teh same model in each size, in effect Dr.D.: If cost is not the rate-limiting step, then maybe an agent's finder fee wouldn't be a bad investment. rich-c: they are unbelievably chintzy - windows aer small with little opening area, some don't even have windows front and rear rich-c: oh, there's RV sale site all over the internet, that isn't the problem rich-c: the problem is wanting to buy what no one wants to build Dr.D.: Sad if true, but maybe the industry itself doesn't make what you want any more. rich-c: that's exactly the problem - this year the fad is slideouts Dr.D.: I hate it when things like that happen, something that works perfectly well for me and doesn't need to change, gets discontinued, and there are no viable replacements. rich-c: that's just what we ae up against, and it's very frustrating Dr.D.: Any chance to refurb what you have, then? Dr.D.: Might cost less money overall. rich-c: that may well be our only viable alternative Dr.D.: Or is there some serious structural problem with it? Dr.D.: Or modify a new one that's close-but-not-quite? rich-c: so far not that we have found, though don't know what a serious examination will show Dr.D.: Why do you want/need a new one? rich-c: our current one is light duty -even says so right in the owners manual rich-c: we've given it pretty heavy duty over 20 years rich-c: we have to figure even if there are no problems now, we are living on borrowed time Dr.D.: So it is just worn out, then. rich-c: say wearing, rather rich-c: for instance we may have to get now axles because there are no magnets for the brakes available any more Dr.D.: I think, then, that modifying something new that's close to what you want is your best bet. rich-c: wouldn't mind Mor-Ryde axles, and maybe add shocks, mind you - though pricey Dr.D.: Good, fast, cheap--pick any 2 of 3, but you will never get all 3 at once. rich-c: no, trilers have "hard points" where heaters, plumbing, water heaters, etc. must go - you can only modify around them rich-c: you can play around with layouts a bit, but the options are limited Dr.D.: If you want it now, you'll pay a lot for what you want, or what you get won't be good. Dr.D.: All I can do is hope you find something, because I've never gone anywhere in a trailer, just walked inside parked ones that people we knew had. rich-c: remember "a lot" is a comparative term - compared to the price of a new unit one can do a lot of repairs rich-c: well, we will continue to look and see about rebuilding what we have rich-c: we were talking to a trailer rebuilder at the show Dr.D.: Sounds like a good strategy. rich-c: yep, we'll just have to see how it works out Dr.D.: Any chance to get a custom one built to your specs? For maximal cost, I am sure... rich-c: most bulders aer in teh U.S. and don't want to touch a unit as small as we are looking for Dr.D.: Make them refuse your $$$ :-) rich-c: everyone else wants to be able to take the grandkids and half the house and is going to a destination Dr.D.: All right, I am going off to autopsy the 486...wish me luck... Dr.D.: See you Wednesday night. rich-c: we want to wander at will - we think a travel trailer is for travelling rich-c: OK Rich, see you then - take care Dr.D.: <poof>
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