I Love My Laptop...: There...I've... - Lung Conditions C...

Lung Conditions Community Forum

57,116 members•67,657 posts

I Love My Laptop...

•

10 years ago•29 Replies

There...I've confessed. I still wouldn't know what to do with a gigabyte...and HTML has me befuddled...and choosing a new password is my personal idea of hell...especially when I've pondered for a while and come up with something, only to have the site tell me there aren't enough letters or squiggly bits and to try again...if I don't write a password down straight away I promptly forget it...and if someone suggests I de-fragment, I suspect their motives...

Do you know what I used to do when I first had a computer...I used to write out every site that I thought was worth going back to in a little book, 'cos I didn't know you could bookmark them or put them in favourites...was astounded when the very first e-mail I sent actually arrived and I had an answer and broke out in a cold sweat every time I switched it off in case I didn't do it properly...

But now I'm used to it...used to finding out answers to practically any query from how to make Sloe Gin to demonstrations of crocheting a child's hat to recipes for supper...without the laptop I'd never have found this site and now I avidly read all the questions and answers...all those people with the same disease as me! I Googled you see...like many others do...and frightened myself witless...

Tracing the family would have been nigh impossible without the availability of records and I'd never have learned how to crochet flowers...not quite sure why I learned that, but perhaps I had a spare hour or so...buying a new thriller to read on my Kindle or looking for the best sort of paint for the kitchen cabinets...

My laptop gives me a wide open window to the world...can't imagine life without it.

Empower your health journey

Learn from others' experiences, meet people who understand & feel empowered to take control of your health.

Create free account

Featured by HealthUnlocked

29 Replies

•

10 years ago

Me too Vashti - and never thought I'd say that!

Purchased a big set-up, complete with tower system, printer etc from a small local firm. Exciting but scarey as I watched him setting everything up before my eyes. Ha! At last he said the magic words 'there, all done for you' and prepared to leave. Hearing the panic in my voice I heard myself say 'oh, don't leave me on my own with it!' and then asked where the instruction manual was!

• in reply to10 years ago

I thought that was sooo funny 'cos I was just the same...where's the instructions? Eek...!

helingmic10 years ago

VAshti, I do like your story. I still have the old type of PC (with Windows 7)

I found on Google a site called Random password.org. They provide with the right amount of letters and squiggly things if yo desire. But remember to right down the darn thing in your little book.

I have an address book for passwords, as I cannot always trust websites to remember them. I also think that as long as the password is in the book, it cannot be stolen or opened by crooks.

Same with credit card; I don't put my details on my computer. I prefer to be safe and copy it from my credit card.

Happy browsing!

• in reply tohelingmic10 years ago

Goody...another site for me to look at for passwords!

katieoxo6010 years ago

Hello again Vashti, it sounded like my story you wrote. I started computing about fifteen years ago, but as you I knew nothing and was amazed at the world my internet opened up, now I have three lots of internet access and like the microwave don't know how we managed without these gadgets in the past.Just look also at how many friends we have on the laptop from all parts of the world. It's much quicker to search for things than going to a library and allows paperwork to be stored for future reference. It's a little box with a big Umph.

• in reply tokatieoxo6010 years ago

It would take ages to look everything up in books especially in our little town library....

katieoxo60• in reply to10 years ago

So true Vashti.

phillips110 years ago

Hiya Vashti. Coopers of Stortford do a very nice purpose designed book for websites and passwords. They are £5:99 each I think. I can change my passwords now and not worry about forgetting them. It was difficult the other day though when wifey went off to work with my book instead of hers.

Bobby

pergola1• in reply tophillips110 years ago

That info is interesting, Bobby. I particularly like Coopers and also House of Bath x

• in reply tophillips110 years ago

Keep your little book in your pocket Bobby!

pergola110 years ago

I would be so lost without my laptop. It does everything to pass the time. I do my shopping, read books, jigsaw puzzles, read the papers and ao much more!! There a re gaps in my knowledge. I see in the local paper that there is a lady who will come round and answer questions. There are so many knowledgeable people in the forum who could tell me but I need someone sitting by my side.

I taught myselff the basics one winter. I had written instructions on sending an email, !!! "Click on the little book etc." I used PC friendly and it was great fun.

I did note the interesting sites in a book. The BBC is particularly good. All fascinating stuff. XX

• in reply topergola110 years ago

I think I know enough for me...to be going on with. But I'm a stranger to the technical side..lol

Suzy610 years ago

I would be so miserable without my lappy. It has opened up a whole new world. I can easily keep in touch with my family in Australia, which is growing large now, larger than my family in the UK. Many I have not met but feel I know through internet access and all the lovely people here.

• in reply toSuzy610 years ago

Our family are scattered as well...we'd never hear from half of them if they had to sit down and write a 'proper' letter...

hufferpuffer10 years ago

I love my laptop too! I love this world of technology and information, I've learnt so much there is so much to learn and so many shops! plus I can take it to bed with me and watch a movie or listen to music it's a magic box to me! I love love love it! huff xxx

• in reply tohufferpuffer10 years ago

Oooo...don't mention wool shops...or fabric shops...or book shops...lol

10 years ago

They are great aren't they Vashti? I remember a few years ago when I was going to take my company to tribunal and I couldn't afford posh things like solicitors. So I set to work learning how tribunals work, preparing paperwork etc. When I finally did get a solicitors she was full of praise for how far I had got on my own. I just said 'have computer will find out'

coughalot x

• in reply to10 years ago

That's excellent...hope you won!

Offcut10 years ago

My first computer was windows 3.1 with DOS upgraded to 3.11 and then 95 armed with my 28.8 modem I found BBS and then a thing called a "browser" Netscape navigator. Working and not realising what a drug browsing was? I joined all the connection sites for the free 30 day trial before moving on. I was actually spending more money per month than I do now on my fibre broadband. Progress hurts the brain

• in reply toOffcut10 years ago

LOL I loved DOS used to write batch files all the time - now that is a memory turner! You only had the choice of Compuserve or AOL as Internet suppliers and Netscape has now become Mozilla Firefox, how times change

Offcut• in reply to10 years ago

I got hooked into gaming then and had to make start up disks to change autoexec.and config.sys to make sure it loaded and worked for each game.

Had a spectrum and then a BBC before the PC.

• in reply toOffcut10 years ago

lol and the PC had a 40 Mb not Gb hard drive with 5-1/2" floppies . Commodore 64's and Atari's spring to mind too!

I now use a iMac and love it.

Offcut• in reply to10 years ago

Still use PC with 16gb Ram my first was a high spec 16mb ram.

• in reply toOffcut10 years ago

Now that might just as well be in Arabic for all I understand it!

knitter10 years ago

I so agree with your post about your laptop opening up the world. We had a BBC Electron computer years ago, hooked up to the TV and with a tape drive that took ages to install any software.

My poor new laptop is now relegated to being a word processor only now.....I am in love with my Mini I pad.

Thanks for the post

• in reply toknitter10 years ago

I began with a desk top that used to make very strange noises...lol...and the amount of space it took up was no-ones business!

Dragonmum10 years ago

I just wish more "oldies" would have a go, especially those who live alone. Whatever your hobby there's always a group of like-minded enthusiasts to chat with - whatever your question Google is your friend. I was quite nervous of the thing to start with but just felt my way and realised that it's just a machine - but a machine that opens doors into things you never knew existed. What did I ever do without it? Oh yes, I remember, something called HOUSEWORK! A friend posted on fb the other day: "A clean house is a sign of a broken computer"

• in reply toDragonmum10 years ago

It is a whole new world isn't it...like you, I wish more older people would take the plunge...it is a way to combat social isolation.

phillips110 years ago

Just keep clear of chat rooms peoples. Twelve years ago I was stalked and pounced upon by my now wife. I didn't even see her coming. Seriously though it was the best thing that has happened to me. We have been together ever since.

Bobby