Did the deed, Bought a new computer--but, like the head--didn't tell the wife

[BReady]

I am not sure if they sell them at office depot.  I would venture to say they do, but I have never looked for one there.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Any half competent sales guy will know what you need.

Okay thanks, that sounds like a plan, I'll probably drag the whole thing, but "competent sales guy" that's going to be a little trickier here in New Orleans, where they can probably do a  Hard Drive Sauce Picante, or Hard Drive Soufflee, even flambee, but----we'll see  

First I have to survive the wife, and the schedule, at least, says it's going to be delivered Wednesday, so maybe the housekeeper will put it aside and she won't notice it. 

[Noodles]

Saintc,

Been there...Done that...
Hated Cox BOTH before and ESPECIALLY after Katrina (referring to cable tv service)....
Dropped Cox...
Got DTV...
Love it....
Got a new Mac (laptop)...
Wireless network with (ugh) Cox again...(best priced wireless network I could find@ the time)...

Never had any experience with DSL, but ANYTHING.. and I mean ANYTHING has to be better than dial-up.....

As far as breaking the news of the new computer to the wife, there is an old suit of armor I saw for sale at one of the antique shops in the French Quarter the other day  (LOL)......  



... Come to think of it, I could have used the same suit a few times myself in the last few months...


-Cap'n Noodles-

By the way, usually the store where you are purchasing your new computer can either instruct you (in simple terms) how to transfer files from your old computer to the new one, or guide you to someone who can do it for you...

If your wife surfs the web too, she may squawk at first, but she'll appreciate the upgrade once she experiences the comfort of all that speed....


Good luck with BOTH adventures...

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Thanks Noodles--that suit of armor may be just the ticket--Jos. Banks?

Cox, I just wasn't going to have them anywhere near my house again, ever.  The cable TV is so bad, I don't think I know anyone around my house that doesn't have a dish, Direct or Dish.  Well, after today, maybe Nagin can go back.   

I bought the machine through TigerDirect.com at the rec of our IT guys.  I had hoped I could just USB the suckers together and suck the good stuff out--but doesn't sound like that works.  I'll probably have to engage them to help--but now w/ the oil spill I can't bribe them w/ a shrimp boil when they come to town

You're right, she'll come to like it once she's used it--she's got some pretty good equipment at work, Tulane, she administers the Classics department--what else can you do w/ a Latin major   Except she's slow to accept change--now that's unusual in New Orleans, isn't it/

[CraftyGuy]

Thanks Noodles--that suit of armor may be just the ticket--Jos. Banks?

Cox, I just wasn't going to have them anywhere near my house again, ever.  The cable TV is so bad, I don't think I know anyone around my house that doesn't have a dish, Direct or Dish.  Well, after today, maybe Nagin can go back.   

I bought the machine through TigerDirect.com at the rec of our IT guys.  I had hoped I could just USB the suckers together and suck the good stuff out--but doesn't sound like that works.  I'll probably have to engage them to help--but now w/ the oil spill I can't bribe them w/ a shrimp boil when they come to town

You're right, she'll come to like it once she's used it--she's got some pretty good equipment at work, Tulane, she administers the Classics department--what else can you do w/ a Latin major   Except she's slow to accept change--now that's unusual in New Orleans, isn't it/

Tiger Direct is a good choice - a computer tech friend of mine goes through them all the time for anything he's needed.

*never* buy computer equipment from Circuit City, Best Buy, or anywhere else of that ilk, unless you already know what you want and don't have any questions to ask of people there.  Very few things are as frustrating as having to instruct salespeople on what it is that they're already supposed to know.  Call me old-fashioned, but I think if you're selling something, you had damn well better know at least a little something about what it is that you're selling...

[D.A.L.U.I.]

  Call me old-fashioned, but I think if you're selling something, you had damn well better know at least a little something about what it is that you're selling...

And the weird thing, it's apparent even to a relative techno-idiot that they don't know anything except what models their pushing.  I went to BestBuy, I told the salesguy that I wanted a PC, and he blew me off, immediately trying to sell me an Apple.  Apple is a fine product, but it isn't the product I want bc of doing work at home, I don't want to have to resolve any potential conflicts between the office system and the home system.  I told this guy at least three times I wasn't interested in Apple & why--it wouldn't or he didn't want to listen.  Then he couldn't answer one of my main questions, but then I haven't found the answer yet, how to transfer my Address Book for WordPerfect8 to Word bc I don't think the new 64 bit system will work my WP8 program. 
Well, the equipment arrives tomorrow and after protracted discussions w/ ATT, they will be at the house Thursday morning to change out the hardwire for the library from the now to be dropped childrens' phone [there is an idea whose time is long gone] to the main house line.  I got so mad at that run around, I would have signed up for any alternative phone system available--but I don't know of any. 
Damn, I hate changing computers--worse than a new wallet.

[IRONHORSE]

I've been told to use "OpenWord" or "OpenOffice", but I want to be able to work seamless from my work 2007 Office enviornment. 

Here's my 2 cents on this - I use Linux Mint as my OS on my desktop (the one I'm typing on now,) which uses Open Office as it's word processing/spreadsheet/database, etc. program. I couldn't load MS Word or Office on this computer, even if I wanted to. I was able to copy over all my old Word (.doc) files from the removable hard drive where I had them all stored, and copy them into my documents folder, no problem. Most everything came through just fine, but my resume, with its varied spacing, bullets, and so on - looks funky in Open Office. Not unreadable, but I certainly wouldn't hand it to a perspective employer.

That being said, I think Open Office is a perfectly viable (and free!) alternative to paying the big bucks that MS Office is going for these days, for all but the most demanding user. Just be aware that your documents will launch with the .doc extension that Windows assigned them with no problem, but if you make any changes and save your work, Open Office will want to assign it's own extension (.odt, in the case of documents) instead. Nothing to freak out over - I've done it and they still work just fine.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Open Office will want to assign it's own extension (.odt, in the case of documents) instead. Nothing to freak out over - I've done it and they still work just fine.

So they can then be opened in Word200 without a hassle?  Sometimes, not very often, I'll work from home then e-mail all the stuff to the office where I've left my laptop computer and then enter that work.  I need to be able to keep that alternative. 

[IRONHORSE]

So they can then be opened in Word200 without a hassle?  Sometimes, not very often, I'll work from home then e-mail all the stuff to the office where I've left my laptop computer and then enter that work.  I need to be able to keep that alternative. 

Sorry bud... I'm not sure of the answer to that. I've never tried to go back and forth between the 2 programs. Maybe FR8TRAIN can chime in on this - he's a fellow Linux user, who (I think!) still has a computer somewhere loaded with Windows.

[SlyBaldDude]

At least most of you can *get* high speed internet.  In rural Oregon I get the local high speed company which slaps a radio antenna on my house aimed at a series of other antennas that eventually connects to an OC3 or some such thing out at the airport.  I am lucky to get 750k most days.  We'll never get dsl cause there are only 200 people in our town.  The cable company pulled out about two years ago.  So qwitcherbitchin!

[CraftyGuy]

At least most of you can *get* high speed internet.  In rural Oregon I get the local high speed company which slaps a radio antenna on my house aimed at a series of other antennas that eventually connects to an OC3 or some such thing out at the airport.  I am lucky to get 750k most days.  We'll never get dsl cause there are only 200 people in our town.  The cable company pulled out about two years ago.  So qwitcherbitchin!

Wow, Dude, that completely sux!

[tomgallagher]

OMG...that's terrible.

[GASlick]

I'm on DSL and it's fine with me! Better than the aircard we were using.
A cable modem from Comcast, our local provider was nearly $80 a month since we didn't have tv with them.  I'm not giving up my DirecTV, sorry.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Well, it's all going down today.  UPS had a delay, I'm assuming the rain & flooding in Tennessee bc the shipping point was Illinois--and Tennessee is between Louisiana and Illinois.  Anyway, I'm hoping my wife will leave for work before anyone shows up .  And, since I'm going to dinner w/ the guys tonight straight after work, if she doesn't go into the library she won't know the difference.  I feel like I did when I was little trying to slip something by my parents--it's sort of a satisfying experience .  ATT shows up to do the rewire for the hardline to the library between 8-12 so it's more likely than not that I may do this.
If I don't, I guess it's like they say the gladiators said on entering the arena, "We who are about to die, salute you!"  

Update:  ATT guy called, so he's not coming until after 9:30a---wifey will be out of here.  Now if I can just get lucky w/ the UPS dude--I may buy a lottery ticket. 

[Razor X]

So how'd it go??