[Rupert]

Old Mr Kitty (passed away a couple of years back at age 18) didn't like change, didn't want anything new or shiny around and even if I moved something old around in my shop, he felt a need to pee all over it as if it deserved it for messing with his world.
I tolerated it, he was old, friendly, and mostly laid around on the deck furniture and changed chairs as the sun moved across the sky. He wasn't interested in much other than lounging and eating, and he was superb at both. I'm noticing I'm a lot like old Mr Kitty.

Anyhow, my story is about keeping up in a changing world.....For some time I've been wondering if my wireless router might be out of date and slower than the newer ones, but could never find direct confirmation that my 10 year old Linksys was out of touch with the modern standards. Sure, I'd hear people tell me the new ones are faster, better, and more reliable, but they never told me convincingly. I was getting 5 mb download speed and it seemed adequate for most of what I do.

Got a new Big Screen TV ...Vizio Razor...and it is wireless too, so I tried to connect to the Linksys, and got nowhere. I had the cable guy try too, no go. He suggested a new router. I took his advise and got a Netgear N600. Supposed to be easy to hook up...it wasn't, took half a day and I ended up having to call a technician out to get it to work.

Anyhow again, after getting it up and running I did a speed test. Now I'm running 35mb download speed and I can tell a whopping difference in my surfing. Makes me wonder just what else I am far behind on?

Do you feel up to date with the technology you use, or are you like me...more in the dark than in the know?

Regards!

[patrick9]

Do you feel up to date with the technology you use, or are you like me...more in the dark than in the know?

I run windows Vista on my old computer I am very comfortable with it. Lots of practice. My wife had to get a new computer a while back It has windows 7 on it I have yet to figure it out. Problem is when she has a problem I am supposed to fix it. Takes forever . I am beginning to worry that my "old?" computer can only be repaired so many times till I have to get a new one then I will have to learn what ever is available.. But I do have grandchildren to get me around the new fangled stuff

[thazooo]

I try to stay on top of it all. I read my weekly Tech Bulletins, Web Sites and Forums. I'm the one in the family that does the repairs and building of the computers. Gotta bout 10 that I watch over. Xp thru W8, W8 being the most contrary. The Grandson likes W8 but then again he grew up with 'Tiles' and the likes on his Ipods.
For me it's a great hobby, Brain Candy. I've messed with Tech since 1967 and have always found it fascinating.
Where I lack are the Smart Phones. Never saw a use for being that 'connected'. Finally got one this year when ATT's plan got cheaper than just a Talk and Text plan. And it runs on Windows

[Rupert]

I can't keep up, and don't really try too hard. I'm running XP, but will have to upgrade sooner or later. I'm holding out for the next OS, hoping Microsoft will correct their last big mistake.

Here's where I am on computers....like my little Audi TT, I can drive it to it's limits, but knowing how it works or making repairs is way beyond my skills. I'd like to know more about the technology, but don't have the time, or maybe even the aptitude to understand it all.

Dana, you don't strike me as a tech wizard, that's sort of surprising, but good to know.....a friend that might help me in the future when I have problems! In trade I can help you if you ever have plumbing problems....all you need to know to be a plumber is that sh((t don't run uphill! ( but you can pump it up there!)

Regards!

[thazooo]

Yeah Rupert I'm Geek to the Bone If you got questions just ask.

BTW didn't you miss 2 of the Plumbers Creed.........Friday's Pay Day.........Never Lick Your Fingers..........LOL

[cardinal43]

Makes me wonder just what else I am far behind on? Regards!

If you're like me (I turned 71 last month), most times it seems like everything.

[Rupert]

If you're like me (I turned 71 last month), most times it seems like everything.

Yes, it does seem like we fall behind with age. Some things matter, most not so much. You have to make choices about how to use your time, and most of the time I had rather spend my time enjoying life and having fun over staying in tune with every new gadget that comes along. Most I can live without....excepting a microwave! I love a microwave, it beats everything else I have for making life easier!

Best Regards!

[reeftool]

I'm probably more up to date in regards to technology than most my age (63).
I'm running Windows 7. I have an iPhone 5s which replaced an early Android phone. I have a fairly new iPad. Not the Air but the one just previous.
I have a 1080p Vizio TV.
I do however live in the Adirondacks of NY. My internet comes from a phone company called Frontier. The DSL line is good enough but at least I have it. Another mile up the road, no DSL, no cable. I'm grateful. It's good enough to stream Netflix and still use one of the computers but streaming on the TV and a computer (or iPhone, iPad, Kindle, etc) will result in buffering issues. It usually isn't a problem as it's just my wife and me in the house.
I do tend to keep my stuff as long as it still works. I bought the iPhone because my Droid broke. I will use the iPhone until it breaks. Same for the iPad.
I'm considering a new computer. It's getting a little slow. I can blame photography addiction for that. New software, new cameras with billions of megapickles seem to suck the life out of my 4 year old home built tower. I just filled another external hard drive with photos! Do you guys realize we are going to need servers soon to store and back up all the photos we shoot?

[Rupert]

I have a 1080p Vizio TV.

Reef, I just bought a new 47" Vizio Razor, great TV. However, all I do is watch it...not even in the HD channels. It is internet ready, does millions of things, but I just turn it on and watch the news, and a few other programs like those Texas Hog Hunters. I have a Tracfone flip phone, use about 10-15 minuted a month. My daughter in law gave me a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, it's still in the box and will go out of date in the same box....probably is already? Simple...I like things simple, just like old Mr Kitty!

Regards!

[Tom S.]

Being a techie is now just a hobby for me, but at one time it was part of my job. I started playing with computers in 1968 when I was taught to operate keypunch machines and learned how to hardwire the machine used to sort them. Today, I have a water cooled Alien desktop with twin graphic cards and Windows 7. I looked at Windows 8 and found it to be another one of MS's mistakes and decided I'll wait for Windows 9. I've done a boatload or work inside computers over the years including replacing motherboards and upgrading hardware. I also have spent a lot of time working on friends and neighbors computers over the years. As I've aged, I have found myself becoming less interested in the 'nuts and bolts' of computers, even to the point of contacting tech support on stubborn problems. During the course of life, I've steered away from all things Apple. I'm not sure why but suspect it's because I was raised on DOS commands. I just got a new Galaxy S5 phone and have been playing with it the past week.

If all you do with a computer is surf the web and send email, any computer and whatever operating system came with it (properly upgraded of course) with up to date virus and malware programs will do you just fine. If on the other hand you are either a gamer or spend a lot of time editing pictures, you want a fast processor, lots of memory and storage space. Besides having 16GB of storage, I use a solid state hard drive for the operating system and Photoshop and have a combined storage of well over 1 TB. Another important thing to consider no matter what computer system you use is backing up protocol. While having an extra hard drive to backup your important files, including photos, they can all be lost to theft, fire or viruses. A far better plan is to do you storage off premises, either to the cloud or a third party like Carbonite.

[Rupert]

I use a solid state hard drive for the operating system and Photoshop

Tom, I'm going to have to have a new computer soon, but I'm waiting for Windows 9, and hoping it is not a wreck like 8. I'm very interested int he solid state system. When to that time, maybe you can give me some tips on the configuration etc? I have friends that can build it, I just need to know what it is they need to build.

Regards!

[Tom S.]

Tom, I'm going to have to have a new computer soon, but I'm waiting for Windows 9, and hoping it is not a wreck like 8. I'm very interested int he solid state system. When to that time, maybe you can give me some tips on the configuration etc? I have friends that can build it, I just need to know what it is they need to build.

Regards!

No problem. It's not rocket science. the basic idea is to use a solid state drive as your boot drive and any critical programs. In a nutshell, a solid state drive is a bunch of memory that takes the place of the hard drive. Because it's memory, the load time is mega fast compared to reading from a regular hard drive. That also applies to programs that can benefit from the rapid loading speed that a ssd provides. You will note that ssd's are much smaller in size that some of the available hard drives today though. The size isn't a problem as long as you use the drive only for operating system and as I stated, those few programs that can benefit from the speed. I also keep all my word/excel documents there too because they load super quick.

Along with the ssd, you'll want a large capacity normal hard drive for program files and storage of pictures/video, and get the largest amount and quickest ram you can afford. Also - and I can't stress this enough - look into a back up system, preferably something away from your house so it won't be susceptible to maladies that may befall your home.

When you get ready to take the plunge, let me know.

[reeftool]

I wasn't kidding about the server. I have a filled up 1TB external HD filled up with the backups of my current computer and the previous one. I recently purchased a 3TB Western Digital external as my new backup but I haven't set it up yet. I'm pretty sure I'm going with an SSD drive in my next computer and will store my photos on hard drives. The big question rolling around in my head is whether to build another Windows 7 or try Windows 8. One thing I like about Win7 is the way it networks so nicely. We also have a Win7 laptop and I can keep the hard drive very clean and empty because I can access everything on my external which is connected to my tower. I can also access everything on the towers hard drive. I can also access my photos with my iPad (through iTunes). If I build a Windows 8 tower, will it network with my Windows 7 laptop? I couldn't get Windows 7 to recognize my old XP computers. I also have an old tower with Ubuntu installed. Right now, I have to connect my external HD to the non Win7 computers to access the photos. It would be nice to be able to have it all available without filling up the hard drives on every computer. I'm not a network expert. I know it's possible to do this.

[magkelly]

Old Mr Kitty (passed away a couple of years back at age 18) didn't like change, didn't want anything new or shiny around and even if I moved something old around in my shop, he felt a need to pee all over it as if it deserved it for messing with his world.
I tolerated it, he was old, friendly, and mostly laid around on the deck furniture and changed chairs as the sun moved across the sky. He wasn't interested in much other than lounging and eating, and he was superb at both. I'm noticing I'm a lot like old Mr Kitty.

Anyhow, my story is about keeping up in a changing world.....For some time I've been wondering if my wireless router might be out of date and slower than the newer ones, but could never find direct confirmation that my 10 year old Linksys was out of touch with the modern standards. Sure, I'd hear people tell me the new ones are faster, better, and more reliable, but they never told me convincingly. I was getting 5 mb download speed and it seemed adequate for most of what I do.

Got a new Big Screen TV ...Vizio Razor...and it is wireless too, so I tried to connect to the Linksys, and got nowhere. I had the cable guy try too, no go. He suggested a new router. I took his advise and got a Netgear N600. Supposed to be easy to hook up...it wasn't, took half a day and I ended up having to call a technician out to get it to work.

Anyhow again, after getting it up and running I did a speed test. Now I'm running 35mb download speed and I can tell a whopping difference in my surfing. Makes me wonder just what else I am far behind on?

Do you feel up to date with the technology you use, or are you like me...more in the dark than in the know?

Regards!

I'm a total tech head. I admit it. I can't afford the expensive stuff but what I've got is usually pretty swift and not at all out of date. My Chinese tablet isn't an Ipad but it hold it's own by comparison. I slowly upgraded my Dell to what I wanted and now it's capable of doing anything I want on it. I do have an older fun cam but it's got great glass to go with and it's actually not that slow. The K-x had an edge on it, but not by much. I can do anything in terms of computers and that. I don't have a computer tech. I am the computer tech in my family, shrug. The next DSLR will be an older model but I'm going for one that is more than capable of doing what I want. I'm holding out for a K5II or a K-30 at least. I don't want a K-3 though. There's tech and there's TECH, and IMHO the K3 is overkill for my needs anyway...