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Reg telephoned me the other day. As I have mentioned before, Reg is a very long standing member but is unable to get to meetings these days. I like to hear from Reg and to keep in touch. Reg said that he had just purchased a new computer and that he had an old 386 that was still in good order but as he no longer had any use for it he would be happy to give it to anyone who wanted it. I said that I did not think that any member would want it and that this type of computer could very often be found at the council tip. I expect that Reg has got rid of it by now but if any member would be interested I would be pleased to put them in touch with Reg.
I have not done anything about my ailing computer, it still switches off frequently when I try to use my recording drive, but not every time. At first my supplier said that it was no great problem and that they could talk me through a short process that would restore things. Later they changed their minds and said that it would be necessary to re-install Windows, together with all my programs. Since then, when trying to back up my files to a recently purchased Seagate external drive, a notice comes up saying that the drive is full and that I should delete some of it's contents. In fact there is very little on the drive and a check shows nearly the full 400 GB still available.
Going back to Reg's offer. I still have an Amstrad 1640 in the loft that is still in excellent working order although not used for many years. I also have a Pentium II that I do use from time to time and much of what I use my computer for can be done on that.
A neighbour asked me to advise him on the purchase of a computer a couple of years ago. I asked him what he wanted to use it for and he said that he didn't know but thought that he should have one. I took him to Evesham Micro and knowing that he had plenty of money we selected an all singing and dancing machine costing £1400. My neighbour is a very clever man with a machine shop in his garden and uses one room of his house as a drawing office.
A few days ago I asked him what he uses his computer for and he told me that he only uses it for writing letters. I then conducted a mini survey to find out what my friends use their computers for. Most said that they really only used them for writing letters. Nearly all however, said that they used them for the internet. I then thought about my own use and realised that much of what I do could be done on the old Amstrad 1640.
I do however print and transfer to CD photographs from my camera and record music to CD (that is until my recent troubles). I hardly ever use the internet except to send a copy of this newsletter once a month to Bryan Coleman who edits it and sends it out to members. It doesn't sound much like someone who started a computer group nearly 20 years ago. I suppose the fact is that, at my age, I am still a bit frightened of this "new" technology and I am horrified that someone can gain access to my computer and leave nasty messages on it and cause untold inconvenience to me.
After realising how little I used my computer, except for the aforementioned jobs, I thought that I would try out a CAD program that I have. Before going into the family business I was an aircraft design draughtsman. At the present time I am engaged in a project to convert a greenhouse into a summer house. I had previously roughly worked out what I wanted to do and made sketches. A neighbour (the one with the machine shop in his garden) is helping me by cutting the timber joints etc. so I thought that it would impress him if I presented him with professional looking drawings produced with my CAD program. My sketches usually take me about five minutes, they are a bit rough but have the correct dimensions and serve me very well. After a whole evening with my CAD program I had produced a beautiful drawing of the front of my new summer house that I had previously drawn in five minutes. I gave up and went back to my sketches.
An interesting item that I bought from my local Aldi store, is a portable DVD player that plays films, CD's, MP3's and slide shows of photographs. It comes complete with a rechargeable battery, charger and lead to connect it to a TV if you wish. An excellent product that cost just under £50
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This meeting notice/newsletter, was based on that produced by Ken Miles, and sent by snail mail, to members of the SPCUC a few days before each monthly meeting. Comments about the club's web pages, to the webmaster.
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