h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So it's a pretty new'ish computer then, is it?

The base unit is just out of the box. Nothing too fancy. All i need at the mo. I'm still quite a novice at all this. There will be a lot of trial and error for me.

Please don't take this badly, but they are pretty much "idiot proof" these days. So that the stores and manufacturers don't have to deal with trouble calls.

The connections, cables, and doo-dads pretty much only go to one place each, and are mostly colour matched too. So have fun with it. "Nothing should go wrong ..."

Yeah i got it set up ok. It's just sites and setting up pages and stuff i have to do. I'm the kind of person who learns by processing before acting. I will get there Not to worry.

Sometimes it's the trial and error stuff that is the most fun.

Did you buy a brand name PC or notebook? Or a locally assembled package of some type? I've dealt with the building, servicing and use of computers actually since I was very young ...

I had a monitor so i just got a base unit. Thought i'd keep the cost low and can add stuff later. Printer, etc.

That sounds like quite a sensible notion. Are you SURE that you're female?

The other bits though, printer, scanner, web-cam, monitor, any of those things frequently come up at good sale prices. And that's often the method I suggest to folks around here.

Just what i was thinking. Not sure about getting a web cam though. Scary biscuits

I have 3 web-cams, ... The first was really cheap, the 2nd not much better, and finally I said to hell with it and bought a good one.

And haven't used it in perhaps 6 - 10 months.

If you're looking at a printer sometime down the road, I've heard very good things about the Epson line of "multi-functions". Scanner, printer, photo-memory reader ... All in a fairly economical bundle.

The all in ones are exactly what i have been looking at. Not too exspensive either.

They've really come down in price. Last year about this time, my printer of 3 years started going wonky and I shopped around. The "all-in-ones" looked good, but not up to my needs. My daughter gets quite a lot of photo-studio jobs of the 'tribe' done, then asks me to replicate a number of smaller pics. So I could print 10 or more full sheets in high quality at a time. I wanted something a bit more substantial.

In fact, on my way home I will be mailing a CD with the latest European drivers for an Epson, ... to England.

You are certainly a handy man to know.

I try to be. 'Tis a friend who deals mostly by digi-box, and then pay-per-minute for dial-up on her week-ends. You can imagine how long it would take to download half a CD of stuff, eh? With my broadband, it took about 5 minutes for all the bits and pieces.

Broadband is cool. I'm lovin it. I remember the digi box days. They served me well.

Oh yeah, broadband is such a step up from the older days of dial-up. Nearly 2 years ago, I was on a business trip, and the best I could do from the hotel was dial-up.

You realise how much you need it when you have to go without. Like with so many other things

'Tis a fact. And I do know of doing without 'things', ... of all kinds.

You and me both

Thanks for the e mail.

That was quick.

I'm off of this wire now for a bit. But I see MSN has options.

*slips in for a moment, leaving the makings and trimmings for and , not knowing the Lady's preference*

*slips away again until later ...*