packsaddle Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 OK, some of you superannuated Boy Scouts might benefit from a little deja vu. I was just reading the thread titles when I had a flashback. Do any of you have fond memories of the days when file names could not be longer than 8 characters? Anyone wistfully wishing for the days when we had to convert hexadecimal codes? Look up ASCII commands? I can remember programming my old Z80 processor using machine code, then my 6502, and then later cruising around inside Fortran7, printing with a daisywheel printer because the dot matrix wasn't letter quality, not to mention having to write my own drivers. I don't miss any of it. When I look back on the time spent trying to do what I'm doing right now...from some dumb terminal back then or worse, with data TAPES...I'm quite happy with the ease and convenience of being able to do all kinds of digital things (and I'm not talking about the kind that employs latex gloves), not to mention the luxury of pawing through a new forum like this looking for, let's face it, little inconsistencies or inconveniences so we can complain and have someone else make the 'corrections'. We have indeed come a long way. I'm glad for that. And because of that, I really do appreciate that we have it pretty good right now, even if some button doesn't work just right or perhaps some browser doesn't allow all the functionality....remember the days of Mosaic? On my shelf someplace I still have a machine that runs Netscape, R.I.P. Anyone remember Kermit (not the frog)? I like this forum. Yes, there might be an improvement somewhere. But....I don't have to use keyboard commands and some little star symbols on a B&W text only screen and calculate in my head the dispersion angle and spread of my photon torpedoes to hit those invisible Romulans while attempting to become Commodore Emeritus and not Posthumous. LOL. Perspective is just a wonderful thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I too, have been around since the days of key-punch cards and chain printers thinking that word processors that allowed one to /bold enter neat codes for effect /b was a major step forward. I have spent far too many hours in tech support to suit my disposition as well. But I did find it helpful that one does find an undocumented feature it was good to know. It added to the mental library of the things to remember when helping others. Troubleshooting requires a little guessing along the way, "Try this...", "Okay, then try this...", etc. until one finds a work around. Most things nowadays are not the end of the world and might be an inconvenience, but dropping your stack of 500+ key-punch cards was rather inconvenient too. I was skeptical at first with the new software. It's just me. I don't buy cars the first year they come out on the market either. I wait until everyone has the bugs worked out. With this new software, it just appeared. Didn't have a choice. End of discussion, either it works or I find a work-around. Yeah, I'm using two different browsers. So what, it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Safari=works Opera=works IE=works Chrome=works That's pretty good coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators EmXaN Posted April 14, 2015 Administrators Share Posted April 14, 2015 ^ Its injustice not to mention Firefox though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 ^ Its injustice not to mention Firefox though. Because I tried it and it doesn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Same for me. I have everything on Firefox except when I want to visit this forum, I have to switch to IE, Chrome, or Firefox on my Linux box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pargolf44067 Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I have had no issues with Firefox on my Macbook, so I don't know that it is an overall Firefox problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Never said it was an overall Firefox problem. Runs okay on Macs, and on Ubuntu Linux, but is quirky on some PC's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutldr Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Well, I'm pretty durn happy with this new software. Good Job, Terry! We appreciate all you do! I, too, remember Fortran IV...punch cards, Basic, nested do-loops ... ick. I used to be pretty adept with WordStar, Lotus 123 and Dbase III for MS-DOS. We just had some bedrooms painted and found boxes of new floppy disks that went in the trash. Now I've been told my laptop with Vista on it will soon be a doorstop and I just need to buy a new one (cheaper than upgrading to Win 7). I hate throwing things away when they still function well enough. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Linux runs on just about any computer. Older machines just run slower, but that's no big deal. I use Ubuntu Linux that I over installed on a computer running Windows 98. Works just fine. The only thing I use it for is a few games, internet connection (Firefox) and Open Office (Same as Microsoft Office only more robust). The only thing wrong with this whole setup is the guilt I feel because everything is FREE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packsaddle Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 (edited) I hate to admit it but I still have one lab machine running (get ready for this) DOS 4.2. Another running Windows 3.1. Both have Norton Commander shells to make things a bit easier but...no mice. I have to confess I partially keep these around to creep out the students, lol. But the 3.1 machine still runs my spec. AND unlike probably everyone on these forums, these machines are still just as fast as the day they started their professional life. Edit: It's also kind of cool to show the students that for something like word processing, these old machines are in some ways quicker than the new ones...a lot less code. I have promised myself that I'll keep them until I retire. Edited April 14, 2015 by packsaddle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 My Radio Shack Coco kinda crapped out on 12/31/1999, but it still works. AAAND it has a 5.25" floppy drive so I don't have to rely on cassette tapes to store stuff. I learned to program on this machine as did my daughter so still plays with it on a regular basis. She's a bit like her old man, came to me the other day and wants to set up an old machine to Linux so she can hook up her TV full time and stream movies and TV programs. And who said the old stuff isn't any good anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 So not a bug but a question: What is the "Thanks" and "Vote Post Up" per person, per day quota. It seems it is set awfully low or I am handing them out like Eagle badges in my district (did I say that? ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Remember Mozartbrau, too much of a good thing is not acceptable in the BSA. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Remember Mozartbrau, too much of a good thing is not acceptable in the BSA. LOL....right. I hate it when I get those parent calls saying I've been praising their kids too much and would I please stop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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