When Technology Gets Old
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:12 pm
I'm still running my old Pentium 4, WIN XP Pro SP2 desktop. It's been a good machine, though there have been some issues along the way. Like when I followed Microsoft's instructions on resetting the Recover Point, and had to reinstall Windows. Last time I took their word for anything.
Anyway, my computer before this one lasted twelve years after I hot rodded it, and this one is getting pretty long in the tooth also. But alas, the architecture will not stand any implants that will let me run the latest and greatest memory hogging software needed for today's systems. I bought a laptop to alleviate that problem, but it turned out to be almost a lost cause. I really hate the screen, and the Windows version leaves a lot to be desired. Can't wait to "upgrade" it to Win 10.
But what I'm really ticked off about is the way the anti-virus software has let me down. Not that my systems have been compromised, but that the performance of the software, and customer support has been terrible.
Norton 360 just got more invasive as time went on, constantly wanting to scan if I left the machine idle for less than two minutes. That took up all the memory resources, along with constantly updating several times an hour.
I replaced it with AVG, and that seemed to help, along with the deactivating of programs through their program director. At least until the last two days. All of a sudden, I couldn't get through to the Update Server, no matter how many times I requested it, or after going through all the troubleshooting regimes. Then the Customer Service didn't work at all. Either I was in a loop, or it wouldn't let me log in. So I replaced that today with Webroot, because they still support XP. So far, so good.
Back to the new laptop. The Macafee software came due for renewal back in May, and I got a notice to do so at the full price. Then I got another notice at a reduced price. So I took them up on it. Only it didn't take, and I couldn't get Macafee to acknowledge I did pay for the renewal. So it's been sitting, waiting for me to get some other anti-virus program in place. I was thinking about putting the AVG on it because I had a Three Device license, but now that they've apparently gone kaput, I won't be installing it anywhere.
I thought about putting the Webroot on it, but I couldn't see paying the price they wanted for a five device license for two years (which was the only version they had with the features I wanted), so I only got the single license to put on the old desktop. Which means I will still have to get one to run on the laptop, or scrap the laptop for a new unit. This is because I plan on getting a DSLR later on, and will need something that will handle the software that will come with it.
Man, I just love this digital age. And people ask me why I still buy film cameras.
PF
Anyway, my computer before this one lasted twelve years after I hot rodded it, and this one is getting pretty long in the tooth also. But alas, the architecture will not stand any implants that will let me run the latest and greatest memory hogging software needed for today's systems. I bought a laptop to alleviate that problem, but it turned out to be almost a lost cause. I really hate the screen, and the Windows version leaves a lot to be desired. Can't wait to "upgrade" it to Win 10.
But what I'm really ticked off about is the way the anti-virus software has let me down. Not that my systems have been compromised, but that the performance of the software, and customer support has been terrible.
Norton 360 just got more invasive as time went on, constantly wanting to scan if I left the machine idle for less than two minutes. That took up all the memory resources, along with constantly updating several times an hour.
I replaced it with AVG, and that seemed to help, along with the deactivating of programs through their program director. At least until the last two days. All of a sudden, I couldn't get through to the Update Server, no matter how many times I requested it, or after going through all the troubleshooting regimes. Then the Customer Service didn't work at all. Either I was in a loop, or it wouldn't let me log in. So I replaced that today with Webroot, because they still support XP. So far, so good.
Back to the new laptop. The Macafee software came due for renewal back in May, and I got a notice to do so at the full price. Then I got another notice at a reduced price. So I took them up on it. Only it didn't take, and I couldn't get Macafee to acknowledge I did pay for the renewal. So it's been sitting, waiting for me to get some other anti-virus program in place. I was thinking about putting the AVG on it because I had a Three Device license, but now that they've apparently gone kaput, I won't be installing it anywhere.
I thought about putting the Webroot on it, but I couldn't see paying the price they wanted for a five device license for two years (which was the only version they had with the features I wanted), so I only got the single license to put on the old desktop. Which means I will still have to get one to run on the laptop, or scrap the laptop for a new unit. This is because I plan on getting a DSLR later on, and will need something that will handle the software that will come with it.
Man, I just love this digital age. And people ask me why I still buy film cameras.
PF