Don’t you just love how Windows will update your shit and then reboot your computer without bothering to ask you if that seems like a good idea? Have you ever had the thing shut down in the process of updating only to not restart, leaving you cold and alone as you try to sync the podcasts on your iTouchy? Do these things only happen to me? If so, then I will ask you, blessed ones, to play along as if the crap fairey comes to visit you sometimes as well. Last night she came to sprinkle pixie poo all over my digital realm.
At first I thought it was just the usual Vista fisting. Update, shut down. Never ask, never explain. I have to admit that I admire this quality in performing artists, but an operating system should be a bit less precious. It could have been that my uncharitable attitude produced a funky vibe which hosed the power supply. It is more possible that my laissez faire approach to dust control could have affected the darling component. Whatever the case may be, there is a new power supply on the way from Wisconsin which I shall try to install without bricking the whole device and while my Sweet Lady is somewhere other than near enough to question the mad skillz of a History major as he works on computer hardware. For the record, the “motherboard” is different from the “floppy drive” correct?
So, as we are settling that question we might as well be working out another. Currently there is a blazing fast 52k modem sitting in a PCIe slot doing nothing but keeping the dust out, and apparently doing a crap job at that. I thought about getting a TV tuner card for that slot before I got the Woot! which tunes in Tokyo for me. As long as the case is open (voiding the fig leaf of a warranty) I’m figuring I could use this 4x PCIe slot for something, but what? The box does not have wi-fi, but it sits 6 inches from the router and I have a 4 foot CAT-5 cord. Not that I’m bragging. I mean, it’s not like 4 feet is a lot of cord, it’s just more than enough to get the job done. I can totally hit the 802.11g spot, if you know what I’m saying.
Anyway, the point is that I’ve got unrealized potential here. Story of my life. What do you give a media center pc that has everything? Maybe there are some virtual reality cards that would be fun for Tallulah and my Sweet Lady. Without binocular vision, I’m afraid those are useless to me. I could install support for a microscopic camera, but recent experience has made me shy away from those. Elvis suggests a toaster. That might be nice. That or maybe a coffee cup warmer. Now we are getting somewhere. Oh, and maybe a force field to keep out the shit fairy. I’m just saying that could be useful.
granted, i don’t have vista, but my pc always axes me before installing and rebooting b/c i don’t log in as the admin, i have a separate “everyday” login that has to axe permission to take a poo. can you do that in vista?
Well, yes there is a setting that could be changed. Microsoft is correct in thinking that I am an idiot, they have just overshot the mark and supposed that I am a bigger idiot than I actually am. The default for the setting is to do updates automatically, but at least in XP it can be changed to ask for permission or leave it totally up to me. God only knows where the setting is in Vista and I am too busy watching Idol to figure it out.