Vista Frustration

My PC Guy just left. Well, almost all of my problems are fixed. I still cannot access my AOL account on my new Dell computer. The problem is the Vista operating system. The security controls are so tight it won’t even let me, as the administrator, create files to fix the problem. Tom will have to stop back on Friday to complete the job.

According to Tom, all the problems are the result of Vista. When I uninstalled the AOL software, it caused “something” to be reset. Thus, I couldn’t access the enhanced viewer on my Ancestry.com web site (used for viewing original documents like census records.) It also caused the previous downloaded version of Adobe Flash Player to disappear. He has that working again. Only in Internet Explorer though. It still doesn’t work through G Mail. Thank you Vista!

BTW, DON’T BUY VISTA! IF YOU SEE IT, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! BUY IT AND YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. NIGHTMARES, HEADACHES, FRUSTRATION, AND WASTED TIME. What were they thinking when they devised this “upgrade?” Surely they were not thinking of us, the humble PC user. Geek arrogance reigns supreme.

After three hours, Tom had to leave for an appointment. He will be back on Friday to check my problem with my HP Photosmart All-in-One printer. I can’t blame this problem on Vista. This problem was caused by me when I tried to print a picture yesterday and the printer jammed up. In the process, I forgot that I’m not supposed to print the picture through the HP software but instead use the Windows software. By using the HP software, I changed the printer’s drivers. Now it won’t print. That makes sense doesn’t it?

Notice how the software companies routinely put out their “upgrades” without thoroughly testing them? They take it for granted that the market place (that’s us, the lowly PC user), will work out the bugs in their software. Business arrogance reigns supreme.

My friend Lar responds on my blog, “What a nightmare.” He’s got that right. My friend Jim says there will be a day when everything runs and I can enjoy using my computer and peripheral equipment. I say, that is a day I’m looking forward to. In the meantime, I’m going to spend a good part of the evening and tomorrow morning, updating my genealogy files on Family Tree Maker. That is my relaxation. I need it bad.

BTW, I could not include a picture in this blog posting because I get a message "There were errors during the upload." Since I got this message on both of my computers, I'm assuming it's Blogger that is screwing up now. At least I hope so.

List For PC Guy

Here I await my PC Guy (Tom) to fix various and sundry problems I have with my brand spanking new Dell Inspiron computer. Oh how I rue the day I decided to purchase another Dell but that's another whole story.

Not only do I have problems with my new Dell computer, I'm having problems with my HP Photosmart All-in-One printer. It has a mind of it's own. Sometimes it scans pictures, and sometimes not. This is about the 4th time I'm having Tom look at it. I've lost count the number of times we have installed and uninstalled the HP printer software.

Now I'm having a problem with my AOL mail software. I made the BIG MISTAKE of cleaning out my In Box (a New Year's resolution gone horribly wrong) and I discovered the "Quick Read" feature on my AOL In Box mail wasn't working. I uninstalled and reinstalled the AOL software on both computers; my old Gateway and the new Dell. The AOL software now works on the Gateway (well, sort of) and doesn't work on the Dell (so what else is new? Just another fun feature of Vista I suspect.)

Last night I had a new surprise. Now my music doesn't work on my blog nor on Playlist.com. Something to do with 64 bits versus 32 bits. What's that? Then, just to top everything else off, the Enhanced Feature Adobe download won't work for my Ancestry.com site. I need that feature to read the census records. Doesn't work folks. Again, I suspect Vista is the culprit here. No wonder businesses don't want to "upgrade" to Vista. IT'S NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE.

My simple question is? Why can't they make computers and printers that work for the average person? I'm not the sharpest blade in the drawer, but I can figure out most things. Not this time. I'm getting overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of just running this damn thing.

Below is my beginning list for Tom when he arrives at 11 am or thereabouts this morning. This is what I seem to spending most of my time doing lately instead of sending out clever e-mails, writing fascinating blog entries, and genealogy research. Something isn't right here.

List for Tom

1) Install AOL software on Dell computer

2) Add back AOL PFC files on Dell computer

3) Add MSN sign on to e-mail on Dell computer.


4) Make small font size on Google and AOL on Dell

5) Check double printer setup and wireless cords on Dell


6) When exiting “Welcome to Dell” from Google, screen hiccups over 70 times and leaves images on desktop

7) How to change short cut icons on Dell desktop


8) Hookup wired keyboard and mouse on Dell computer

9) Music doesn’t play on blog on Dell computer through Google. Can’t use Playlist.com. See note for Adobe download 64 bit versus 32 bit.


10) Cannot download Adobe flash player enhanced image viewer on Ancestry.com on Dell computer

11) Where is the refresh key on the Dell computer? One the Gateway?


12) HP Photosmart All-in-One printer not scanning – suspect drivers are wrong again since I tried to print through HP instead of Windows

13) Add back AOL PFC files on Gateway computer


14) How do I use flash drive on both computers? Want to back up Palm and genealogy files from Gateway computer – also move photos between computers on flash drive

15) Clean out some old programs no longer used in Gateway computer