Computers Take Over My Life

Several things happened this week, each of which has more or less dictated the next; W’s old laptop died. Perhaps “died” is the wrong word. Her laptop - which was the cheapest we could find about 2 years ago - finally ate it’s own lunch yesterday afternoon. It made a grinding noise, and then started pumping smoke from it’s sides. The Macbook became the household computer. Now we are down to one fully working machine (the Macbook), it made sense that I no longer use it exclusively. It’s worth pointing out to anybody reading this that found their way here searching for “Macbook Switcher” or any other such term, that my other half has had no problems at all with using the Mac instead of a Windows PC. It’s faster, it lasts longer on batteries (whole hours longer), is easier to use, and is far more reliable. As a result of not having “my own” machine any more, I have gone back to using Google Mail. I have spent the evening re-wiring the various email accounts I was delivering into the Macbook to pump into GMail instead. I am using Google Reader more and more. It keeps track of all my friend’s blogs as well as numerous technical news feeds. Google Calendar. If you’ve not used it, you need to go look at it. If you have another half who has access to the internet, it makes SO much sense… you can share calendars, and allow each other to create events in each other’s calendars. You can also make a third calendar for the both of you… we have a calendar each, and a “both of us” calendar. It works wonderfully for us. I have been using Backpackit to record to-do items - chiefly because Google don’t have to-do lists. It was a close run thinG between Backpackit and Google Notebook, and I’m still not sure if I’ve chosen the right thing. I often need to keep notes on things I am supposed to be doing, or what I’ve done - and it helps no end. I can only conclude that computers are completely and utterly taking over my life. I have visions of waking up inside the house Julie Christie was trapped in, in the move “Demon Seed”. Lets hope the Ubuntu laptop and the Macbook will take the fight to Windows if it ever tries to take the house over.