I THINK I've got this figured out - but this message will confirm that - or not. This will be my 2,608th attempt to post to this group. Once again my fingers are crossed.
If you find a computer - and software compatible with it - that does what you want it to do, and come to know it and the software you've acquired for it like the back of your hand, there's a tendency to stick with it - while the rest of the world moves on.
I had unintentionally become a Computer System Neander
- and the world was leaving me behind - as was Apple and Mac software. My old Mac G3 purchased in 1997 or maybe it was '98, won't run the newest versions of my frequently used software, nor any of the "new stuff" - like SketchUP. And Netscape 3.0 (how Neander is THAT?) can't, or has trouble viewing the content of more and more web sites.
SO - about three weeks ago - I headed down to the Apple Store and picked up a NEW Mac Mini - 6" x 6" x 2" - since I already had a flat screen display, keyboard and mouse. Five or six times faster and 1/30th the size of the old G3 - and it's so CUTE- silver gray sides and a white top
-with a gray Apple Logo.
What happened should be familiar to anyone who has bought one of those fancy "easy to use" dovetail or mortise and tenon jigs. The Silver Tongued Devil who you saw demonstrate it made it look SO EASY, and so Idiot Proof, and so FAST and so ACCURATE.
Then YOU buy it, set it up and use it - just like you think you remember The Silver Tongued Devil did at The Show. That's when perception and reality often conflict.
Despite what The Silver Tongued Devil said - or heavily implied, and despite what The Brochure would have you believe, and despite what the various "reviews" in the woodworking magazines would have you believe - this thing AIN'T intuitive to use, nor EASY, FAST and ACCURATE - until YOU learn to use it EXACTLY as the manufacturer intended for you to use it.
With a computer system that's Stand Alone, migrating upward and learning a new User Interface (Apple's strong point) can be tricky. Add in an Internet Service Provider, totally unfamiliar downloaded software and an A/B Box so you can switch the monitor from Old System to New System and back - and you may drop into The Twilight Zone.
Seems while trying to "set up" the New Computer
- and it's software, I somehow managed to screw up the Old Computer and it's mail and news settings. Suddenly, and mysteriously, I couldn't get to usenet news groups and couldn't send e-mail. Then I COULD get to usenet groups - but couldn't post messages - or send any e-mail.
Only took a bit over a week to be able to at least get to and view posts to the wreck and the woodturning news group, "making do" by spending time at WoodCentral to satisfy my Forum addiction. There I found a recomended Mac newsreader ThunderBird and the web browser FireFox recomended here and in other forums / groups.
Still haven't got my "old" capabilities working on the New Computer but I THINK I've recovered them on the Old Computer. Only this post will tell the tale.
charlie b crossing his fingers as he clicks on "Send Now"
- and whispering "please, please, please work"