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Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
Imac or iMac not, There is no Sigh
Steve 'Yoda' Jobs
2
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
I like shiny too. But these days I check what I actually need shiny things for, and then I come to the conclusion that I actually only need that thing for a few essential tasks. I can do almost everything on my iPad these days. But I have some old USB devices that I need access to, and for that I need a full computer, and my MacBook Air from 2011 is getting ancient.
When I bought that MacBook Air I had this romantic vision of sitting in cafe’s writing books and things, and that totally didn’t happen. Instead I meditated a lot and read a lot of Buddhism. So I don’t think I need a new laptop, that MacBook Air is still quite capable and has a lot of good software on it.
0
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
I’ve bought a house, with my mother and stepfather. We move in on Friday, it will be the first time I have lived in a house rather than a flat in many years.
You thought my iPhone 5 was ancient? I'm still using my MacBook Pro from 2009.
I've replaced the battery twice, and the HDD once. And I replaced the fans just a couple of months ago.
Electronic devices have become something of a necessity for most of us. It's too bad that they need replacing so often to keep up with software.
I think I've done OK with mine, I know they'll need replacing sooner or later, but I like to keep stuff as long as I can. I can't understand people that replace their phones, computers and cars (?!) every 3-4 years.
0
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited July 2020
Here in the Netherlands a lot of people still buy Android phones on cheap contracts and end up paying like 10-15 euro’s for the connection and 6-10 euro’s for the phone, which they pay off after two years. But because they buy such cheap phones they are plasticky and wear quickly, and so after two years they will take a new phone and get a new two-year contract.
Android kind of facilitates that, because the update policy is so awful. You get one or maybe two updates in a phone’s lifetime, and people just can’t seem to resist the combination of shiny new software and shiny new hardware.
I’ve been making the argument for ages that an iPhone is more expensive up front, but it is so durable and gets so many updates that you can easily use it for 5-6 years. The iPhone SE 2 was a real sweet-spot product because it is fast, will last 5-6 years and was mid-range in price, I think Apple was clever to position it there.
But we are now reaching the point where phones don’t need to get any faster. The chip that’s in the most recent iPhones is already the equivalent of an Intel Core i5 desktop chip from a few years ago, and it’s in a freaking phone. There just aren’t that many applications that require more processing power. So there are even less reasons to replace your phone so often.
It all comes down to using equipment you buy until it reaches end-of-life. I think you get the most value out of it that way, and it is better for the environment. I’m not a believer in buying and then selling second-hand.
3
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
But I think computers reached that point of fast-enough quite a few years ago. Last time my dad was buying a Windows computer I advised him, buy something ultra-reliable, like a HP or Lenovo, even if it doesn’t have top of the line specs. It’s going to last you ten years. And that was the second time I was giving him that advice, and the last time it was also good for a decade.
If you replace a MacBook Pro from 2009, or in my case a MacBook Air from 2011, with something up to date, you will notice it. The yearly speed bumps of 10-15% add up over time to something significant, and the number of cores has been going up slowly as well. But it’s replacing something that was competent with something that‘s really slick.
I like to keep my gear so that they keep getting OS updates, that’s my personal limit on when equipment is old, and with Apple they eventually run out, it’s not like Windows which supports even quite ancient gear. My MacBook Air was too old for the last couple of big updates, so it’s been living on borrowed time, although I did notice the Safari web browser updating the other day.
The just-announced transition of the Mac to Apples own ARM processors looks like a good time to upgrade. It seems like Apple is taking the opportunity to think outside the box in terms of processor specs, and I think the new Macs will be supported for a long time. So I was going to wait until the ARM iMacs are released and then buy one.
On this mornings walk before 6am, I saw 8 does, bucks & fawns (3 within a 100ft of my house, a mother raccoon trailing 2 kids across the road, 1 bunny imitating a lawn ornament and the usual assortment of foraging squirrels. I felt as though a Disney soundtrack was supposed to be playing.
7
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
This weekend I visited the Himalayan Gardens near Ripon (North Yorkshire, UK). Some lovely plants, sculptures, and architecture. No Buddha statues though, which disappointed me.
Himalayan blue poppy
Chinese pagoda
5
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
It absolutely is! We moved house recently, too, and are going to collect the last bits of furniture on Saturday. Not looking forward to dragging that sofa bed up two flights of stairs
the tragedy of the bearded dragon is that a certain individual claiming remarkable intellect and aplomb, possessing neither, resembles them in certain head shots.
Of course, they disregard that when fed their favorite foods such as crickets, worms and broccoli.
I like my Buddha Naturals wild. My current favourite is a juvenile robin and a singing wren that has adopted me.
Animal friends. What an honour ... I luvs them blues poppy @adamcrossley
2
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
I was channeling my inner Caruso last night (ie singing).
2
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
I have moved house now, and even with mover chaps and a big truck it was thirsty work. You are on your feet a lot, constantly making decisions, it’s pretty tiring. But we’re done now, even though most of our stuff is in boxes stacked in the new garage.
I wonder how often we leave boxes unopened in the garage after we have moved...When moving we carefully pack everything (we think we will need) away in boxes with the intention of unpacking them when we start to settle in to our new place...only to find months, even years down the track, some boxes remain unopened never see the light of day again, or if we do get around to opening some, it's to find a particular item, the rest of the stuff we leave in the box...
Moving is a good time to become aware of attachment & clinging and to develop the art of letting go ....
4
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
They do say, if you pack a box, seal it and store it, and look at it 6 months later, and cannot recall the contents, you don't need the contents at all. 90% of the time, we hold on to things through association, not through necessity.
2
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
It seems my iPhone is the most important necessity...
1
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@Kerome said:
It seems my iPhone is the most important necessity...
I went to my daughter's house for a week, before lockdown... I forgot my phone. Unbelievable.
I cannot begin to tell you how liberating it felt to NOT have it on me!
Well there I was doing some vacuuming, I was in the bathroom doing the floor, then I spotted some old cobwebs (no spiders nearby) on the wall close to the ceiling over the sink, where I happened to have a bucket full of water...Anyhow, as I was reaching across the sink with vacuum in hand (it's a small lightweight one) the extension tubes disconnected from the flexible hose which is attached to the machine and the hose dropped into the bucket and started to suck up water instead of the cobwebs...
Boy did I move quickly...
I moved so fast I was like a streak of lightening...
Switched vacuum off, pulled out plug keeping the vacuum pointing downwards (which all seemed like one motion) so the water was running out of the hose and vacuum over the bathroom floor....
After using cloths and paper towels on the vacuum, it's now sitting close to the fan heater with warm air blowing into it... I don't think any water got into the electrical parts...
Well at least I got most of the vacuuming done...that's a bonus
Got my first electric bike today. I reasoned that this might ecologically enable me to do chores that formally called for usage of a car but really I just fell for the 4 inch wide balloon tires, the cruiser styling and just how much dam fun my imagination promised it could be.....
In short supply here as well. Mine was mailed direct to me from the manufacture. Took an hour to assemble from a cardboard box (including me having to redo the Handle bars because I assembled them backward the first time).
3
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
We have bike shops at regular intervals here... being a bike maintenance person is a legitimate career choice... there are more bikes than people in some places.
And the Netherlands being so flat, one wouldn't need an electric bike...
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I was actually GIVEN a Mountain bike by a good friend. I must add we are desperately short of mountains round these here parts... but it's a girl's bike (as opposed to a Lady's bike) so the saddle is adjustable to my height, because I am quite the petite. delicate and fragile little thing...
and of course, I have my "gammy leg" to consider, so falling off holds other complications, other than just hitting the ground...
I have yet to try it.. I shamelessly confess I am a 'fair-weather' rider, and of late, fair weather has been conspicuous by its absence... but we have a lovely local park which welcomes riders, and a biking track near the river.... There is also an Ecological group restoring the towpath beside the river, which, when completed, will take people a full distance of around 9 miles from our town to the next major port of call... so I shall enjoy biking around. Eventually!
I also have a mountain bike which I may have to give away. I whore wore it out. I tend to get the cheapest bikes I can and wear them until service required ... mountain bikes have the best suspension, gearing. Ride slow is my way @federia. I often get overtaken by joggers. The electric bike at 15 mph seemed like greased lightening ... had to learn slow riding technique ...
Are we all lay consumerist geekery Buddhists now?
Just bought a larger tv. It was the cheapest with good reviews I could find at RicherSounds. I may watch it a bit tomorrow. Today had to assemble. Connection to WWW (world wide winternet) was a doddle. Not really for me. Honest. Picture seems incredible. Now to upgrade our broadband ...
OM MANY TEKNO BUD HO HUM
1
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
THIS is a little worrying....
Another way the "big Guys" are quietly manipulating us to behave the way THEY want us to... ?
0
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@lobster said:
Just bought a larger tv. It was the cheapest with good reviews I could find at RicherSounds. I may watch it a bit tomorrow. Today had to assemble. Connection to WWW (world wide winternet) was a doddle. Not really for me. Honest. Picture seems incredible. Now to upgrade our broadband ...
OM MANY TEKNO BUD HO HUM
Im also doing techie things in the new house today. Cable guy is coming to repair the socket and install our WiFi, I am hoping to find the power extension lead for the television somewhere.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@lobster said:
Just bought a larger tv. It was the cheapest with good reviews I could find at RicherSounds. I may watch it a bit tomorrow. Today had to assemble. Connection to WWW (world wide winternet) was a doddle. Not really for me. Honest. Picture seems incredible. Now to upgrade our broadband ...
OM MANY TEKNO BUD HO HUM
Im also doing techie things in the new house today. Cable guy is coming to repair the socket and install our WiFi, I am hoping to find the power extension lead for the television somewhere.
~
It's far too late to give you moving advice, but ~the next time~ you move, pack boxes and as you do, number them, and put the destination (Kitchen, living room, Bedroom 1, bathroom, etc...). Then, on a separate list, write the number of the box, and list its general contents. When you move into your new place, anyone moving your boxes will know precisely where to put them, and you'll know precisely what's in them.
2
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Very good advice... all the boxes have ended up in the garage and we only roughly know what is in them, we didn’t label them with destination rooms. Part of the problem was that a lot of our stuff was coming out of storage from a previous move. It will take a few weeks to sort things out.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
weeks months, would be more accurate!
0
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
But at least we have WiFi again, they came and connected us to the cable this afternoon.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@Kerome
As a kayaker/campers, we are used to how crazy it can be having identical containers of supplies that are not clearly labeled. In our last move we treated it like a kayak expedition. All boxes were labeled on at least 3 sides so you don't have to move everything around to see what's there, (and as Federica suggests) with florescent tape of the boxes contents and destination. Those labels get covered with a wider strip of clear packing tape so they can't come off in the move through rain or rough handling and some small sliver of sanity can actually be retained through the whole process.
2
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Masks aren't mandatory where I am but I have a few disposables so wear them when I go to the shopping centre etc. I notice other folk starting to do the same thing.
I have four reusable masks on order that should arrive soon!
Masks aren't mandatory where I am but I have a few disposables so wear them when I go to the shopping centre etc. I notice other folk starting to do the same thing.
I have four reusable masks on order that should arrive soon!
Take care.
.....and my ex-wife has been kind enough to make me a mask too
Anybody in the Northern Hemisphere been watching NEOWISE. It was about1/3 the distance down from the lowest star of the big dipper and the earth at about 11:00 PM last night. It's getting fainter with each passing night but is still visible to the naked eye if you're away from light pollution.
Or ya could wait 7 thousand years for its returning visit. It's strange to think that the most progressive humans to have last seen it were hunter/gatherers.
I wonder if it might be the same group to see it the next time it swings by?
Comments
I’m thinking of spending a substantial amount of money on a new iMac. Sigh. Shiny things.
Fish are shiny. I-likes-Shiny.
Imac or iMac not, There is no Sigh
Steve 'Yoda' Jobs
I like shiny too. But these days I check what I actually need shiny things for, and then I come to the conclusion that I actually only need that thing for a few essential tasks. I can do almost everything on my iPad these days. But I have some old USB devices that I need access to, and for that I need a full computer, and my MacBook Air from 2011 is getting ancient.
When I bought that MacBook Air I had this romantic vision of sitting in cafe’s writing books and things, and that totally didn’t happen. Instead I meditated a lot and read a lot of Buddhism. So I don’t think I need a new laptop, that MacBook Air is still quite capable and has a lot of good software on it.
I’ve bought a house, with my mother and stepfather. We move in on Friday, it will be the first time I have lived in a house rather than a flat in many years.
lol @Kerome
You thought my iPhone 5 was ancient? I'm still using my MacBook Pro from 2009.
I've replaced the battery twice, and the HDD once. And I replaced the fans just a couple of months ago.
Electronic devices have become something of a necessity for most of us. It's too bad that they need replacing so often to keep up with software.
I think I've done OK with mine, I know they'll need replacing sooner or later, but I like to keep stuff as long as I can. I can't understand people that replace their phones, computers and cars (?!) every 3-4 years.
Here in the Netherlands a lot of people still buy Android phones on cheap contracts and end up paying like 10-15 euro’s for the connection and 6-10 euro’s for the phone, which they pay off after two years. But because they buy such cheap phones they are plasticky and wear quickly, and so after two years they will take a new phone and get a new two-year contract.
Android kind of facilitates that, because the update policy is so awful. You get one or maybe two updates in a phone’s lifetime, and people just can’t seem to resist the combination of shiny new software and shiny new hardware.
I’ve been making the argument for ages that an iPhone is more expensive up front, but it is so durable and gets so many updates that you can easily use it for 5-6 years. The iPhone SE 2 was a real sweet-spot product because it is fast, will last 5-6 years and was mid-range in price, I think Apple was clever to position it there.
But we are now reaching the point where phones don’t need to get any faster. The chip that’s in the most recent iPhones is already the equivalent of an Intel Core i5 desktop chip from a few years ago, and it’s in a freaking phone. There just aren’t that many applications that require more processing power. So there are even less reasons to replace your phone so often.
It all comes down to using equipment you buy until it reaches end-of-life. I think you get the most value out of it that way, and it is better for the environment. I’m not a believer in buying and then selling second-hand.
But I think computers reached that point of fast-enough quite a few years ago. Last time my dad was buying a Windows computer I advised him, buy something ultra-reliable, like a HP or Lenovo, even if it doesn’t have top of the line specs. It’s going to last you ten years. And that was the second time I was giving him that advice, and the last time it was also good for a decade.
If you replace a MacBook Pro from 2009, or in my case a MacBook Air from 2011, with something up to date, you will notice it. The yearly speed bumps of 10-15% add up over time to something significant, and the number of cores has been going up slowly as well. But it’s replacing something that was competent with something that‘s really slick.
I like to keep my gear so that they keep getting OS updates, that’s my personal limit on when equipment is old, and with Apple they eventually run out, it’s not like Windows which supports even quite ancient gear. My MacBook Air was too old for the last couple of big updates, so it’s been living on borrowed time, although I did notice the Safari web browser updating the other day.
The just-announced transition of the Mac to Apples own ARM processors looks like a good time to upgrade. It seems like Apple is taking the opportunity to think outside the box in terms of processor specs, and I think the new Macs will be supported for a long time. So I was going to wait until the ARM iMacs are released and then buy one.
On this mornings walk before 6am, I saw 8 does, bucks & fawns (3 within a 100ft of my house, a mother raccoon trailing 2 kids across the road, 1 bunny imitating a lawn ornament and the usual assortment of foraging squirrels. I felt as though a Disney soundtrack was supposed to be playing.
Ive done my duty and donated to wikipedia.
Yes, I try to do the same each year....I use them a lot so feel obliged
Purelander!
This weekend I visited the Himalayan Gardens near Ripon (North Yorkshire, UK). Some lovely plants, sculptures, and architecture. No Buddha statues though, which disappointed me.
Himalayan blue poppy
Chinese pagoda
Moving house is sweaty work.
It absolutely is! We moved house recently, too, and are going to collect the last bits of furniture on Saturday. Not looking forward to dragging that sofa bed up two flights of stairs
the tragedy of the bearded dragon is that a certain individual claiming remarkable intellect and aplomb, possessing neither, resembles them in certain head shots.
Of course, they disregard that when fed their favorite foods such as crickets, worms and broccoli.
LOL @Lionduck
I like my Buddha Naturals wild. My current favourite is a juvenile robin and a singing wren that has adopted me.
Animal friends. What an honour ... I luvs them blues poppy @adamcrossley
I was channeling my inner Caruso last night (ie singing).
I have moved house now, and even with mover chaps and a big truck it was thirsty work. You are on your feet a lot, constantly making decisions, it’s pretty tiring. But we’re done now, even though most of our stuff is in boxes stacked in the new garage.
I wonder how often we leave boxes unopened in the garage after we have moved...When moving we carefully pack everything (we think we will need) away in boxes with the intention of unpacking them when we start to settle in to our new place...only to find months, even years down the track, some boxes remain unopened never see the light of day again, or if we do get around to opening some, it's to find a particular item, the rest of the stuff we leave in the box...
Moving is a good time to become aware of attachment & clinging and to develop the art of letting go ....
They do say, if you pack a box, seal it and store it, and look at it 6 months later, and cannot recall the contents, you don't need the contents at all. 90% of the time, we hold on to things through association, not through necessity.
It seems my iPhone is the most important necessity...
I went to my daughter's house for a week, before lockdown... I forgot my phone. Unbelievable.
I cannot begin to tell you how liberating it felt to NOT have it on me!
Well there I was doing some vacuuming, I was in the bathroom doing the floor, then I spotted some old cobwebs (no spiders nearby) on the wall close to the ceiling over the sink, where I happened to have a bucket full of water...Anyhow, as I was reaching across the sink with vacuum in hand (it's a small lightweight one) the extension tubes disconnected from the flexible hose which is attached to the machine and the hose dropped into the bucket and started to suck up water instead of the cobwebs...
Boy did I move quickly...
I moved so fast I was like a streak of lightening...
Switched vacuum off, pulled out plug keeping the vacuum pointing downwards (which all seemed like one motion) so the water was running out of the hose and vacuum over the bathroom floor....
After using cloths and paper towels on the vacuum, it's now sitting close to the fan heater with warm air blowing into it... I don't think any water got into the electrical parts...
Well at least I got most of the vacuuming done...that's a bonus
Got my first electric bike today. I reasoned that this might ecologically enable me to do chores that formally called for usage of a car but really I just fell for the 4 inch wide balloon tires, the cruiser styling and just how much dam fun my imagination promised it could be.....
Glad you are safe Flasher @Shoshin
I haz electric bike @how. One of my best purchases. Bikes are in short supply in UK at the moment.
In short supply here as well. Mine was mailed direct to me from the manufacture. Took an hour to assemble from a cardboard box (including me having to redo the Handle bars because I assembled them backward the first time).
We have bike shops at regular intervals here... being a bike maintenance person is a legitimate career choice... there are more bikes than people in some places.
And the Netherlands being so flat, one wouldn't need an electric bike...
I was actually GIVEN a Mountain bike by a good friend. I must add we are desperately short of mountains round these here parts... but it's a girl's bike (as opposed to a Lady's bike) so the saddle is adjustable to my height, because I am quite the petite. delicate and fragile little thing...
and of course, I have my "gammy leg" to consider, so falling off holds other complications, other than just hitting the ground...
I have yet to try it.. I shamelessly confess I am a 'fair-weather' rider, and of late, fair weather has been conspicuous by its absence... but we have a lovely local park which welcomes riders, and a biking track near the river.... There is also an Ecological group restoring the towpath beside the river, which, when completed, will take people a full distance of around 9 miles from our town to the next major port of call... so I shall enjoy biking around. Eventually!
I also have a mountain bike which I may have to give away. I whore wore it out. I tend to get the cheapest bikes I can and wear them until service required ... mountain bikes have the best suspension, gearing. Ride slow is my way @federia. I often get overtaken by joggers. The electric bike at 15 mph seemed like greased lightening ... had to learn slow riding technique ...
Are we all lay consumerist geekery Buddhists now?
Just bought a larger tv. It was the cheapest with good reviews I could find at RicherSounds. I may watch it a bit tomorrow. Today had to assemble. Connection to WWW (world wide winternet) was a doddle. Not really for me. Honest. Picture seems incredible. Now to upgrade our broadband ...
OM MANY TEKNO BUD HO HUM
THIS is a little worrying....
Another way the "big Guys" are quietly manipulating us to behave the way THEY want us to... ?
Im also doing techie things in the new house today. Cable guy is coming to repair the socket and install our WiFi, I am hoping to find the power extension lead for the television somewhere.
It's far too late to give you moving advice, but ~the next time~ you move, pack boxes and as you do, number them, and put the destination (Kitchen, living room, Bedroom 1, bathroom, etc...). Then, on a separate list, write the number of the box, and list its general contents. When you move into your new place, anyone moving your boxes will know precisely where to put them, and you'll know precisely what's in them.
Very good advice... all the boxes have ended up in the garage and we only roughly know what is in them, we didn’t label them with destination rooms. Part of the problem was that a lot of our stuff was coming out of storage from a previous move. It will take a few weeks to sort things out.
weeks months, would be more accurate!
But at least we have WiFi again, they came and connected us to the cable this afternoon.
You found the extension then...?!
@Kerome
As a kayaker/campers, we are used to how crazy it can be having identical containers of supplies that are not clearly labeled. In our last move we treated it like a kayak expedition. All boxes were labeled on at least 3 sides so you don't have to move everything around to see what's there, (and as Federica suggests) with florescent tape of the boxes contents and destination. Those labels get covered with a wider strip of clear packing tape so they can't come off in the move through rain or rough handling and some small sliver of sanity can actually be retained through the whole process.
No, bought a new one. It’ll turn up sometime, but I can’t get at all the boxes, the bikes are in the way. Not kidding.
My mom has decided I should do this more often and so has given me some singing lessons for my birthday.
the bikes are in the way. Not kidding.
Spoken like a true Dutchman.
Morena @Bunks ...Have you stocked up on masks ? "Face mask to be mandatory"
Hi @Shoshin
Masks aren't mandatory where I am but I have a few disposables so wear them when I go to the shopping centre etc. I notice other folk starting to do the same thing.
I have four reusable masks on order that should arrive soon!
Take care.
.....and my ex-wife has been kind enough to make me a mask too
That's nice of her @Bunks
She loves to sew so I think is enjoying it...
Anybody in the Northern Hemisphere been watching NEOWISE. It was about1/3 the distance down from the lowest star of the big dipper and the earth at about 11:00 PM last night. It's getting fainter with each passing night but is still visible to the naked eye if you're away from light pollution.
Or ya could wait 7 thousand years for its returning visit. It's strange to think that the most progressive humans to have last seen it were hunter/gatherers.
I wonder if it might be the same group to see it the next time it swings by?
Outstanding @コチシカ
Great demo of mindfulness. 🙏🏽✅🌈
I had a very happy birthday morning, my coffee was served in bed, it was lovely.
Happy Birthday @Kerome