Computers s#ck

I like computers... as long as they work.
But lately I've had too much problems with them. I still didn't have time to fix them all, so the cover of my PC lies next to my computer, and my desk is full with computer parts and little screws. People knowing me a little bit can imagine my feelings about this, since I always prefer to work in a clean and organized environment.

The problems started when the hosting provider for fimcap had been taken over by another company, and the server migrated to a new platform. As a result, our scripts were broken, and SSI worked on another way, so we had to change the extension of all files. All in all a lot of work, which I still haven't completely finished. Besides that, I can only download the access logs from a password protected site, almost impossible to automate. I have contacted the support desk many times, but answers are typically slow. Anyway, for the moment things are almost running as before again, but we will surely move to another provider after the current paid term expires.

While I was working hard to fix all the problems described above, the hard disk of my own computer started having problems. Each time after working for about half an hour, the disk started making an awful noise and the computer halted. After waiting an hour, I could start up the computer again for another thirty minutes of work. In the cooling down period, I used my laptop computer, which also has some problems since I dropped it on the floor. I cannot use it while the batteries are recharging, and the batteries only last for ---again--- thirty minutes. You have to know that both computers are very old, my desktop is seven years old and my laptop probably 8. You could say that they are way too old, but I disagree. My desktop with its Cyrix P133+ processor is more than fast enough for me, since all I do is read my e-mail, visit some web pages ---no problem as long is you don't have Flash installed---, and create HTML and CSS files.

Anyway, since I just bought a new computer for my in-laws, I took their old machine, took out the hard disk and started installing. At this moment I have installed just the basics to start working again: Windows 98SE, Microsoft Office, HTML-kit, TopStyle Pro, WS_FTP Pro, Mozilla Firebird and Mozilla Thunderbird.

It is not ready yet, I still have to install Trillian, Acrobat Reader and Xenu Link Sleuth, and there is some more configuration to be done. But at least I am working again. And after all, that's why I have a computer, isn't it?