Francisco Tapia
fhtapia at gmail.com
Fri Sep 3 01:18:16 CDT 2004
I bought a cheapy KVM off of Ebay, It's been great.. I have my main pc and a linux box sitting next to me running knoppix. Occasionally I do a hard drive install and what not while I don't mind trashing it to bits... my sysAdmin at work gave his DVD copy of Suse 9, i want to try this version out as I've heard its' one of the better distro's out there. lastly, at work I use a Linksys 4 way KVM switch it has been increadably reliable, I don't loose scroll wheel or anything when switching between any of the 3 pc's I have sitting under my desk. What brand KVM switch are you using at home? On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 18:12:01 -0500, John Bartow <john at winhaven.net> wrote: > Hi Steve, > There are many free calculators available so I agree that it certainly isn't cause for much grief. > > On the upgrading issue. I do not upgrade because it simply is not as reliable. I don't want unreliable computers on my clients site because their frustrating enough once a user touches them :o) If its good enough for them - its good enough for! One of my mantras to clients - "If something won't work - it won't work when you need it the most!" I usually use that during the backup speech :o) > > I realize it does take a lot of time to install all of the software we use. I get around this by having a KVM switch. I continue to use my PC until such time as I can use the new one. I load the new one in between doing other things - because much of the time loading new systems is "stare at the screen and watch the progress bar" time. > > I have my KVM cables set up to run four computers from one keyboard/monitor/mouse. This way I take up very little space with a per computer. I pull the cables from one of the computers plug it into the new one and I'm off. Install Windows - start the job - hot key over to my graphics PC and continue working - hot key over to my main PC and check AccessD mail - hot key back to the new one press OK. Hot key back to... yada-yada. > > So approx. $100 gets you a mission control center :o) > > If I were so inclined - I could have one heck of a nice gaming PC set up and play all the time and no one would never know ;o) > > John > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Steven W. > Erbach > Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 3:25 PM > To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues > Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Calculator > > Francisco, > > >> Visit your local software shop or Symantec.com and get yourself a copy of Ghost, backup your system (can be done to CDs, DVDs or HDDs), and THEN, run a FRESH install of WindowsXP. << > > Why, oh why would I want to do a fresh install? The only reason I can think of for doing that is because I'm a born masochist who enjoys re-installing every single stinking application on my workstation. > > I have Ghost and I use it to backup my hard disk to another similar drive. But what's with the upgrade vs. fresh install bit? In the course of my life with computers I've upgraded operating systems, what, a dozen or more times? Every single time was an enormous disruption whether I upgraded or did a fresh install. > > I just bought two new PCs to replace our two main workstations we've lived with for over 4 1/2 years. In the summer of 2001 I did fresh installs on both of those PCs to bring them up to Windows 2000. It took two weeks before I could make my w/s settle down. I was then able to take that hard-won knowledge and re-install everything on my wife's system in only about 12 hours. > > I've now upgraded my current workstation to get used to Windows XP. I will eventually convert it to a Small Business Server or some such. I helped my wife get her new w/s up and running with all its software over the past two weeks. I haven't done so with my new workstation yet because I hate the very idea of having to do it again! Sheesh! Serial numbers, Windows updates, service packs, etc., etc. > > Speaking of software upgrades, before I bought our new workstations I re-subscribed to Norton Anti-Virus on my system. Do you or does anybody here know if I can transfer the remaining subscription to my new system? > > Anyway, Hindman told me that the NEXT version of Windows will allow me to transfer software installations to a new PC without having to do a re-install. That would be nice. But why did Microsoft wait so long? This is what I miss most about DOS: no bleeding Registry. Just copy the software and be done with it. > > The calculator isn't that important to me to even think about re-installing every program over again on my current system. No offense, but no thanks. > > Regards, > > Steve Erbach > Scientific Marketing > Neenah, WI > > "You must be an intellectual. No normal person would say a thing like that." - George Orwell > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > -- -Francisco