Bye Bye, Desktop Computer!

 

After many years of lying dormant, I finally put our 20-year-old tower-style desktop computer out to pasture. It hasn’t worked correctly for years (I don’t even know how many), and even if it did work, it’s far too obsolete to be valuable today.

I took it to a local computer repair guy because my wife and I wanted to save any personal files we had on there (family photos, old teacher files of my wife's, music files, etc.), if they could be saved at all (the computer didn’t even start up correctly, so I was skeptical to say the least).

Fortunately, he was in fact able to get the files off of the hard drive. He saved them to a separate drive as well as giving us the old hard drive. I looked through the files saved and couldn’t believe what was on there. There was stuff I didn’t remember we had. Some of it personal, some of it inconsequential, all of it no more recent than 2014. It was like time travel!

So anyway, above is the shell of the desktop, keyboard, speakers, and monitor. We bought this in the early 2000s; definitely before 2006. It ran on Windows XP operating system, and it only had 256K of RAM when we bought it! Soon it will be picked up by an e-recycler or just put in the trash. I can’t imagine any use this equipment would have today.

I can’t say I feel nostalgic about this computer—it really wasn’t very good—but just the fact that it sat in our basement for so, so long—over 15 years at our current home, and at our previous house for a few years before that—and now it won’t, feels weird.

End of old computer rant.

List O' Links for Friday, May 19, 2017

I haven't posted a List O' Links since February, so I'm long overdue for one. Enjoy your unseasonably hot Friday (on the east coast, anyway) with these cool links!

Want to weed out unwanted selections from Netflix's not-so-accurate algorithms? Here's how!

Here are some gorgeous backgrounds from the great Hanna-Barbara action-adventure cartoon Thundarr The Barbarian. 

One of my favorite sitcoms of all time is Happy Days. Here are some fun photos taken from the series from behind the scenes, including the late Erin Moran.

If, like me, you still have a big collection of audio cassettes laying idle in your house that don't often see the light of day, you may have a way of listening to them in the near future. I give you--the Elbow, the next portable cassette player!

I don't normally address 1990s nostalgia here, as I'm much more of a 70s and 80s guy, but for any of you that do have a soft spot for the decade, you may also have a soft spot for the classic 90s song "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger. Check out the Onion AV Club's spotlight on the song.

A great deal of people are looking forward to the new Wonder Woman movie starring Gal Gadot, including me. Why not prove your love to the Wonder Woman in your life by getting here these lovely Wonder Woman bracelets, tiara, and lasso. And they're only 400 FREAKIN' DOLLARS!!!

Finally, have you ever driven by a building that looks suspiciously like a Pizza Hut and yet doesn't serve pizza? It happens a lot more than you think--so often that someone has created a Web site called Used to Be A Pizza Hut. You'd be surprised how many former Huts have been repurposed for any number of enterprises. Take a look!

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, May 24, 2013

Happy Memorial Day weekend! I hope you take the opportunity to enjoy your family and friends for an extra day, no matter where you're going or even if you're just staying home. Please take the time to remember those who sacrificed their lives in our wars, as this is why the day exists.

Here are this week's links!

Pop Rewind examines the start-up sounds of Microsoft Windows versions from the very beginning to today's Windows 8. Ah, technological memories!

I'm currently reading and enjoying the new book VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave, written by and about the first crew of MTV VJs. Time.com lists 32 facts about the VJs both from the book and new revelations.

The aptly named Network Awesome features a collection of vintage jeans TV commercials from the early 80s. Dig into your closet and put on your old Sergio Valentes!

Freeform FM radio station WFMU has a fantastic blog, featuring such treats as a tribute to the classic 1985 horror film Reanimator.

Finally, my friend Todd Mason at Sweet Freedom showcases some great covers of magazines appearing on newsstands in October 1978.

Have a great and safe holiday weekend!

List O' Links for Friday February 22, 2013

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks to last weekend being extra long for most, the new weekend is here already. Here are this week's links to while away the hours.

Here are some awesome variant covers to recent and forthcoming Archie Comics.

Here's an amusing story from way back in 1981 talking about a brand new idea about to sweep the nation--reading a newspaper on a computer screen. Can you imagine such a thing?

The world really is coming to an end. You know why? Papal succession, that's why!

Finally, the Oscars are this Sunday, but if you're not happy with this year's nominees, check out the winners of all the Oscar events from the 1980s.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, January 18, 2013

It's not just any Friday, but the Friday before a nice three-day weekend! If you have Monday off (or even if you don't), enjoy it. Until then, here are a few fun links to while away the time.

Remember that time Mr. Rogers visited the set of the Incredible Hulk TV show? I did in a previous post back in 2008, but Christopher Mills takes a recent look at the hallowed event this week.

Longtime readers know that I'm one of the biggest lovers of McDonald's food you'll find, but even I don't touch the McRib sandwich. Here are several good reasons why.

My kids are starting to explore the Star Wars universe in earnest for the first time this year, and in introducing them to it, I've had a renewed interest as well. Here's a useful list if you want to get into the Star Wars universe as presented in the many books written about it.

What is this, some kind of ancient archaeological discovery? Nope--it's my family's first ever VCR from 1981!

Finally, a sober link, but one that is worth reading in keeping with the theme of the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for 5/18/2012

If it's Friday, it must be time for my weekly List O' Links. We're extra comic book heavy this week, so I apologize if you don't partake of the funny pages.

Comic book females if they appeared in old pulp novels. Very well done, and smart!

If you're as huge a fan of Animaniacs as I am, you can never learn too much about them, but all the same, here is Way More Than You Ever Wanted to Know about Animaniacs!

It's always been a misconception that Archie Comics were these wholesome products suitable for the chaste American family. No way! The Archie gang was the horniest bunch of delinquents you can imagine!

Here is a lengthy yet fascinating article on the rise and fall--and possible rise again?--of the Commodore computer company.  This particularly hit home with me, as the Commodore 64 was the first computer I ever owned.

Finally, there's no better way to end the work week and kick off the weekend than with Supergirl cosplayers.

Have a great weekend!

Prediction of the Internet From 1969

In the 1960s, The US military created ARPANET, the predecessor to today's Internet. It was originally conceived to be used for military and university applications. However, a forward thinker was able to see the potential for use of the 'Net by everyone. Here is how the Internet was envisioned back in 1969. Not too far off the mark, although a little sexist.



If only I could watch this clip, or any YouTube clip for that manner. A new Flash player came out last week, but my workplace hasn't updated it yet. Me sad :(

MP3 Player Help

Here at the Me and You blog, I strongly encourage interactivity. I stress the Me and You part of the title. Your feedback is very important to me, especially now, as I'd like your help with something.

I need a new mp3 player, really bad. My current one, the Zen Micro by Creative, is over two years old, the headphone jack is wobbly and needs a lot of manipulation to send the audio signal through both left and right channels correctly, and the removable battery has been playing a lot of tricks on me lately.

I had a chance to take advantage of the extended warranty on my current player, and could very likely have gotten a new one free of charge, but when I checked on the warranty's status back in September, it had expired--by three weeks. Doh!

Since then, I've been trying to suffer through the jack difficulties. But now that the battery barely works anymore, I have to suck it up and shell out the cash for a new player. Fortunately, I've amassed a few Best Buy gift certificates to help ease the financial pain. If Creative made my current model, I'd simply get an identical one, but they discontinued this model some time ago.

Here is where you come in. Most of you out there are very likely far more adept at technological stuff than I am. I'd like mp3 player recommendations from you. I do, however, have some criteria:

1) The player must have an FM tuner. My handle is phillyradiogeek, after all.

2) I'd like no less than 4 GB, but no more than 8 GB (my current one has 5 GB, a strange amount compared to most players on the market today).

3) I do NOT need one that plays video, as I'm only interested in music playback, although video playback seems to be standard anymore.

4) Preferably, I'd like one that has a removable battery rather than an integrated one, which automatically eliminates iPod (I insist on an iPod alternative anyway). Integrated batteries also seem to be the norm as well though.

5) If possible, I'd like one that plays wav files, although that is not mandatory (I just have a lot of wavs I like).

I've already started researching some players on CNet.com. So far the most likely candidates are the Creative Zen V Plus (I like my previous product from them, so I have some built-in trust there) and the IRiver Clix (although it's quite a bit pricier than I hoped to spend). But I'd like to put the question out to you, my loyal readers. If you know of a good player that at least comes close to my preferences, please leave a comment. I can't promise you I'll buy the one you choose, but I would love some educated counsel before settling on my next player. I really appreciate your help with this. Thanks!