3 Apr 2018

And Then, PC...

Two PC topics and the first involves my desktop computer. Not exactly; just the mouse that died today. How can that happen? I mean, really, it’s just two clicky thingies and a wheel you can also click. Don’t really matter as after various attempts to get him to squeak I gave up.

Later in the day, I browsed various mice and was surprised at how rare mice that connect by a USB string are. Every bloody thing’s wireless. Eventually I located one and saw on the packaging those words designed to strike fear into you; Plug An’ Play. Yeah, right. That usually involves navigating ten pages of settings, several edits of the registry, at least three re-boots and the downloading and installing of a driver from somewhere in China. Wot could  possibly go wrong?  I’ll find out in the morning.

The second PC is political correctness and how totally out of control it seems to be getting going by recent past incidents and a plethora of new examples, too numerous to quote. On the bright side, it did stir that grey goo that passes for my brain and with a little stirring and sloshing around I did indeed find the bit I remembered. The below has nothing to do with the latest social media inspired incidents in our capital. In fact, as these were shootings, it’s possible knives are now becoming seen as, like, so yesterday.

A policeman on patrol spots a huge black guy dancing on the roof of a Ford.
He radios for backup and the Sargent asks, "What's the situation?"
"A big fat black bloke’s dancing on a car roof."
"Whoa!! You can't say that over the radio!" Shouts the Sargent. "Remember the course we sent you on? You have to use the politically correct terminology now."          
"Oh, okay. Zulu... Tango... Sierra."
 

Note: Just spotted that I posted that joke{?} back in 2015. Should’ve sloshed the grey brain goo around for a tad longer.

Quote;  Terry Pratchett.

“You're not allowed to call them dinosaurs any more," said Yo-less. "It's speciesist. You have to call them pre-petroleum persons.”

2 comments:

Ripper said...

Regarding the mouse part of your post Mac, may I recommend the Logitech range of wireless desktops. Personally I could not go back to wired stuff now. The Logitech keyboards and mice work on a tiny USB transmitter, and all their desktop components only need the one, which means you can replace keyboard and mouse as you need to, with the model of your choice. Up until Logitech did this unifying you needed a separate transmitter for mouse and keyboard with all brands. The keyboard and mouse I'm using (Logitech) both have programmable keys and buttons, and the keyboard has a built in laptop type touch pad, so I have a choice whether to use that or the mouse, depending on what I'm doing.

Bluetooth is another useful thing to have, this PC has Bluetooth built in but you can get USB adapters or expansion slot boards. My computer audio is sent to a stereo Bluetooth mini sound bar, and if I really feel like kicking out some bass it is also paired with the TV sound bar. I can send files or pictures from my phone to the PC and also play audio from my phone to the sound bars. And of course, Bluetooth mice and keyboards don't even need the little USB transmitter, they just work when you use them.

Mac said...

Ripper,
Again, I have to agree with all you say but as the desktop computer gets used for only two or three hours a day tops in the mornings while taking on copious amounts of coffee and, luckily, the three and a half quid mouse did work right out of the bullet proof, welded plastic packaging, I’m good to go - at the time of typing.