I don't see why a discussion about how people use their computers
wouldn't fit on a list like this one.
Your statement about removing games caught my eye. Just removing
unneeded programs doesn't improve a computer's speed much. You might
reduce the size of the registry a bit, but programs that aren't
operating don't affect a computer's performance.
Even worse, games are the real reason computers exist. "King's Quest"
got me hooked on computers (I just looked this up-released in 1984). I
played this on my brother's Atari, and didn't get a decent night's sleep
for a week. You actually had to swap floppies when the adventure moved
to a new level. Later, I got my very own 286 and discovered Fractals and
that was all she wrote. I just dug an old game out of the closet a few
weeks ago (Neverwinter Night, a D & D role playing game), and it should
keep me entertained for quite a while.
Most of my computer upgrades have been driven by game performance. I
spent $200.00 I couldn't afford to upgrade my 486 to 2 MB so I could
play Doom at a decent frame rate. All this was long before the internet
was widely available, and email was unknown. Nowadays we do mostly
mundane crap with our computers, but back in the '80s, I saved Daventry
from evil.
Harold B. wrote:
From: Hugh Vandervoort Tue, 13 Mar 2007
<snip>
I can't explain Harold's obsession with attempting to control his
computer, but it's his and that's part of the fun for him. I'm sure,
however, that it's not necessary for a better computing experience.
--- Hugh
Easy to explain. You are probably right except that removing what one
does not need (like initially there were tons of games in the system
that came preinstalled with Compaq) removing them has to speed up the
operation of the computer. And then why keep what is totally
unnecessary? But more pertinent to cleaning out the system, whether it
helps or doesn't help, is what is known as a "controlling personality"
and the computer is one great instrument for that personality, like a
gift from heaven (and his family doesn't mind it because now it takes
his controlling nature away from their concerns).
This is especially true when whatever instrument you are working on
becomes an extension of you, the user. That instrument could be a car, a
musical instrument, the computer, a school, and the better you control
it, the better your car will drive, your instrument will play, your
computer will work, and the school will function. And with the computer,
it's fun. By its very nature, it does whatever you want it to do; a gold
mine for a "controlling personality". Of course, if you are using the
computer for commercial purposes, for a livelihood, then one doesn't
have the time for this "fun". I know, that you know, that what you call
a "computing experience" can mean many different things to all kinds of
people and personalities. I also know this discussion is not for
PCWorks, so I apologize, but I thought I'd add something to your
perceptive comment. --- Harold
============= PCWorks Mailing List =================
Don't see your post? Check our posting guidelines &
make sure you've followed proper posting procedures,
http://pcworkers.com/rules.htm
Contact list owner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Unsubscribing and other changes: http://pcworkers.com
=====================================================
