I have been using a laptop computer as a desktop ever since I arrived here just over 3 years ago. It has served me well but is now showing its age (so am I, but to a lesser degree I hope!). I would sooner replace it now than wait until I tried to log on one day and found it had converted itself into an expensive ornament.
So what to replace it with. I thought of a desktop PC rather than another laptop, especially since I already have a monitor here. I thought of buying a small desktop in the UK and carrying it back with me as it would probably be cheaper. But before buying in UK I thought I would have a scout around Savyolovskiy computer market.
I think I've mentioned before that I have a low tolerance level for shopping. Savyolovskiy computer market is enormous with long rows of nothing but computers. Just as I was about to give up my reconnaissance (I'd been looking for almost 2 whole minutes) something seemed to pull me into a particular shop. There I saw it - my next computer. It was tiny, just a bit bigger than a book, but with all the functionality and power of a much larger computer. The plan is to attach it to the back of my current monitor so there is no bulky laptop screen between me and the students, just a keyboard and mouse, and the monitor off to one side.
I arranged with the shop for them to install Windows 7 and MS Office 2010 and I would go back later and collect it.
Job done.
But...
Windows 7 was in Russian and although I could navigate myself around the operating system it was an overhead I could quite easily live without. How to change it to English. A quick Google search revealed that Microsoft have been cunning. Not like them! I had to buy an upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate which has a multi language capability. Rs6,000! To cut a long story short, I went back to the shop today for them to install the upgrade and, if necessary, reinstall Office 2010.
Now the operating system is in English and Office 2010 is in Russian. There will be a period of research while I read up on Microsoft Office language packs and whether I need to buy one or whether there is some magic software "switch" I can use to change the language of the office menus etc to English.
Then the naus of connecting to the internet; connecting via wireless to my Yota Egg will probably be very easy but ideally I would like to connect to my Beeline WAN which may not be so easy. Then install some anti-virus and then all the software I am currently running on this laptop. Is there no end.
Can I get on with teaching? What a difficult juggling act. I can't drop everything and configure the new computer, it will have to be done around lesson planning and indeed lessons.
Still, I like a challenge....... and it keeps me off the streets, unless I'm going to and fro between lessons that is.
Hope I haven't bored everyone stupid!
Time for a(nother) beer.
P.S. the mercury is climbing. The temperature is about to revert to something more manageable. -1 is forecast for tomorrow.
So what to replace it with. I thought of a desktop PC rather than another laptop, especially since I already have a monitor here. I thought of buying a small desktop in the UK and carrying it back with me as it would probably be cheaper. But before buying in UK I thought I would have a scout around Savyolovskiy computer market.
I think I've mentioned before that I have a low tolerance level for shopping. Savyolovskiy computer market is enormous with long rows of nothing but computers. Just as I was about to give up my reconnaissance (I'd been looking for almost 2 whole minutes) something seemed to pull me into a particular shop. There I saw it - my next computer. It was tiny, just a bit bigger than a book, but with all the functionality and power of a much larger computer. The plan is to attach it to the back of my current monitor so there is no bulky laptop screen between me and the students, just a keyboard and mouse, and the monitor off to one side.
I arranged with the shop for them to install Windows 7 and MS Office 2010 and I would go back later and collect it.
Job done.
But...
Windows 7 was in Russian and although I could navigate myself around the operating system it was an overhead I could quite easily live without. How to change it to English. A quick Google search revealed that Microsoft have been cunning. Not like them! I had to buy an upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate which has a multi language capability. Rs6,000! To cut a long story short, I went back to the shop today for them to install the upgrade and, if necessary, reinstall Office 2010.
Now the operating system is in English and Office 2010 is in Russian. There will be a period of research while I read up on Microsoft Office language packs and whether I need to buy one or whether there is some magic software "switch" I can use to change the language of the office menus etc to English.
Then the naus of connecting to the internet; connecting via wireless to my Yota Egg will probably be very easy but ideally I would like to connect to my Beeline WAN which may not be so easy. Then install some anti-virus and then all the software I am currently running on this laptop. Is there no end.
Can I get on with teaching? What a difficult juggling act. I can't drop everything and configure the new computer, it will have to be done around lesson planning and indeed lessons.
Still, I like a challenge....... and it keeps me off the streets, unless I'm going to and fro between lessons that is.
Hope I haven't bored everyone stupid!
Time for a(nother) beer.
P.S. the mercury is climbing. The temperature is about to revert to something more manageable. -1 is forecast for tomorrow.
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