• Why one needs a dVD drive in his laptop after all, haha.

    From micky@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 24 11:19:25 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs had
    given them a telescope. They live on the 17th floor of an 18 story
    building, on a corner apt with a balcony.

    And they are complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in
    the box was a DVD. Their computers would not play it but mine could. So
    there.

    It turns out, the telescope is still for sale new, a couple hundred
    dollars iirc, but the file dates on all the DVD files was from 2008.

    It included weblinks to the manufacturer, for warranty registration etc.
    and none of the links still worked, It also included the user manual in
    PDF, which is good because one of their new dogs** ate up part of the
    paper manual. I sent the pdf to each of their email accounts, though
    afaict neither reads his or her email. But if they complain later, I'll
    send another copy. LOL

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Big Al@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 12:28:52 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/24 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs had
    given them a telescope. They live on the 17th floor of an 18 story
    building, on a corner apt with a balcony.

    And they are complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in
    the box was a DVD. Their computers would not play it but mine could. So there.

    It turns out, the telescope is still for sale new, a couple hundred
    dollars iirc, but the file dates on all the DVD files was from 2008.

    It included weblinks to the manufacturer, for warranty registration etc.
    and none of the links still worked, It also included the user manual in
    PDF, which is good because one of their new dogs** ate up part of the
    paper manual. I sent the pdf to each of their email accounts, though
    afaict neither reads his or her email. But if they complain later, I'll
    send another copy. LOL

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.
    And a usb plug in drive would also work on all systems including the
    above people you visited.
    You could even make an ISO from it and give them the ISO they could
    mount and run without a DVD.
    --
    Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
    Al

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 17:23:27 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott Lurndal@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 17:32:18 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> writes:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    You can get a brand new USB external CD/DVD drive for less
    than $20 on amazon. And you don't need to discard it
    when upgrading to a new computer.

    Clearly someone is still using them.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From knuttle@21:1/5 to Andy Burns on Wed Jan 24 14:09:17 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a
    dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From knuttle@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 24 14:07:00 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    T24gMDEvMjQvMjAyNCAxMjoyOCBQTSwgQmlnIEFsIHdyb3RlOg0KPiBPbiAxLzI0LzI0IDEx OjE5IEFNLCBtaWNreSB3cm90ZToNCj4+IFBlb3BsZSBsYXVnaGVkIGF0IG1lIHdoZW4gSSBz YWlkIEkgd2FudGVkIGEgZGVza3RvcCBhbmQgYSBsYXB0b3Agd2l0aCBhDQo+PiBEVkQgZHJp dmUuwqAgTm8gb25lIHVzZXMgdGhvc2UgYW55bW9yZSwgdGhleSB0YXVudGVkIG1lLg0KPj4N Cj4+IFdlbGwsIEkgd2FzIHZpc2l0aW5nIG15IGJyb3RoZXIgYW5kIHNpbCwgYW5kIGdvb2Qg ZnJpZW5kcyBvZiB0aGVpcnMgaGFkDQo+PiBnaXZlbiB0aGVtIGEgdGVsZXNjb3BlLsKgIFRo ZXkgbGl2ZSBvbiB0aGUgMTd0aCBmbG9vciBvZiBhbiAxOCBzdG9yeQ0KPj4gYnVpbGRpbmcs IG9uIGEgY29ybmVyIGFwdCB3aXRoIGEgYmFsY29ueS4NCj4+DQo+PiBBbmQgdGhleSBhcmUg Y29tcGxpY2F0ZWQuIFNldHVwIGVzcGVjaWFsbHkuIEFuZCBndWVzcyB3aGF0LCBpbmNsdWRl ZCBpbg0KPj4gdGhlIGJveCB3YXMgYSBEVkQuwqAgVGhlaXIgY29tcHV0ZXJzIHdvdWxkIG5v dCBwbGF5IGl0IGJ1dCBtaW5lIGNvdWxkLiBTbw0KPj4gdGhlcmUuDQo+Pg0KPj4gSXQgdHVy bnMgb3V0LCB0aGUgdGVsZXNjb3BlIGlzIHN0aWxsIGZvciBzYWxlIG5ldywgYSBjb3VwbGUg aHVuZHJlZA0KPj4gZG9sbGFycyBpaXJjLCBidXQgdGhlIGZpbGUgZGF0ZXMgb24gYWxsIHRo ZSBEVkQgZmlsZXMgd2FzIGZyb20gMjAwOC4NCj4+DQo+PiBJdCBpbmNsdWRlZCB3ZWJsaW5r cyB0byB0aGUgbWFudWZhY3R1cmVyLCBmb3Igd2FycmFudHkgcmVnaXN0cmF0aW9uIGV0Yy4N Cj4+IGFuZCBub25lIG9mIHRoZSBsaW5rcyBzdGlsbCB3b3JrZWQsIEl0IGFsc28gaW5jbHVk ZWQgdGhlIHVzZXIgbWFudWFsIGluDQo+PiBQREYsIHdoaWNoIGlzIGdvb2QgYmVjYXVzZSBv bmUgb2YgdGhlaXIgbmV3IGRvZ3MqKiBhdGUgdXAgcGFydCBvZiB0aGUNCj4+IHBhcGVyIG1h bnVhbC7CoMKgIEkgc2VudCB0aGUgcGRmIHRvIGVhY2ggb2YgdGhlaXIgZW1haWwgYWNjb3Vu dHMsIHRob3VnaA0KPj4gYWZhaWN0IG5laXRoZXIgcmVhZHMgaGlzIG9yIGhlciBlbWFpbC4g QnV0IGlmIHRoZXkgY29tcGxhaW4gbGF0ZXIsIEknbGwNCj4+IHNlbmQgYW5vdGhlciBjb3B5 LsKgIExPTA0KPj4NCj4+ICoqVGhlIGRvZ3MgYXJlIG1hbHRlcG9vcy7CoCBDb21iaW5hdGlv biBvZiBhIHBvb2RsZSB3aXRoIGEgbWFsdGVkIG1pbGsuDQo+IEFuZCBhIHVzYiBwbHVnIGlu IGRyaXZlIHdvdWxkIGFsc28gd29yayBvbiBhbGwgc3lzdGVtcyBpbmNsdWRpbmcgdGhlIA0K PiBhYm92ZSBwZW9wbGUgeW91IHZpc2l0ZWQuDQo+IFlvdSBjb3VsZCBldmVuIG1ha2UgYW4g SVNPIGZyb20gaXQgYW5kIGdpdmUgdGhlbSB0aGUgSVNPIHRoZXkgY291bGQgDQo+IG1vdW50 IGFuZCBydW4gd2l0aG91dCBhIERWRC4NClRoYXQgaXMgd2hhdCBteSBkYXVnaHRlcnMga2Vl cCB0ZWxsaW5nIG1lIHdoZW4gSSBjb21wbGFpbiBhYm91dCB0aGUgbGFjayANCm9mIHN0b3Jh Z2UgaW4gdGhlIGN1cnJlbnQgY29tcHV0ZXJzLiAgIE9uIG15IDFUQiBkcml2ZSBJIGhhdmUg cmlnaHQgYXQgDQo0R0Igb2YgZGF0YS4gIER1cmluZyB0aGUgaW5zdGFsbGF0aW9uIHVwZGF0 ZXMsIHRoZSBkaXNrIHVzZXMgb3ZlciBhIGhhbGYgDQphIHRlcmFieXRlIHRvIGluc3RhbGwg dGhlIHVwZGF0ZS4NCg0KWWVzIHdpdGggYSBjdXJyZW50IGNvbXB1dGVyIEkgY291bGQgYnV5 IGEgbGFyZ2UgZXh0ZXJuYWwgZHJpdmUsIGJ1dCANCndvdWxkIEkgaGF2ZSB0aGUgZXh0ZXJu YWwgZHJpdmUgd2hlbiBJIG5lZWQgYWNjZXNzIHRvIGl0Pw0K

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ed Cryer@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 19:01:58 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs had
    given them a telescope. They live on the 17th floor of an 18 story
    building, on a corner apt with a balcony.

    And they are complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in
    the box was a DVD. Their computers would not play it but mine could. So there.

    It turns out, the telescope is still for sale new, a couple hundred
    dollars iirc, but the file dates on all the DVD files was from 2008.

    It included weblinks to the manufacturer, for warranty registration etc.
    and none of the links still worked, It also included the user manual in
    PDF, which is good because one of their new dogs** ate up part of the
    paper manual. I sent the pdf to each of their email accounts, though
    afaict neither reads his or her email. But if they complain later, I'll
    send another copy. LOL

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.

    https://tinyurl.com/2gysx9tj
    "You don't technically need a bootable optical disc to install operating systems, access live CDs, or use bootable rescue tools. You can use a
    bootable flash drive, or any USB storage device to format it as a
    bootable volume. However, it's more complicated than creating a bootable
    disc".

    Ed

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 14:27:20 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    And the Dynex jewel boxes, are now "Verbatim" brand. Small world.
    I was lucky to get jewel boxes.

    The staff even had trouble finding those in the store. Normally,
    their computer has a grid ref inside the store, for where the
    items are located. But not for that stuff. It was actually underneath
    the cash register location. I guess they didn't have a place to
    put it. One clerk seemed to think it was hidden in the back somewhere
    ("in the cage"), but eventually one of the other store staff figured
    it out.

    https://www.moriareviews.com/rongulator/wp-content/uploads/Time-Machine-1960-11.jpg

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From jason_warren@ieee.org@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 24 14:22:29 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In article <CQbsN.253592$Wp_8.47675@fx17.iad>, scott@slp53.sl.home
    says...

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> writes:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    You can get a brand new USB external CD/DVD drive for less
    than $20 on amazon. And you don't need to discard it
    when upgrading to a new computer.

    Clearly someone is still using them.


    The inexpensive drives work well. I have one.
    Still use them?!? I have *hundreds* of disks
    accumulated over dacades and not all of them
    are obsolete - photos, music files, etc etc.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to knuttle on Wed Jan 24 14:44:02 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/2024 2:07 PM, knuttle wrote:

    That is what my daughters keep telling me when I complain about the lack of storage in the current computers.   On my 1TB drive I have right at 4GB of data.  During the installation updates, the disk uses over a half a terabyte to install the update.

    Yes with a current computer I could buy a large external drive, but would I have the external drive when I need access to it?

    The drive would be sitting on the table in its enclosure,
    unplugged and waiting for you to plug it in. what
    could be easier ?

    No, it doesn't have to sit on edge like this. Flat is safer.
    This one is missing rubber non-skid feet. This one has a fan.

    https://www.newegg.com/vantec-nst-387s3-bk-enclosure/p/N82E16817392118

    You said you needed storage. You can put one of these in it :-)
    Apparently the industry thinks they're going to get rich off
    impulse-buy of these. That's a Helium drive. Don't forget, you
    can't connect 3.3V to one of those. Use a four wire power cable,
    not a five wire power cable. No damage will result either way,
    but with a five wire power cable, it won't spin. One of the 3.3V
    pins is double-purpose, as Spin Control.

    https://www.newegg.com/gold-wd221kryz-22tb/p/N82E16822234525

    *******

    The Windows LCU (Last Cumulative Update) folder typically has 100,000 files in it,
    and that's a side effect of Patch Tuesday. The OS might only
    have 300,000 files in it, by comparison. It does make the mind boggle.

    What activity like that does, is it bloats out the $MFT (Master File Table). Some of the files fit inside the $MFT and don't need clusters for storage.

    The OS is nothing more than a very large scratch pad, filled with junk.
    How many copies of MSEdge or MSEdgeUpdater does one poor bastard need ??? :-)
    I would like to hear the Twink who designed that, to explain to us
    what each and every copy of that is for.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Big Al@21:1/5 to Paul on Wed Jan 24 14:45:26 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/24 02:27 PM, Paul wrote:
    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    And the Dynex jewel boxes, are now "Verbatim" brand. Small world.
    I was lucky to get jewel boxes.

    The staff even had trouble finding those in the store. Normally,
    their computer has a grid ref inside the store, for where the
    items are located. But not for that stuff. It was actually underneath
    the cash register location. I guess they didn't have a place to
    put it. One clerk seemed to think it was hidden in the back somewhere
    ("in the cage"), but eventually one of the other store staff figured
    it out.

    https://www.moriareviews.com/rongulator/wp-content/uploads/Time-Machine-1960-11.jpg

    Paul
    Hey, I gotcha! I have about 5 cake pans. Some DVD+, some DVD-, some
    printable DVDs, some printable CSs, and some plain CDs.
    And don't get me on jewel cases. I have 10 of the small mini cases.
    And about 100 paper sleeves.

    Yes, they grow dust, but I just hate to toss them. They're under the
    bed. I use one about once a year.
    --
    Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
    Al

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From knuttle@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 24 15:35:30 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

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    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to knuttle on Wed Jan 24 16:42:48 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/2024 3:35 PM, knuttle wrote:
    On 01/24/2024 2:44 PM, Paul wrote:
    On 1/24/2024 2:07 PM, knuttle wrote:

    That is what my daughters keep telling me when I complain about the lack of storage in the current computers.   On my 1TB drive I have right at 4GB of data.  During the installation updates, the disk uses over a half a terabyte to install the
    update.

    Yes with a current computer I could buy a large external drive, but would I have the external drive when I need access to it?

    The drive would be sitting on the table in its enclosure,
    unplugged and waiting for you to plug it in. what
    could be easier ?
    That assumes that you are sitting in your recliner in front of the TV or equivalent.   I have a Portable Laptop that goes places with me, many times on the spur of the moment.  ie I have to go over to the next building, or to the church and need the
    hard drive that is sitting beside my recliner.

    The largest mainstream SSD drives tend to be 8TB.
    That is for laptop storage solutions, whether NVMe
    or SATA.

    On laptops with a DVD drive, sometimes there is
    a kit available, to take out the DVD drive and
    replace it with an SSD. And this gives two drives
    of storage.

    There are workstation laptops, with four or more
    storage devices inside. I have a local computer
    store that sells "battleship" laptops the size of
    airline luggage, with lots of bays for SATA and NVMe
    SSD. And of course those machines have battleship pricing.

    The market is defined by what can people afford,
    versus what can technology build for us. Flash is
    too expensive to really go nuts with the stuff.
    The new Mushkin entry here, at 16TB, looks very
    tasty -- but the price is not tasty. The 3.5" HDD
    below the flash items, was thrown in for fun.

    https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100011693%20601414343 30TB $4100
    https://www.newegg.com/mushkin-enhanced-16tb-source-hc/p/N82E16820226965 16TB TLC $2500
    https://www.newegg.com/samsung-8tb-870-qvo-series/p/N82E16820147784 8TB QLC $ 580

    https://www.newegg.com/gold-wd221kryz-22tb/p/N82E16822234525 22TB HDD $ 580

    The machines in the room, have 4TB SSDs. They were a bit
    cheaper when I got them last year.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Jim Joyce@21:1/5 to knuttle on Wed Jan 24 16:58:32 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:35:30 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

    On 01/24/2024 2:44 PM, Paul wrote:
    On 1/24/2024 2:07 PM, knuttle wrote:

    That is what my daughters keep telling me when I complain about the lack of storage in the current computers.   On my 1TB drive I have right at 4GB of data.  During the installation updates, the disk uses over a half a terabyte to install the update.

    Yes with a current computer I could buy a large external drive, but would I have the external drive when I need access to it?

    The drive would be sitting on the table in its enclosure,
    unplugged and waiting for you to plug it in. what
    could be easier ?
    That assumes that you are sitting in your recliner in front of the TV or >equivalent. I have a Portable Laptop that goes places with me, many
    times on the spur of the moment. ie I have to go over to the next
    building, or to the church and need the hard drive that is sitting
    beside my recliner.

    Is it your laptop or does it belong to the church? Most laptops within the past decade or more can accept a second (or even third) internal drive, sometimes at the expense of giving up the (mostly obsolete) optical drive.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Char Jackson@21:1/5 to Paul on Wed Jan 24 16:41:52 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:27:20 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    I kind of like these stories of going to a computer store because they're reminiscent of a bygone era when there were computer stores that you could actually go to. When did they generally disappear, in the mid to late 1990s?

    They'd have a couple of mid-tower cases, 3-4 motherboards of unknown origin, a half dozen CPUs, some RAM, 1-2 power supplies, a couple of hard drives, two video cards, one for $35 and one for a whopping $65, and so on. I enjoyed those visits, when you could pick up an item, hold it in your hands, and read the specs and other fluff that was printed on the box. Now it's all Newegg and Amazon.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Char Jackson@21:1/5 to Paul on Wed Jan 24 16:56:01 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:44:02 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 2:07 PM, knuttle wrote:

    That is what my daughters keep telling me when I complain about the lack of storage in the current computers.   On my 1TB drive I have right at 4GB of data.  During the installation updates, the disk uses over a half a terabyte to install the update.

    Yes with a current computer I could buy a large external drive, but would I have the external drive when I need access to it?

    The drive would be sitting on the table in its enclosure,
    unplugged and waiting for you to plug it in. what
    could be easier ?

    No, it doesn't have to sit on edge like this. Flat is safer.
    This one is missing rubber non-skid feet. This one has a fan.

    https://www.newegg.com/vantec-nst-387s3-bk-enclosure/p/N82E16817392118

    You said you needed storage. You can put one of these in it :-)
    Apparently the industry thinks they're going to get rich off
    impulse-buy of these. That's a Helium drive. Don't forget, you
    can't connect 3.3V to one of those. Use a four wire power cable,
    not a five wire power cable. No damage will result either way,
    but with a five wire power cable, it won't spin. One of the 3.3V
    pins is double-purpose, as Spin Control.

    https://www.newegg.com/gold-wd221kryz-22tb/p/N82E16822234525

    That one is a bit expensive. Over the Christmas break, I picked up a pair of WD Elements external drives, 18TB, for $225 apiece with free shipping. I haven't shucked them yet, but I will. I avoid using external drives. Too much risk involved.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Cindy Hamilton@21:1/5 to Char Jackson on Wed Jan 24 23:00:23 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-24, Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> wrote:
    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:27:20 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    I kind of like these stories of going to a computer store because they're reminiscent of a bygone era when there were computer stores that you could actually go to. When did they generally disappear, in the mid to late 1990s?

    They'd have a couple of mid-tower cases, 3-4 motherboards of unknown origin, a
    half dozen CPUs, some RAM, 1-2 power supplies, a couple of hard drives, two video cards, one for $35 and one for a whopping $65, and so on. I enjoyed those
    visits, when you could pick up an item, hold it in your hands, and read the specs and other fluff that was printed on the box. Now it's all Newegg and Amazon.

    I went to a computer store in 2022. I bought a used Dell and they
    let me sit in their work room and install Linux on it.

    In the showroom, there was a bunch of stuff. Computers, components, peripherals, etc.

    --
    Cindy Hamilton

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Jim Joyce@21:1/5 to knuttle on Wed Jan 24 17:00:45 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:09:17 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a
    dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    Do your software and documentation downloads when it's convenient for you. Don't
    wait until the middle of the night when you're in a place without Internet access.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Big Al@21:1/5 to Cindy Hamilton on Wed Jan 24 18:41:11 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/24 06:00 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
    On 2024-01-24, Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> wrote:
    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:27:20 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a >>>> DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    I kind of like these stories of going to a computer store because they're
    reminiscent of a bygone era when there were computer stores that you could >> actually go to. When did they generally disappear, in the mid to late 1990s? >>
    They'd have a couple of mid-tower cases, 3-4 motherboards of unknown origin, a
    half dozen CPUs, some RAM, 1-2 power supplies, a couple of hard drives, two >> video cards, one for $35 and one for a whopping $65, and so on. I enjoyed those
    visits, when you could pick up an item, hold it in your hands, and read the >> specs and other fluff that was printed on the box. Now it's all Newegg and >> Amazon.

    I went to a computer store in 2022. I bought a used Dell and they
    let me sit in their work room and install Linux on it.

    In the showroom, there was a bunch of stuff. Computers, components, peripherals, etc.

    Look up MicroCenter, and see if there is one near. I think it's USA only.
    --
    Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
    Al

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From VanguardLH@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 18:26:16 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    <trimmed to retain the pertinent content>

    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with
    a DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs
    had given them a telescope. ... And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.

    My up-vote on suggestions by others: get a USB-attached DVD drive, or
    even a USB-attached CD/DVD/BD drive. No need for a built-in one. If
    the attached one breaks, get another USB one. If you break the one in
    the desktop, you'll have to open the case to replace it. Even harder in
    a laptop to replace it.

    You can even get USB-attached:
    - 3.5" diskette drive. I've never bothered to hunt around for a
    USB-attached 5.25" floppy drive.
    - USB-attached Iomege ZIP drive if you still have Zip disks around (but
    you might need to install drivers).
    - USB-attached card reader.

    There's probably other USB-attached storage that I didn't think of.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From knuttle@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 24 19:22:56 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    T24gMDEvMjQvMjAyNCA1OjU4IFBNLCBKaW0gSm95Y2Ugd3JvdGU6DQo+IE9uIFdlZCwgMjQg SmFuIDIwMjQgMTU6MzU6MzAgLTA1MDAsIGtudXR0bGUgPGtlaXRoX251dHRsZUB5YWhvby5j b20+IHdyb3RlOg0KPiANCj4+IE9uIDAxLzI0LzIwMjQgMjo0NCBQTSwgUGF1bCB3cm90ZToN Cj4+PiBPbiAxLzI0LzIwMjQgMjowNyBQTSwga251dHRsZSB3cm90ZToNCj4+Pg0KPj4+PiBU aGF0IGlzIHdoYXQgbXkgZGF1Z2h0ZXJzIGtlZXAgdGVsbGluZyBtZSB3aGVuIEkgY29tcGxh aW4gYWJvdXQgdGhlIGxhY2sgb2Ygc3RvcmFnZSBpbiB0aGUgY3VycmVudCBjb21wdXRlcnMu wqDCoCBPbiBteSAxVEIgZHJpdmUgSSBoYXZlIHJpZ2h0IGF0IDRHQiBvZiBkYXRhLsKgIER1 cmluZyB0aGUgaW5zdGFsbGF0aW9uIHVwZGF0ZXMsIHRoZSBkaXNrIHVzZXMgb3ZlciBhIGhh bGYgYSB0ZXJhYnl0ZSB0byBpbnN0YWxsIHRoZSB1cGRhdGUuDQo+Pj4+DQo+Pj4+IFllcyB3 aXRoIGEgY3VycmVudCBjb21wdXRlciBJIGNvdWxkIGJ1eSBhIGxhcmdlIGV4dGVybmFsIGRy aXZlLCBidXQgd291bGQgSSBoYXZlIHRoZSBleHRlcm5hbCBkcml2ZSB3aGVuIEkgbmVlZCBh Y2Nlc3MgdG8gaXQ/DQo+Pj4NCj4+PiBUaGUgZHJpdmUgd291bGQgYmUgc2l0dGluZyBvbiB0 aGUgdGFibGUgaW4gaXRzIGVuY2xvc3VyZSwNCj4+PiB1bnBsdWdnZWQgYW5kIHdhaXRpbmcg Zm9yIHlvdSB0byBwbHVnIGl0IGluLiB3aGF0DQo+Pj4gY291bGQgYmUgZWFzaWVyID8NCj4+ IFRoYXQgYXNzdW1lcyB0aGF0IHlvdSBhcmUgc2l0dGluZyBpbiB5b3VyIHJlY2xpbmVyIGlu IGZyb250IG9mIHRoZSBUViBvcg0KPj4gZXF1aXZhbGVudC4gICBJIGhhdmUgYSBQb3J0YWJs ZSBMYXB0b3AgdGhhdCBnb2VzIHBsYWNlcyB3aXRoIG1lLCBtYW55DQo+PiB0aW1lcyBvbiB0 aGUgc3B1ciBvZiB0aGUgbW9tZW50LiAgaWUgSSBoYXZlIHRvIGdvIG92ZXIgdG8gdGhlIG5l eHQNCj4+IGJ1aWxkaW5nLCBvciB0byB0aGUgY2h1cmNoIGFuZCBuZWVkIHRoZSBoYXJkIGRy aXZlIHRoYXQgaXMgc2l0dGluZw0KPj4gYmVzaWRlIG15IHJlY2xpbmVyLg0KPiANCj4gSXMg aXQgeW91ciBsYXB0b3Agb3IgZG9lcyBpdCBiZWxvbmcgdG8gdGhlIGNodXJjaD8gTW9zdCBs YXB0b3BzIHdpdGhpbiB0aGUgcGFzdA0KPiBkZWNhZGUgb3IgbW9yZSBjYW4gYWNjZXB0IGEg c2Vjb25kIChvciBldmVuIHRoaXJkKSBpbnRlcm5hbCBkcml2ZSwgc29tZXRpbWVzIGF0DQo+ IHRoZSBleHBlbnNlIG9mIGdpdmluZyB1cCB0aGUgKG1vc3RseSBvYnNvbGV0ZSkgb3B0aWNh bCBkcml2ZS4NCj4gDQpJIGhhdmUgdHdvIG9uZSBiZWxvbmdzIHRvIHRoZSBjaHVyY2gsIHRo ZSBvdGhlciB0byBtZS4gIEJvdGggaGF2ZSBhIDFUQiANCmRyaXZlLiAgIFRoZSBjaHVyY2gg b25lIGRvZXMgbm90IG5lZWQgMVRCLCBhbmQgdGhlIGxhcHRvcHMgd2l0aCBsaW1pdGVkIA0K bWVtb3J5IGNvdWxkIGRvIHRoZSBqb2IgaWYgdGhleSBjYW4gaGFuZGxlIHRoZSB1cGRhdGUg b3ZlcmhlYWQuICBPbiBteSANCnBlcnNvbmFsIGNvbXB1dGVyIHdpdGggYSAxVEIgZHJpdmUg aGFzIEdCJ3Mgb2YgcGljdHVyZXMsIHdoaWNoIGdldHMgDQpjYXRhbG9nZWQgd2hpbGUgd2Fp dGluZyBhdCB0aGUgZG9jdG9ycywgYW5kIHNpbWlsYXIgcGxhY2VzIHdoZXJlIHlvdSANCmhh dmUgdG8gd2FpdCBiZWZvcmUgeW91ciBhcHBvaW50bWVudC4NCg==

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to none@none.invalid on Wed Jan 24 20:48:31 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:00:45 -0600, Jim Joyce <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:09:17 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a
    dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    Do your software and documentation downloads when it's convenient for you. Don't
    wait until the middle of the night when you're in a place without Internet >access.

    There is no software for this telescope, only a PDF owner's manual and
    some links that no longer work. Even the one with the motor drive to
    follow the subject while the earth rotates I'm 95% sure uses no
    software. Just admit that it's good to have a DVD drive when the
    company provides you with a DVD.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From rbowman@21:1/5 to Scott Lurndal on Thu Jan 25 02:43:31 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:32:18 GMT, Scott Lurndal wrote:

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> writes:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    You can get a brand new USB external CD/DVD drive for less than $20 on amazon. And you don't need to discard it when upgrading to a new
    computer.

    Clearly someone is still using them.

    I have one. The last time I used it was to copy files from the CD
    accompanying Earl Scrugg's banjo book. I've got other music books that
    included CDs. They're still old school although some have went to
    downloadable files.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From rbowman@21:1/5 to Ed Cryer on Thu Jan 25 02:49:22 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:01:58 +0000, Ed Cryer wrote:

    "You don't technically need a bootable optical disc to install operating systems, access live CDs, or use bootable rescue tools. You can use a bootable flash drive, or any USB storage device to format it as a
    bootable volume. However, it's more complicated than creating a bootable disc".

    https://rufus.ie/en/

    Not very complicated, even on Windows.

    I haven't used it but UNetbootin may be even easier and it's cross
    platform


    https://unetbootin.github.io/

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to alan@invalid.com on Wed Jan 24 20:51:02 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:28:52 -0500, Big Al <alan@invalid.com> wrote:

    On 1/24/24 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs had
    given them a telescope. They live on the 17th floor of an 18 story
    building, on a corner apt with a balcony.

    And they are complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in
    the box was a DVD. Their computers would not play it but mine could. So
    there.

    It turns out, the telescope is still for sale new, a couple hundred
    dollars iirc, but the file dates on all the DVD files was from 2008.

    It included weblinks to the manufacturer, for warranty registration etc.
    and none of the links still worked, It also included the user manual in
    PDF, which is good because one of their new dogs** ate up part of the
    paper manual. I sent the pdf to each of their email accounts, though
    afaict neither reads his or her email. But if they complain later, I'll
    send another copy. LOL

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.
    And a usb plug in drive would also work on all systems including the
    above people you visited.
    You could even make an ISO from it and give them the ISO they could
    mount and run without a DVD.

    And with either method, how would you read the DVD to make the USB drive
    or the ISO? Just blow on it and wish it?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to Scott Lurndal on Wed Jan 24 20:53:05 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:32:18 GMT,
    scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) wrote:

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> writes:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    You can get a brand new USB external CD/DVD drive for less
    than $20 on amazon. And you don't need to discard it
    when upgrading to a new computer.

    Clearly someone is still using them.

    Exactly.

    Actually one of those was included when I bought a laptop a few years
    ago second hand. It was buried by stuff in the kitchen, and I hired a
    maid who buried it further, but I'm still happy that I have one,
    somewhere.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From rbowman@21:1/5 to VanguardLH on Thu Jan 25 02:54:52 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:26:16 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:


    You can even get USB-attached:
    - 3.5" diskette drive. I've never bothered to hunt around for a
    USB-attached 5.25" floppy drive.
    - USB-attached Iomege ZIP drive if you still have Zip disks around (but
    you might need to install drivers).
    - USB-attached card reader.

    There's probably other USB-attached storage that I didn't think of.

    I've got a USB attached tape cassette. It works for moving music off old
    tapes but it's a painful process. The copying is in real time. The
    software is reasonably good at breaking out songs into separate files but
    you have to label them yourself.

    There are also USB turntables for the vinyl purists although i think that defeats the whole analog is better than digital thing.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to micky on Wed Jan 24 22:26:32 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/2024 8:51 PM, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:28:52 -0500, Big Al <alan@invalid.com> wrote:

    On 1/24/24 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs had
    given them a telescope. They live on the 17th floor of an 18 story
    building, on a corner apt with a balcony.

    And they are complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in
    the box was a DVD. Their computers would not play it but mine could. So >>> there.

    It turns out, the telescope is still for sale new, a couple hundred
    dollars iirc, but the file dates on all the DVD files was from 2008.

    It included weblinks to the manufacturer, for warranty registration etc. >>> and none of the links still worked, It also included the user manual in
    PDF, which is good because one of their new dogs** ate up part of the
    paper manual. I sent the pdf to each of their email accounts, though
    afaict neither reads his or her email. But if they complain later, I'll
    send another copy. LOL

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.
    And a usb plug in drive would also work on all systems including the
    above people you visited.
    You could even make an ISO from it and give them the ISO they could
    mount and run without a DVD.

    And with either method, how would you read the DVD to make the USB drive
    or the ISO? Just blow on it and wish it?


    Imgburn.

    How can you have a DVD drive and not have Imgburn :-)

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/FRQWxQ5S/imgburn.gif

    https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/imgburn.html

    On Linux, K3B would be similar to Imgburn.

    The Windows native IMAP2 support for burning discs,
    is lacking, because there is no "erase" for re-writeable
    media. In Imgburn, you can use the upper left icon,
    then go to the menu bar, and somewhere down in the menu
    there is a quick erase or full erase for re-writeable
    media. Since the menus may be context-sensitive (they
    depend on which of the six icons you are using), then
    you have to select the correct one of the six icons,
    before certain functions populate in the menu.

    When you are reading a disc to make an ISO (second down on
    the left), then you would not be expecting to find an
    erase item in the Menu at that time. That would be a
    clash of features -- a user "planning" to read a disc,
    then attempting to erase the disc. So some of the
    context-sensitive behavior is for safety reasons.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to Scott Lurndal on Wed Jan 24 22:31:32 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/2024 12:32 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> writes:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    You can get a brand new USB external CD/DVD drive for less
    than $20 on amazon. And you don't need to discard it
    when upgrading to a new computer.

    Clearly someone is still using them.

    I do boot media on them, when I don't want to erase
    a USB flash drive instead. I still have rewriteable
    discs, and can erase old install media and reuse
    the disc.

    I don't generally put personal files on optical media.
    I don't do drag and drop burns either.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to alan@invalid.com on Wed Jan 24 21:40:44 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:41:11 -0500, Big Al <alan@invalid.com> wrote:

    On 1/24/24 06:00 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
    On 2024-01-24, Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> wrote:
    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:27:20 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a >>>>> DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    I kind of like these stories of going to a computer store because they're >>> reminiscent of a bygone era when there were computer stores that you could >>> actually go to. When did they generally disappear, in the mid to late 1990s?

    They'd have a couple of mid-tower cases, 3-4 motherboards of unknown origin, a
    half dozen CPUs, some RAM, 1-2 power supplies, a couple of hard drives, two >>> video cards, one for $35 and one for a whopping $65, and so on. I enjoyed those
    visits, when you could pick up an item, hold it in your hands, and read the >>> specs and other fluff that was printed on the box. Now it's all Newegg and >>> Amazon.

    I went to a computer store in 2022. I bought a used Dell and they
    let me sit in their work room and install Linux on it.

    In the showroom, there was a bunch of stuff. Computers, components,
    peripherals, etc.

    Look up MicroCenter, and see if there is one near. I think it's USA only.

    One can't always tell but Cindy lives in the USA.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to none@none.invalid on Wed Jan 24 21:39:16 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:41:52 -0600, Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:27:20 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    I kind of like these stories of going to a computer store because they're >reminiscent of a bygone era when there were computer stores that you could >actually go to. When did they generally disappear, in the mid to late 1990s?

    We lost a couple big such store, maybe when you say, but for 10 or 15
    yeears or more in Baltimore we've had MicroCenter, not too far from me.
    Gets 4.5 stars on 3000 reviews and if I'd reviewed it I'd give it 5
    starts too.

    They have a lottttt of stuff, and a couple things I've bought were on
    sale and 60 or 80% off, my good fortune.

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/Micro+Center/@39.3964107,-76.5503719,15.83z/data=!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x89c80f44e03ffdf3:0xaaa66414a5a733f0!2sPerring+Pkwy,+Maryland!3b1!8m2!3d39.374293!4d-76.562038!16s%2Fg%2F1hl3hmbcx!3m5!1s0x89c808d454389181:
    0xebccbcc854b01057!8m2!3d39.3970154!4d-76.5455186!16s%2Fg%2F12604sg84?hl=en&entry=ttu

    https://www.microcenter.com/site/stores/parkville.aspx?storeid=125

    They'd have a couple of mid-tower cases, 3-4 motherboards of unknown origin, a >half dozen CPUs, some RAM, 1-2 power supplies, a couple of hard drives, two >video cards, one for $35 and one for a whopping $65, and so on. I enjoyed those

    This store has a dozen or more cases and loads of the other stuff you
    list, and I'm not the one keeping them in business. I hope they stay,
    esp. since hamfests are fading away, due to the web. Sure used was
    cheaper, but that was not the deciding factor once online sales came
    out. Having to wait until the next hamfest was an issue, but the store
    is open 7 days a week.

    I hope I didn't make you too jealous.


    visits, when you could pick up an item, hold it in your hands, and read the >specs and other fluff that was printed on the box. Now it's all Newegg and >Amazon.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to V@nguard.LH on Wed Jan 24 21:43:51 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:26:16 -0600, VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    <trimmed to retain the pertinent content>

    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with
    a DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs
    had given them a telescope. ... And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.

    My up-vote on suggestions by others: get a USB-attached DVD drive, or
    even a USB-attached CD/DVD/BD drive. No need for a built-in one. If

    Good for home, but I wouldn't have had it with me at my brother's, in
    Florida.

    I feel good when I know I'm packin'.

    the attached one breaks, get another USB one. If you break the one in
    the desktop, you'll have to open the case to replace it.

    I can do that. I already have a spare one. You have to transfer the
    outside cover from the old one to the new one.

    Even harder in
    a laptop to replace it.

    I practially had the DVD drive out when I changed the bad hdd for an SDD
    and added some RAM

    You can even get USB-attached:
    - 3.5" diskette drive. I've never bothered to hunt around for a
    USB-attached 5.25" floppy drive.
    - USB-attached Iomege ZIP drive if you still have Zip disks around (but
    you might need to install drivers).
    - USB-attached card reader.

    There's probably other USB-attached storage that I didn't think of.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to nospam@needed.invalid on Wed Jan 24 22:45:38 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 22:26:32 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 8:51 PM, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:28:52 -0500, Big Al
    <alan@invalid.com> wrote:

    On 1/24/24 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a >>>> DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Well, I was visiting my brother and sil, and good friends of theirs had >>>> given them a telescope. They live on the 17th floor of an 18 story
    building, on a corner apt with a balcony.

    And they are complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in >>>> the box was a DVD. Their computers would not play it but mine could. So >>>> there.

    It turns out, the telescope is still for sale new, a couple hundred
    dollars iirc, but the file dates on all the DVD files was from 2008.

    It included weblinks to the manufacturer, for warranty registration etc. >>>> and none of the links still worked, It also included the user manual in >>>> PDF, which is good because one of their new dogs** ate up part of the
    paper manual. I sent the pdf to each of their email accounts, though >>>> afaict neither reads his or her email. But if they complain later, I'll >>>> send another copy. LOL

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.

    And a usb plug in drive would also work on all systems including the
    =========================================================
    above people you visited.
    You could even make an ISO from it and give them the ISO they could
    mount and run without a DVD.

    And with either method, how would you read the DVD to make the USB drive
    or the ISO? Just blow on it and wish it?


    Imgburn.

    How can you have a DVD drive and not have Imgburn :-)

    Big All is trying to provide an alternative to having a DVD drive. What
    good is Imgburn without a dvd drive?



    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/FRQWxQ5S/imgburn.gif

    https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/imgburn.html

    On Linux, K3B would be similar to Imgburn.

    The Windows native IMAP2 support for burning discs,
    is lacking, because there is no "erase" for re-writeable
    media. In Imgburn, you can use the upper left icon,
    then go to the menu bar, and somewhere down in the menu
    there is a quick erase or full erase for re-writeable
    media. Since the menus may be context-sensitive (they
    depend on which of the six icons you are using), then
    you have to select the correct one of the six icons,
    before certain functions populate in the menu.

    When you are reading a disc to make an ISO (second down on
    the left), then you would not be expecting to find an
    erase item in the Menu at that time. That would be a
    clash of features -- a user "planning" to read a disc,
    then attempting to erase the disc. So some of the
    context-sensitive behavior is for safety reasons.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Cindy Hamilton@21:1/5 to Big Al on Thu Jan 25 10:26:59 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-24, Big Al <alan@invalid.com> wrote:
    On 1/24/24 06:00 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
    On 2024-01-24, Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> wrote:
    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:27:20 -0500, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 1/24/2024 11:19 AM, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a >>>>> DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Since it's a different time line, I bought up all the media,
    and I have the last two remaining blanks. They're going for
    $1000 each. I either sell them to you, or the Smithsonian.

    [Picture]

    https://i.postimg.cc/MK3vTJBz/last-two-pieces-media.jpg

    The computer store I got those at, used to have three cubic meters
    of media on display at one time. Today, they have three cake
    boxes under the counter, and if you buy a box, that's
    "a third of the store stock". Your choices are "Verbatim"
    or "Verbatim". Or perhaps "Verbatim".

    I kind of like these stories of going to a computer store because they're >>> reminiscent of a bygone era when there were computer stores that you could >>> actually go to. When did they generally disappear, in the mid to late 1990s?

    They'd have a couple of mid-tower cases, 3-4 motherboards of unknown origin, a
    half dozen CPUs, some RAM, 1-2 power supplies, a couple of hard drives, two >>> video cards, one for $35 and one for a whopping $65, and so on. I enjoyed those
    visits, when you could pick up an item, hold it in your hands, and read the >>> specs and other fluff that was printed on the box. Now it's all Newegg and >>> Amazon.

    I went to a computer store in 2022. I bought a used Dell and they
    let me sit in their work room and install Linux on it.

    In the showroom, there was a bunch of stuff. Computers, components,
    peripherals, etc.

    Look up MicroCenter, and see if there is one near. I think it's USA only.

    It was this place:

    https://computeralley.com/

    Looks like they don't sell new PCs, except custom PCs that they build.
    I didn't notice, because I definitely wanted a used PC.

    There were two or three guys on hand every time I went in there.
    Definitely old-school computer nerds, although I was surprised that
    they didn't have anybody who was comfortable installing Linux. No
    matter; I was.

    --
    Cindy Hamilton

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From VanguardLH@21:1/5 to micky on Thu Jan 25 09:59:31 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with
    a DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    My up-vote on suggestions by others: get a USB-attached DVD drive, or
    even a USB-attached CD/DVD/BD drive. No need for a built-in one.

    Good for home, but I wouldn't have had it with me at my brother's, in Florida.

    I feel good when I know I'm packin'.

    That's what carry bags are for: to pack more than the laptop. You
    travel without the A/C adapter to charge your laptop? I also pack a BT
    mouse and keyboard. And even some pens and paper. And sometimes even a USB-attached HDD, SSD, or flash stick for more storage of data, and off
    the drive with the partition for the OS and apps. And a powered USB hub
    since the laptop has a dearth of USB ports. I don't recall seeing
    anyone board an airplane with a nude laptop. They're always in a tote.

    But, in your case, you already had a built-in optical drive. However,
    the arguments were not against that, but that a built-in one is not a
    necessity as you claim. All those folks that laughed at you simply
    chose a different setup: a non-built-in optical drive via USB.

    If the attached one breaks, get another USB one. If you break the
    one in the desktop, you'll have to open the case to replace it.

    I can do that. I already have a spare one. You have to transfer the
    outside cover from the old one to the new one.

    The comparison you split was about the difficulty of replacing an
    optical drive if it breaks versus one inside a desktop.

    You're transferring a cover from old to new WHAT? Between laptops? Disassembling a laptop is a hell of lot more work than of a desktop.
    And moving a USB-attached optical drive is even far more easy than
    opening laptops to swap optical drives. I have an optical drive in my
    laptop. Much easier to plug in a USB one should the internal one break.

    Or does "cover" mean the faceplate on the desktop tower? Again, the
    comparison was showing the greater difficulty of replacing a broken
    optical drive in a laptop versus in a desktop. For my next laptop, I
    would NOT get an internal optical drive. I'd stow a USB-attached one in
    the laptop's tote bag. I wouldn't limit my candidates for purchase to
    only those with internal optical drives. If the price were the same
    between with and without optical drive, yeah, I'd get internal.

    Even harder in a laptop to replace it.

    I practially had the DVD drive out when I changed the bad hdd for an
    SDD and added some RAM

    That's a different scenario. You had the laptop disassembled for
    something ELSE, so you decided to do more. Changing the optical drive
    was coincidental, not intentional.

    You didn't buy the laptop with an optical drive already installed? Or
    are you still focused on what you did with your desktop when the issue
    is about optical drives in a laptop?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to micky on Thu Jan 25 18:23:09 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/24/2024 10:45 PM, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 22:26:32 -0500, Paul

    How can you have a DVD drive and not have Imgburn :-)

    Big All is trying to provide an alternative to having a DVD drive. What
    good is Imgburn without a dvd drive?

    For content which does not exist as an Internet ISO9660 file,
    you can convert physical media to ISO format, for distribution
    to others.

    As for "why don't you use USB flash like the cool kids", I
    can give you an example. My most-healthy USB stick blew a tire
    on the Internet and ended up in the ditch. So I couldn't even
    finish a transfer I was doing with it today. I consider it a poor
    investment, when I pay many times the blank media price for
    flash, and the damn things keep croaking. And this is only
    happening because the controllers on those things are
    such shite. SSDs don't fail like that! Different controller.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to none@none.invalid on Thu Jan 25 22:34:35 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:58:32 -0600, Jim Joyce <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:35:30 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

    On 01/24/2024 2:44 PM, Paul wrote:
    On 1/24/2024 2:07 PM, knuttle wrote:

    That is what my daughters keep telling me when I complain about the lack of storage in the current computers.   On my 1TB drive I have right at 4GB of data.  During the installation updates, the disk uses over a half a terabyte to install the update.

    Yes with a current computer I could buy a large external drive, but would I have the external drive when I need access to it?

    The drive would be sitting on the table in its enclosure,
    unplugged and waiting for you to plug it in. what
    could be easier ?
    That assumes that you are sitting in your recliner in front of the TV or >>equivalent. I have a Portable Laptop that goes places with me, many
    times on the spur of the moment. ie I have to go over to the next >>building, or to the church and need the hard drive that is sitting
    beside my recliner.

    Is it your laptop or does it belong to the church? Most laptops within the past
    decade or more can accept a second (or even third) internal drive, sometimes at
    the expense of giving up the (mostly obsolete) optical drive.


    No, no, never. You will have to take my optical drive from my cold dead
    hand. (But I appreciate your saying "mostly". Good man.)

    BTW, this fairly old laptop has a slot for an SD card, so I thought I
    should put one in, for just in case. And it's always unloading and
    loading it. I'm glad I don't need it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Brian Gregory@21:1/5 to micky on Fri Jan 26 21:11:03 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 24/01/2024 16:19, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Not me.

    The last PC I built I deliberately looked for a case with positions for
    optical drives. It was fairly difficult to find one.

    As to whether I really needed one. It is debatable. I could manage with
    an external USB drive but it'd be annoying and an extra expense. (The
    drives I used were out of my old PC)

    On the other hand a USB DVD drive suitable for installing software is
    going to be relatively cheap compared with the blu-ray writer drives I
    like to have.

    **The dogs are maltepoos. Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.

    Ah. A drinkable dog. I hope multi poos isn't what they do when you take
    them for a walk. Or if they do clean it up afterwards. ;-)

    --
    Brian Gregory (in England).

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to Brian Gregory on Fri Jan 26 17:15:33 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/26/2024 4:11 PM, Brian Gregory wrote:
    On 24/01/2024 16:19, micky wrote:
    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with a
    DVD drive.  No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    Not me.

    The last PC I built I deliberately looked for a case with positions for optical drives. It was fairly difficult to find one.

    As to whether I really needed one. It is debatable. I could manage with an external USB drive but it'd be annoying and an extra expense. (The drives I used were out of my old PC)

    On the other hand a USB DVD drive suitable for installing software is going to be relatively cheap compared with the blu-ray writer drives I like to have.

    **The dogs are maltepoos.  Combination of a poodle with a malted milk.

    Ah. A drinkable dog. I hope multi poos isn't what they do when you take them for a walk. Or if they do clean it up afterwards. ;-)


    https://www.newegg.com/black-phanteks-enthoo-pro-atx-full-tower/p/N82E16811854069

    3 External 5.25" Drive Bays
    6 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays (trays seem to exit the chassis on the wrong side)

    Motherboard Compatibility E-ATX / ATX / uATX / mITX / SSI EEB

    Max GPU Length 472 mm / 18.5in w/o HDD cages
    347 mm / 13.6in with HDD cages

    Dimensions (H x W x D) 21.10" x 9.25" x 21.70"

    The power supply is in the bottom, which is what I was looking for,
    a way to move the power, so I could fit a fan near VCore.

    It has a few issues, but size isn't one of them. I don't really like
    glass doors for example. Potential for rattling.

    That's a lot bigger than the Corsair cases on display at my
    computer store. Those barely looked big enough to hold sandwich bread.

    *******

    And even if someone gave me a BluRay drive, I would not know
    what to do with it. I've never seen any descriptions of "easy movie playback" with stuff like that. There are a number of Intel processors not
    rated for 4K playback. It's a "Hollywood security problem", something
    only Hollywood could dream up. Even dedicated set top players, are not guaranteed to play a title you own... forever. Titles could magically
    stop playing, any time they want.

    The blanks are pretty big at 25GB, and I don't know how that would fit
    into any activity here. I would hate to pay extra for a BluRay blank,
    and end up using it as a DVD blank. That would suck.

    I guess you could say those drives are a "marketing fail".

    *******

    You know there is serious money about, when you read an article about
    AI, and the comment section is filled with "AI is wonderful" posts :-)
    I tried a few queries now on CoPilot, and I'm completely unimpressed.
    That shit had better write excellent computer code, because as far as
    answering question goes, it's pretty bad. And to think Windows 12 will
    have a 16GB memory requirement, just to host such garbage locally :-/
    Like I need a new key on my keyboard labeled "Garbage".

    You only get one chance to make a good impression, and AI has already
    had its 15 minutes of fame. I'm sure it will make a great missile
    launcher or attack drone, no matter who it shoots.

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Carlos E.R.@21:1/5 to VanguardLH on Sat Jan 27 16:19:54 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-25 16:59, VanguardLH wrote:
    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with
    a DVD drive. No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    My up-vote on suggestions by others: get a USB-attached DVD drive, or
    even a USB-attached CD/DVD/BD drive. No need for a built-in one.

    Good for home, but I wouldn't have had it with me at my brother's, in
    Florida.

    I feel good when I know I'm packin'.

    That's what carry bags are for: to pack more than the laptop. You
    travel without the A/C adapter to charge your laptop? I also pack a BT
    mouse and keyboard. And even some pens and paper. And sometimes even a USB-attached HDD, SSD, or flash stick for more storage of data, and off
    the drive with the partition for the OS and apps. And a powered USB hub since the laptop has a dearth of USB ports. I don't recall seeing
    anyone board an airplane with a nude laptop. They're always in a tote.

    But, in your case, you already had a built-in optical drive. However,
    the arguments were not against that, but that a built-in one is not a necessity as you claim. All those folks that laughed at you simply
    chose a different setup: a non-built-in optical drive via USB.

    A built in drive makes the laptop significantly thicker and heavier, and
    I'd have that weight on my back when moving around. Arguably, the
    external drive would be on another piece of luggage, so not on my back.

    ...

    --
    Cheers, Carlos.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to Carlos E.R. on Sat Jan 27 11:52:58 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/27/2024 10:19 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
    On 2024-01-25 16:59, VanguardLH wrote:
    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

    micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

    People laughed at me when I said I wanted a desktop and a laptop with >>>>> a DVD drive.  No one uses those anymore, they taunted me.

    My up-vote on suggestions by others: get a USB-attached DVD drive, or
    even a USB-attached CD/DVD/BD drive.  No need for a built-in one.

    Good for home, but I wouldn't have had it with me at my brother's, in
    Florida.

    I feel good when I know I'm packin'.

    That's what carry bags are for: to pack more than the laptop.  You
    travel without the A/C adapter to charge your laptop?  I also pack a BT
    mouse and keyboard.  And even some pens and paper.  And sometimes even a >> USB-attached HDD, SSD, or flash stick for more storage of data, and off
    the drive with the partition for the OS and apps.  And a powered USB hub
    since the laptop has a dearth of USB ports.  I don't recall seeing
    anyone board an airplane with a nude laptop.  They're always in a tote.

    But, in your case, you already had a built-in optical drive.  However,
    the arguments were not against that, but that a built-in one is not a
    necessity as you claim.  All those folks that laughed at you simply
    chose a different setup: a non-built-in optical drive via USB.

    A built in drive makes the laptop significantly thicker and heavier, and I'd have that weight on my back when moving around. Arguably, the external drive would be on another piece of luggage, so not on my back.

    There is not a lot of wasted mass in the internal optical drive.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=KT2u8wi8bDE

    It needs the thin metal covers, because the rest of it is
    pretty flimsy. That provides some protection while it is
    being handled.

    Thicker laptops also change in other design dimensions, such
    as 200W turbo CPUs, heatpipes, more than one blower, and so on.
    They don't make a laptop thicker just to accommodate an optical
    drive.

    There have been computing devices which are empty inside,
    and they're the subject of derisive laughter. As a designer,
    you can't really win by just making a thicker chassis and putting
    a nice keyboard in it. Because then the comments would be
    "shudda filled it with batteries". The customers will insist
    it be chonky, and then they will later complain it is chonky.

    A thick laptop is like a bag of penny candy. You expect the
    bag to be "full".

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Carlos E.R.@21:1/5 to micky on Sat Jan 27 20:04:44 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-25 02:48, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:00:45 -0600, Jim Joyce <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:09:17 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote: >>
    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box
    was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a
    dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    Do your software and documentation downloads when it's convenient for you. Don't
    wait until the middle of the night when you're in a place without Internet >> access.

    There is no software for this telescope, only a PDF owner's manual and
    some links that no longer work. Even the one with the motor drive to
    follow the subject while the earth rotates I'm 95% sure uses no
    software. Just admit that it's good to have a DVD drive when the
    company provides you with a DVD.

    With reasonably good telescopes, software can be added. Like for
    instance adjusting the speed of the motor to compensate irregularities
    and actually track an object while it moves on the sky (by sampling a
    photo with a camera on the scope). Or having the scope automatically
    locate an object (needs changing the speed of the motor significantly).

    Other software can look at the telescope camera and sync the computer
    generated sky map to it, so that you can identify objects.


    --
    Cheers, Carlos.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Carlos E.R.@21:1/5 to rbowman on Sat Jan 27 22:55:21 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-25 03:54, rbowman wrote:
    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:26:16 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:


    You can even get USB-attached:
    - 3.5" diskette drive. I've never bothered to hunt around for a
    USB-attached 5.25" floppy drive.
    - USB-attached Iomege ZIP drive if you still have Zip disks around (but
    you might need to install drivers).
    - USB-attached card reader.

    There's probably other USB-attached storage that I didn't think of.

    I've got a USB attached tape cassette. It works for moving music off old tapes but it's a painful process. The copying is in real time. The
    software is reasonably good at breaking out songs into separate files but
    you have to label them yourself.

    Heh! I have not seen that one.

    There are also USB turntables for the vinyl purists although i think that defeats the whole analog is better than digital thing.

    AFAIK, the intention is to record the existing vinyl collection
    conveniently.


    Heck. I just had a quick look at Amazon, and several compact players I
    see include the speakers in the base, so there is feedback between the
    speaker and the capsule.

    Old briefcase players had the speaker on the lid, which was detachable.

    --
    Cheers, Carlos.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Carlos E.R.@21:1/5 to Brian Gregory on Sat Jan 27 22:56:35 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-26 22:11, Brian Gregory wrote:

    ...

    The last PC I built I deliberately looked for a case with positions for optical drives. It was fairly difficult to find one.

    I had no problem with that.

    --
    Cheers, Carlos.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Char Jackson@21:1/5 to All on Sat Jan 27 17:26:36 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On Sat, 27 Jan 2024 22:56:35 +0100, "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

    On 2024-01-26 22:11, Brian Gregory wrote:

    ...

    The last PC I built I deliberately looked for a case with positions for
    optical drives. It was fairly difficult to find one.

    I had no problem with that.

    It probably depends partly on the form factor you've decided to use. When I build a desktop system, I exclusively look at mid-tower cases, and AFAIK 100% of
    them have multiple 5.25" bays where optical drives can be installed. Brian may be looking only at another (smaller) form factor, right Brian?

    Also, as others previously discussed, I require the PSU mounting position to be at the top of the case, for proper and effective heat management, never at the bottom. It makes no sense to me to place that kind of heat source at the bottom of the case.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From micky@21:1/5 to E.R." on Sun Jan 28 00:18:53 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 27 Jan 2024 20:04:44 +0100, "Carlos
    E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

    On 2024-01-25 02:48, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:00:45 -0600, Jim Joyce
    <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:09:17 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote: >>>
    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box >>>>>> was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a
    dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    This telescope was intended to be used on the 17th floor balcony of my brother's apartment. There's plenty of internet.

    Do your software and documentation downloads when it's convenient for you. Don't
    wait until the middle of the night when you're in a place without Internet >>> access.

    There is no software for this telescope, only a PDF owner's manual and
    some links that no longer work. Even the one with the motor drive to
    follow the subject while the earth rotates I'm 95% sure uses no
    software. Just admit that it's good to have a DVD drive when the
    company provides you with a DVD.

    With reasonably good telescopes, software can be added. Like for
    instance adjusting the speed of the motor to compensate irregularities

    This one doesn't have a motor.

    Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-31045-AstroMaster-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B000MLL6RS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

    It has slow motion controls, but they are manual.

    But it's $351, more than enough for a present you're not even sure your
    friends will use.

    Although here is almost the same model number, and it's less ($279,
    still a big present),and it seems to have a motor, (though still no
    software) https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-31051-AstroMaster-130EQ-Telescope/dp/B0013Z42AK/ref=asc_df_B0013Z42AK/
    The pictures look just like the one my brother has, with no motor. I
    dont' know how that little box is supposed to move things when it still
    has the same hand-adjusting knobs. Maybe they used the wrong pictures.

    and actually track an object while it moves on the sky (by sampling a
    photo with a camera on the scope). Or having the scope automatically
    locate an object (needs changing the speed of the motor significantly).

    That's going to be a lot more than $350.

    Other software can look at the telescope camera and sync the computer >generated sky map to it, so that you can identify objects.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul@21:1/5 to micky on Sun Jan 28 02:15:49 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 1/28/2024 12:18 AM, micky wrote:
    In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 27 Jan 2024 20:04:44 +0100, "Carlos
    E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

    On 2024-01-25 02:48, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:00:45 -0600, Jim Joyce
    <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:09:17 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box >>>>>>> was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a >>>>> dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    This telescope was intended to be used on the 17th floor balcony of my brother's apartment. There's plenty of internet.

    Do your software and documentation downloads when it's convenient for you. Don't
    wait until the middle of the night when you're in a place without Internet >>>> access.

    There is no software for this telescope, only a PDF owner's manual and
    some links that no longer work. Even the one with the motor drive to
    follow the subject while the earth rotates I'm 95% sure uses no
    software. Just admit that it's good to have a DVD drive when the
    company provides you with a DVD.

    With reasonably good telescopes, software can be added. Like for
    instance adjusting the speed of the motor to compensate irregularities

    This one doesn't have a motor.

    Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-31045-AstroMaster-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B000MLL6RS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

    It has slow motion controls, but they are manual.

    But it's $351, more than enough for a present you're not even sure your friends will use.

    Although here is almost the same model number, and it's less ($279,
    still a big present),and it seems to have a motor, (though still no
    software) https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-31051-AstroMaster-130EQ-Telescope/dp/B0013Z42AK/ref=asc_df_B0013Z42AK/
    The pictures look just like the one my brother has, with no motor. I
    dont' know how that little box is supposed to move things when it still
    has the same hand-adjusting knobs. Maybe they used the wrong pictures.

    and actually track an object while it moves on the sky (by sampling a
    photo with a camera on the scope). Or having the scope automatically
    locate an object (needs changing the speed of the motor significantly).

    That's going to be a lot more than $350.

    Other software can look at the telescope camera and sync the computer
    generated sky map to it, so that you can identify objects.

    They mention using a stepper motor here, as it has a wider speed range
    than a VFD could achieve with a synchronous motor.

    https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/879952-possible-to-use-an-industrial-vfd-to-control-an-ac-synchronous-drive-motor/

    Paul

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Carlos E.R.@21:1/5 to micky on Sun Jan 28 12:56:21 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-28 06:18, micky wrote:
    In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 27 Jan 2024 20:04:44 +0100, "Carlos
    E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

    On 2024-01-25 02:48, micky wrote:
    In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:00:45 -0600, Jim Joyce
    <none@none.invalid> wrote:

    On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:09:17 -0500, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

    On 01/24/2024 12:23 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
    micky wrote:

    good friends of theirs had given them a telescope. And they are
    complicated. Setup especially. And guess what, included in the box >>>>>>> was a DVD.
    Is the software not available to download from the telescope
    manufacturer's website?

    You have to have access to the internet to do that. If you are in a >>>>> dark place to use the telescope there may be no internet available.

    This telescope was intended to be used on the 17th floor balcony of my brother's apartment. There's plenty of internet.

    Do your software and documentation downloads when it's convenient for you. Don't
    wait until the middle of the night when you're in a place without Internet >>>> access.

    There is no software for this telescope, only a PDF owner's manual and
    some links that no longer work. Even the one with the motor drive to
    follow the subject while the earth rotates I'm 95% sure uses no
    software. Just admit that it's good to have a DVD drive when the
    company provides you with a DVD.

    With reasonably good telescopes, software can be added. Like for
    instance adjusting the speed of the motor to compensate irregularities

    This one doesn't have a motor.

    Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-31045-AstroMaster-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B000MLL6RS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

    It has slow motion controls, but they are manual.

    You can see at the Amazon site that they have a variant with motors. It
    is quite possible they can be bought separately as addons.


    But it's $351, more than enough for a present you're not even sure your friends will use.

    Oh, absolutely.


    Although here is almost the same model number, and it's less ($279,
    still a big present),and it seems to have a motor, (though still no
    software) https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-31051-AstroMaster-130EQ-Telescope/dp/B0013Z42AK/ref=asc_df_B0013Z42AK/
    The pictures look just like the one my brother has, with no motor. I
    dont' know how that little box is supposed to move things when it still
    has the same hand-adjusting knobs. Maybe they used the wrong pictures.

    and actually track an object while it moves on the sky (by sampling a
    photo with a camera on the scope). Or having the scope automatically
    locate an object (needs changing the speed of the motor significantly).

    That's going to be a lot more than $350.

    :-)

    If one gets attracted to this hobby, you start adding things to it. My
    late cousin was, his setup was amazing (to me).


    Other software can look at the telescope camera and sync the computer
    generated sky map to it, so that you can identify objects.

    --
    Cheers, Carlos.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Carlos E.R.@21:1/5 to Char Jackson on Sun Jan 28 13:32:25 2024
    XPost: alt.home.repair, rec.autos.tech, alt.comp.os.windows-11

    On 2024-01-28 00:26, Char Jackson wrote:
    On Sat, 27 Jan 2024 22:56:35 +0100, "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

    On 2024-01-26 22:11, Brian Gregory wrote:

    ...

    The last PC I built I deliberately looked for a case with positions for
    optical drives. It was fairly difficult to find one.

    I had no problem with that.

    It probably depends partly on the form factor you've decided to use.

    True.

    When I
    build a desktop system, I exclusively look at mid-tower cases, and AFAIK 100% of
    them have multiple 5.25" bays where optical drives can be installed. Brian may
    be looking only at another (smaller) form factor, right Brian?

    Also, as others previously discussed, I require the PSU mounting position to be
    at the top of the case, for proper and effective heat management, never at the
    bottom. It makes no sense to me to place that kind of heat source at the bottom
    of the case.

    Weight and stability of the case, possibly.

    The heat should not be a problem, because it has a fan. Any heat
    generated inside the PSU is vented out soon enough. Unless the PSU case
    becomes hot, and that should not happen.

    But then the case needs an independent fan at the top, to exhaust heat
    from other sources that concentrates there.

    Anyway, at least my last two boxes have the PSU in the top position, but because it is opposite to the 5.25" bays, I guess.

    --
    Cheers, Carlos.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)