If I disappear for a little while...

[trogluddite]

...it's probably not because I've passed away... ...but my PC might have!

Over the last few days my machine (a laptop) has started developing dead rows of pixels on both its own screen and my external monitor, so I guess its graphics-processor/memory is about ready to depart for silicon-heaven (I shouldn't really complain too much; it is nearly a decade old!) So if I go a bit quiet for a while, it's probably because I can't see you until I've had a "friendly chat" with my bank!

[k brown]

Must be something going around - VGA port on mine just went out.

[tulamide]

Ok, this is creepy. A few days back, my monitor went off, and I couldn't get it to work anymore until I switched off the PC and restarted.

A conspiracy?

[k brown]

Someone monitoring our monitors ? ?

[djbrynte]

No way u gona disapair :p troggi

[Spogg]

If the pixel thing starts after a while it could be the laptop is blocked with dust.

I also offer an egg-sucking tutorial, grandma.

Good luck

Spogg

[trogluddite]

A conspiracy?

Maybe the "internet becoming sentient" conspiracists are right, and it doesn't want us to see what it's getting up to!

...it could be the laptop is blocked with dust.

"Dust"?!
When I run out of tobacco at 4am and get desperate for a roll-up, I just turn my laptop/MIDI-keyboard upside-down and give it a shake! I've lost count of how many times I've had to lever off key-caps so that I can fish out the bits of fig-roll and Monster Munch that have gummed up oneeeeeee of theeeeee vital keeeeeeeeeeeeys!

I'm astonished that it's survived my slobbery for so long, TBH!

On the bright side, it seems to have happened at an opportune time. There are some rather good bargains about in the New-Year sales; so it looks like I can get a replacement with a much better spec' than I thought I'd be able to afford. It's been a long time since I had a shiny new machine with a big power boost, so I'm rather looking forward to having a new one to spill detritus all over!

[RJHollins]

My current build was one of being forced upon [after a deadly mishap].

Best thing that coulda happened ... definitely needed the upgrade.

Major performance improvement, and at least moved me up to Win-7 with 64-bit

[trogluddite]

My current build was one of being forced upon [after a deadly mishap].

Only "deadly" to the computer, I hope!
I always have to be pushed and prodded into upgrading, too. I'm not sure if that's because I get too sentimentally attached to my machines, or if it's just the penny-pinching DNA of my Scottish ancestry!

Anyhow; I've bitten the bullet, and my new baby should be delivered tomorrow; and I've also treated my derriere to a new office chair (from the "24-hour chairs" category, no less - I never knew they made seating especially for caffeine/nicotine-fueled all-night FS benders!) So if I go missing now, it isn't because my computer died, it's because I'm desperately trying to configure Windows10 not to pop up a notification every time someone farts on the internet, or gossiping about me to Bill Gates behind my back!

And the old machine is still just about working well enough that I can install the FS 4.0 Alpha on it to have a tinker with. Yay!

[RJHollins]

My old computer died due to an overheated GFX card .... my fault ... didn't look underneath to see the dust clog

For me, it is the time, research needed for the new build ... not to mention, all the re-installs. On the positive, I did get to eliminate a lot of un-needed stuff.

CHAIR .... work, office chair ... I've been looking for months ! Most of the Office Stores are no more. Everybodies gone 'on-line'. Can't even SIT on one to see if I'd like it.

So I'm reading Reviews. How to go crazy. They are all over the place.

If I order something, I have to put it together ... I'm OK with that. But if I don't like it ... I got to take it apart, package it up and then return ?!?!? Only then to repeat the process !

This is progress of the 21st Century