Counting the ways

      As I've worked with my new Dell computer, I've discovered several things I really like about it. In fact, I'm close to being smitten with it. Here are a few things about it that make me happy:
      1. The 13-in-one media card reader on the front of the computer. On my previous computer, I used an USB port and had USB cables connecting to various card readers. It looked like a Radio Shack had exploded on the top of my computer. Now everything is nice and neat, and I've retired the hub.
      2. The 8 USB ports. My old computer only had two, and they were on the back of the computer, which is another reason I had to use the hub. With an USB printer, USB keyboard and mouse combo, USB scanner, USB headphones and mike, and USB external drive, I was hurting for USB ports. Now, everything is plugged in, and I have three USB ports left.
      3. Windows XP. I know it has problems, but so far, it's worked almost perfectly for me. Of course, I was coming from a computer that ran Windows ME, which CNET recently listed as one of the top ten worst computer products of all time.. (I say almost perfectly because there's a conflict with the video driver and it won't run the pre-installed 3D Space Screensaver. A very minor annoyance. Apparently it can be fixed if I will completely uninstall in the old driver and install a new driver that came out after I received my computer, but frankly it's not worth the trouble so far.)
      4. Speed. It's a lot faster than my old computer and can handle multi-tasking easily without freezing or crashing. Last night I had my scanning program, Microsoft publisher, GMAIL, AOL and Microsoft word all open at the same time. No problems. Wow.
      5. It simply works. No restarts, mysterious blue screens, lost data or strange beeps. And that's the best thing of all.
*      Time to get ready for work. I'll be back later. Talk to you then.
*      It's later. Much later. Nearly midnight. I sat down tonight and took a long nap. I seem to be running on empty lately. If this continues, I think I'll schedule a check-up and make sure it's just lack of sleep and not something else.
      I haven't mentioned The Last of the Summer Wine for a while. I watched it tonight on the local PBS channel. Such a gently funny and warmly wise show. I highly recommend it. It may take you a few times to learn the characters, but it's worth the effort.
      Going to shut down now. Have a good night and great tomorrow. Night!