YesBut its a new world

About a month ago I started posting a new blog YesBut’s Images. Why did I start a new blog? Mainly as the result of David McMahon, who posts authorblog, suggesting I should show more of my photographs. But I could have done that on this blog. By starting a new blog, I could post a selection of photos independent of the content of this blog. But the driving reason for starting the blog was, because I had to! Just like mountaineers need to climb Everest, so too I have a creative desire that I must satisfy - I know, I confess, unashamed egotism!!!

About a year ago I bought a very cheap digital camera. Which I carry about everywhere I go. My life has changed since acquiring it. I no longer go for walks, shop or go to meetings. It’s not that I’ve stopped going out, the opposite I go out more, but now going shopping is a secondary activity, I am primarily looking for things to photograph - much to Mrs YesBut’s annoyance.

There she is walking down the street talking to me, but I’ve stopped 200 metres behind to take a photo of a reflection in a window. She doesn’t stop, and I have to trot to catch up, I get a scowl as a reward. I hear mutterings about toys for small boys. “Yes dear“.

Looking through a 3x4cm LCD camera screen, has changed my perspective of the world. It’s true, when you really get into looking, as opposed to just seeing, things around you, everything changes. Colours become more vivid. Shop widows reflect a distorted world. Paving stones form patterns. There are straight lines, angles, curves, shapes, solids, translucent reflections, so much more to see that previously went unnoticed. So much I never noticed before. "That’s beautiful". "Look how the light strikes the water". It’s a new world.

How things have changed with the development of computers and digital cameras. Before, people had cameras, photographs taken, films processed and photos put in albums or left forgotten in draws. Taking a photograph is now only the start of the creative process. Photo editing programs allow pictures to be cropped, colours changed, images distorted. Now every photograph taken has the potential of being a good picture, irrespective if it is out of focus, or whether the camera was held at an angle. More mumbles from Mrs YesBut about spending too much time in front of my computer. “Yes dear“.

Enough typing lets create an image.


Click here to see image of the day.

Dangerous Fingers

When I am looking at a web page and it asks, “Do you want to send a message?” I click on yes, and somehow a little box pops-up for me to type a message. It shows the message will be sent from my internet provider email account. But I never use that account, it attracts SPAM like cow shit attracts flies. I want to use my Googlemail account.

This morning I was looking at resetting the default setting, or whatever the correct expression is. Don’t know what I did, but next thing I know a box pops up with that bar which shows the progress of installing something. There to my horror was: Internet Explorer being uninstalled, Internet Explorer uninstalled, Outlook Express being uninstalled followed by Outlook Express uninstalled. Panic (an understatement of what I was feeling at that moment).

Clicked on Start then tried to open Set Program Access and Defaults nothing. Now I really was pannicing. It looked as if I had completely wiped from my computer Outlook Express (which wasn’t such a tragic event as I do not use it), and Internet Explorer (which I do use). Not the way to start a day. No good swearing at the computer, never does any good, invariably results in the computer sulking and going on strike for the rest of the day. The normal thing to do is switch the computer off and on again, but in this case it could result in the computer when shutting down saving the new unwanted settings.

Kept my head, went onto Jezza’s Exiles Online Message Board, Technical/Computer & Web Links. Left a message requesting help. Within minutes Ian Mac had posted the solution, and I recovered the programs. What a relief. But I never learn. I keep clicking on things I shouldn’t just to see what happens. In my case disaster. But in the case of pubescent geegs they get deep into the heart of some highly restricted and allegedly highly secure system.

Is it an age thing? Are grumpy and farting old fogies incapable of understanding the intricacies of computers?

Tesco Internet Security

I have been dithering for months trying to decide whether to switch from dial-up to Broadband. Every time I got to the point of committing to a contract, I’d read another negative report on the provider I had chosen. There are horror stories of people’s computers being contaminated with spy ware or technical support centres providing incorrect information. Providers failing to meet promised dates for connections. Not replacing defective modems, etc, etc. In reality people are more likely to spend time posting negative reports on the Internet, to relieve their frustration over difficulties incurred; than satisfied customers spending time reporting everything was trouble free.

I’ve had trouble free service using Tesco dial-up, so I finally decided to switch to Tesco Broadband. Within two days of placing the order I was informed the activation date would be 4th January, (the timing is controlled by BT not Tesco). I was due to receive the start-up pack containing the modem and instructions the day before activation, but in fact its come already. So I’m all set up and waiting for the 4th. I’ve been reading and re-reading the instructions. It says before I install the Broadband program, I have to switch off the installed Tesco Security program. Looked and looked but couldn’t see an obvious way of switching the Tesco Internet Security off. Emailed Tesco’s Broadband technical support team and got back ambiguous instructions. Emailed seeking clarification and received contradictory instructions.

Thought the only thing to do was to confront Tesco face to face, to get clear and precise instructions on how to switch off Tesco Internet Security. Went to the local Tesco Supermarket, and asked the girl at the checkout how to switch it off. She looked at me as if I was mad. She said she didn’t know, and called the Security Guard. Explained to him all I wanted to know was how to take a security tag off a computer. I was so relieved I finally met someone who knew what he was talking about. He explained the security tags are placed on the computers to stop them from being stolen. They can only be removed at the checkout, using a special gadget, (I’ve seen it been used to remove the plastic security tags off whisky bottles). So all I have to do is take my computer to the supermarket, and they’ll remove the Tesco Internet Security. I wonder if I’ll have to take the monitor, speakers, printer, webcam and scanner. I should have asked him. I told him he was wasting his time being a security guard, he should be working in the Technical Support Centre.

Can’t expect the wife to carry everything by herself, I’ll phone for a taxi.