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Our Sailing Hideaway Blog and YouTube videos will remain active. Join the HideAways as we tell, through blog stories and videos, what life really is like on a small, 23' Com Pac sailboat. We'll show the joys, thrills and chills of the sailing life, but also what it takes to maintain a boat, trailer and truck. You are just as likely to learn how not to do something correctly as to do it right. That's important too! New! The Hideaways take to the road! Follow Traveling Hideaway: Winds of Wanderlust Transitioning from Sailing Hideaway to Traveling Hideaways as sailors learn to travel without heeling, well, not much, anyway. The Paint Wasters Society unlocks the art of paint squandering with sheer delight, free from the shackles of remorse or guilt. Trust me, a century down the line, nobody's going to bat an eyelash, so why not indulge in some paint splattering shenanigans today? Let's turn those pricey pigments into a canvas of laughter and joy.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

A Computer Update - What a Load

After all attempts at revival failed, the fine folks at Dell finally decided to replace my computer .  The replacement is supposed to have the same specs as the one I melted my credit card to obtain a few months ago.   It's the new version of our old machine complete with a shiny new "Refurbished" label on it's backside.   That means I have a computer that had serious performance issues, was returned to Dell, hopefully fixed, then sent to me.

No Worries There!

In the few weeks we've had the machine we seem to be getting along alright with it.  However, our old machine came with Microsoft Office and the latest  Sony video software. Both items were deal makers when I made the purchase since none of the competition offered that package with similar machines.

Dell Does Not Warranty Software

 The fact that the Dell hardware failed is of no apparent concern. Adding injury to their insult, I received notice that my McAfee security software trial subscription is ending on the Refurbished model while my full  subscription on my new old machine, the one I no longer possess, continues.

To their credit - Microsoft honored their part of the deal but I have only one more download available from Sony. I have spent most of the day getting  that software up and running.  I can make some movies At last!

Is The  Monster You Know  Better Than One You Don't?

My Refurbished model came with Windows 8.1.  After 148 updates it informed me that I could have Windows 10 at no charge.  Well,  since I'm setting up a new computer anyway, why not?  As bad as Windows 8.1 was; I had gotten used to its quirks.  Now I have a whole new pile of quirks to get used to and these are a squirrelly bunch!

All I want to do is go sailing,  tell some stories, paint a little and make some movies.  Hopefully  the HideAways have sailed through the worst of the tech storm  and  can get back to normal, whatever that is.  Stay tuned!

SMALL BOATS STILL ROCK!  

See more Sv hideaway Paper Coasters at zazzle.com