Must. Restrain. Fist. Of. Death...

[caddyman]

I was annoyed by technology right from the off this morning, well before I left the Carpathia to come to work.

After breakfast, as is my custom, I took my coffee upstairs to take a look at the news and LJ on my computer. The computer had gone into one of its periodic power-saving comas whence it can only be resuscitated by pressing the standby button enough to jerk it into life but without rebooting it. So far so good. Except that the mouse no longer works. Or rather the buttons and the scrolling wheel work, but the pointer stays resolutely immobile.

So: reboot.

Nothing; mouse still arsing around. Luckily I had my art pad and stylus, which meant I could navigate through windows without trying to remember the sorely neglected and mainly forgotten keyboard commands.

Dig out wireless mouse, change batteries and link it to the computer. The other mouse remains uncooperative, but now I have mouse function on the wireless. I then do as most people would and try random functions in My Computer. Nothing happens, nothing changes.

At that point I decide to write a grumble on LJ to ask you good chaps if you have any bright ideas. Then the internet connection dies. The router is fine, the PC is fine, Furtle’s PC is fine. The home network is OK, but there is suddenly no DNS and the ports are playing up. Some problem at PlusNet, I reckon. After 15 minutes of cursing, the entire system sponts and we’re back on line and I’m late for work.

Sometimes I miss the analogue life, particularly when technology fails and then recovers for no apparent reason. I think my USB mouse is still poorly, though. As usual, I have no idea why: it was fine last night.

How’s your day going so far?

Comments

[bitofstuff.livejournal.com]

How does it feel to be so inefficient? You must be dead chuffed with the recent comments in the press. I asked Matt last night if I was the only person who thought the civil service would be more efficient if it wasn't subject to every whim of a bunch of elected idiots who change every four or five years and who have no specialisms at all in whichever poor ministry gets landed with them... He said I wasn't. Politics gets in the way of government.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

It is down entirely to the fact that Ministers have brought in Special Advisors to work between them and Civil Servants. This means that they rarely get the facts without a political spin on them and even when they are inclined to make a decision, it is already slanted by political expediency rather than impartial.

Add to that the fact that most senior civil servants are recruited directly these days and have no tradition of unbiassed public service or any sign of a backbone...

empathy

[mathcathy]

At times this week, I've had three separate mice plugged into the USB ports on my laptop, with one or other of them always bound to work, and if not I can interchange them around until one starts working again.

I'm past frustration into annoyed resignation.

Yes, me too.

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Both my phones died, now my microphone on my laptop has died, FOR NO GOOD REASON! It was working fine last time, now it aint. Nothing has changed inbetween.

Oooh, I hates it.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Happy Friday afternoon, welcome to Rescue Weekend!

Did you get my reply message to you re Hangman? I just want to make sure all's working.

[phil99.livejournal.com]

I'm currently very happy! It's Friday, I have wine in the cupboard at home and the customers for once aren't being entirely idiotic. Miracles do sometimes happen, it seems.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

What ho!

No, I never got your reply - can you resend it, please?

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

Try cleaning the plug at the end of the mouse cable. I have similar problems at work all the time wherre people stuff them with fluff and dead chickens.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Ok, it should be with you now x

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Yup. Got it now, ta.

I'll have a tinker over the weekend.