Catching up....

I just wanted to give a big thank you to the readers who email me links and all of you who stop by and read, sometimes leaving comments. I know there are many of you who don't comment but I see your visits and appreciate that we share a little tiny bit of the world for a few moments most days.

May has been rather crazy here in Nashville with the floods as well as my own personal disasters, such as plumbing and ceiling repairs and a computer that required replacing. I could write an entire entry on my adventures with computers this month and what I have learned. I'm a PC girl although we are a dual platform family so I can work well enough with both. I am a computer geek but not enough of one to mess with Linux and others. I got a Windows 7 machine which has been my easiest transition ever to a new computer--and so far the commercials are right, Windows 7 is one of the best Windows operating systems to date even if I have a love/hate relationship with Microsoft. (I'm equal opportunity and have one with Apple, too.) Mind you, it's still man made technology which means its far from perfect but it is an improvement over previous versions. However, it is still relatively new so the adding on of peripherals has been touch and go--my printer adapted fine but my scanner, external hard drive and Kindle not so much. I'm working on those solutions with a powered USB hub and other tips from generous communities on the internet.

I also must recommend the easy transfer cable for moving everything from an old computer to a new one. My old one lived just long enough to get everything transferred although it took multiple times as long due to the nature of the old computer's problems. Still, I moved right into my same old bookmarks and settings even if I am still working on software installations slowly but surely as time permits.  This cable was a blessing and made the transition so much easier than any computer change I have made previously.

I was fortunate and didn't lose anything from my computer although it was a near miss on a few days worth of files--I back up regularly--but I am finally going to use an online backup system, probably Mozy which appears to best suit my needs after much research. After my experiences and what I have witnessed, I can encourage all of you to backup regularly. Most of the houses in Nashville that were flooded were not in the flood plains and this was a completely unexpected natural disaster with little more warning than an earthquake. My home and neighborhood was spared but thousands were not. Back up your stuff! Preferably away from your home and workplace. External hard drives are nice, but they still usually reside near your computers and are just as susceptible to loss, especially in a natural disaster. I have an archivist's heart and have been trained in disaster preparation and recovery. I am devastated by how much was lost in a few short hours which could have been avoided with a little work. Don't let it happen to you!