Comic on Possible Haitus (Yay Adobe!)

[Tapewolf]

In which case, by definition, you're doing it right.

Depends on your point of view.  Building a staircase out of fish and people you killed so you can climb onto the mountainside and reach parts of the game which you're not supposed to would make for a very contorted definition of 'right'....

[DarkAudit]

If you do it wrong it's not going to be awesome.

I beg to differ.  Sometimes doing it wrong is the most awesome way of all.

At first, it's ooh and ahh as you watch the fireworks.  And then the screaming starts.  And when you see your house on network news, you start feeling really down.

I've seen my house on the front page of the local paper underneath the day's main headline. Not fun.

[Pheonix-IV]

In which case, by definition, you're doing it right.

Depends on your point of view.  Building a staircase out of fish and people you killed so you can climb onto the mountainside and reach parts of the game which you're not supposed to would make for a very contorted definition of 'right'....

The awesomeness of that succeeding means you are indeed doing it right.

[Amber Williams]

Minor minor update:

Called the PC place earlier today and they said my computer was next in line. Which means I should be getting a call on Thursday with the tally of what is wrong and what needs fixings and how much it will cost.  Which means things should be getting resolved pretty quick if I know the place well enough. (The longest part is simply them getting to your computer. Once they get going, they usually have it done relatively soon)

Not sure if I will be back by Friday. But I am pretty confident it will be back before/by the weekend. Meaning if anything, the comic should resume Monday at the latest.

But I realize this is me being cocky and assuming the optimistic path. Not to mention I still am likely going to need to re-install Photoshop upon its return and goodness knows what kind of obstacle course THAT is gonna be. 

[Reese Tora]

I don't think you can uninstall Adobe Acrobat, I think its just there cuz it needs to be for the comp to run right. If you upgrade it, I think it effectively removes the previous version though.

You're thinking of Internet Explorer.
(Though it is technically possible to remove it... if you don't like windows updates)

(if Windows came with Acrobat reader, I wouldn't have version 8 on mine, I'd have version 6 because that's what was out at the time the disk I installed windows from was pressed.)

Most companies install acrobat reader on new computers they sell, because it's free and almost everyone needs it at some point.

[AndersW]

(And maybe investing in a UPS, I think the term is?)

You should get a UPS.  They don't solve problems with computers, but they prevent problems from happening.  The power coming out of the outlet isn't always the proper voltage.  Sometimes it is a little low, sometimes it is a little high.  And that can cause problems with your computer after it has been used for a while.

[Naldru]

The biggest reason for getting a UPS is avoiding the painful screams and gnashing of teeth that occurs when you spend four hours adjusting a picture and the screen goes blank (due to a power outage or somebody tripping over the power cord) before you can save it.

[Dagardo]

The biggest reason for getting a UPS is avoiding the painful screams and gnashing of teeth that occurs when you spend four hours adjusting a picture and the screen goes blank (due to a power outage or somebody tripping over the power cord) before you can save it.

Exactly, but if you spend four hours ajusting a picture I have to wonder how much of a perfectionist you really are.

[Amber Williams]

Mini-update:
Got a call back from the comp place.  Right now they are cleaning the computer cause its pretty dusty as all getup.  They are suspecting that it may be playing a part in that its causing a good chunk of overheating. So they are doing a heavy duty clean and also are installing a new fan to help with the airflow.

Once they get that done, the guy is going to try putting the computer through a stress test and finish the diagnosis to see if there is any power supply related things as well as just check the overall system.

Nothing really has shown up in regards to the registry so the system restore followed by a C-cleaner thing may have helped with that. But that likely means that I will be needing to re-install Photoshop once I get back. (Blaaaargh)

On the plus side, it does seem like I wont be having to re-install Windows or have to re-install every product that I have ever owned. 

But I guess we shall see. Once the cleaning is done and the new fan is installed, they are going to put it through a grind to see if they can shake out anything as well as do a proper test of the system. (Right now they can't do much because the dustiness is playing too much a factor)

They are optimistic about the computer possibly being done tonight. But we shall see.

[Jairus]

Yay! All basically good news! Good luck with the computer, Amber!

Eaurgh... dust. Blasted crap gets everywhere.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Indeed.

*makes a note to remind Amber in 6 months to blow all the dust out of her PC*

[Tapewolf]

Sounds like good news.  And yes, dust is evil.

[DarkAudit]

Indeed.

*makes a note to remind Amber in 2 months to blow all the dust out of her PC*

FTFY

Better safe than sorry. 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

pfft. She's had it for a year, how dusty can her place be?


.. actually, yeah, ok, 2 months. ;-]

[Naldru]

Before you go to it with a vacuum cleaner, open the case (after unplugging it) and grab what dust you can by hand.  I had a case where the inside literally had a half inch of dust.  If it has an air filter, you might want to check that every once in a while.  (You might also want to take it outside while removing the dust unless you want to start sneezing.)

To Dagardo, I was thinking of adjusting a picture with Photoshop when I mentioned hours.  Ask Amber how long she spends on each image for the strip.  Maybe four hours is an exaggeration.  But when you're tweaking items for use in a web site, an hour can go by quickly.

[Amber Williams]

Update!

The compy is back! Well...sorta. Its back in that its running again and seems to be running well. Course the biggest issue is will it still do its freeze thing or restart which is what I will be spending all night tonight and tomorrow trying to do. 

From the looks of it, dust may have been the biggest culprit. Though apparently there was a lil malaware hiding out in my computer as well.  The guy did a full clean and dust-job and also painted some sort of silvery stuff on the heat things...I am not sure exactly what it was called at this time.  He also said since I use Photoshop and am working with big files and whatnot, that upgrading the memory some would possibly help out as well.

So right now the PC is back but I we'll find out in a day or so if its going to have any of its old problems most likely.

However yeah...the programs on my PC had to go. Thankfully I didn't have to buy a new copy of Windows since it re-registered no problem. But Adobe and several other programs needed to be removed and will need to be re-installed.  But since I am lacking not only the disks but the knowledge of where those disks are...I am sort of fussing about how to go about with Adobe.  I considered just sucking it up and buying CS3...but to get it here I would have to pay pretty much $700.  Which is still flooring me I gotta say.

I mean...I was given donations and have enough to do it...but its suprisingly hard to want to pick up a box and pay $700 for a single program when you know you could do a whole lot with $700.  Thats like...a month of groceries or new tires for the car or bills paid for two months.  And its more than double the amount it cost me to actually fix my computer at this time. (Though I am still holding my breath and waiting to make sure the computer is in fact OK)

I am going to sit and wait a day or so on this. I figure depending on how things go, I will either just suck it up, be the big adult I should be and buy the narfing thing and freaking tattoo the serial code onto my thigh just in case...or I will become a big old honking hypocrite and consider the alternate route of program gaining.

Either way...its not happy times for me.  But either way unless disaster impends, the comic should be back in action on Monday.

[Alterationartist]

You're almost there, don't lose hope.

[Gornemant]

Update!The guy did a full clean and dust-job and also painted some sort of silvery stuff on the heat things...I am not sure exactly what it was called at this time. 

probably thermal compound for an easier heat flow between cpu and cooler, purpose is just to fill the empty spaces between them (because air insulates
example: http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm (NEEEEEEEEEEERD)
good luck and have fun with the reinstalling I guess

[Turnsky]

I am going to sit and wait a day or so on this. I figure depending on how things go, I will either just suck it up, be the big adult I should be and buy the narfing thing and freaking tattoo the serial code onto my thigh just in case...or I will become a big old honking hypocrite and consider the alternate route of program gaining.

well technically they were paid for once.. i'd hate to use dubious morality here, but it would tide you over until you located your originals.

[Amber Williams]

I admit I have considered the "Talk like a pirate day" tomorrow to perhaps be a sign of what I may be doing tomorrow...

Truth be told I would much rather try to stay the line of legit.  The place I live in is a college town and I am currently seeing if any of my friends have someone attending courses who may be able to score me a college discount.  Cause my original copy of Photoshop is pretty outdated and an upgrade may be nice.  But not nice enough that I can easily slam down 700 bucks on.

If I must, I must. Cause after all the donations were done to help me get back and running and get the comic going again ASAP.  So I dont feel right dawdling an extra week while I wait for a copy of Photoshop to mail its way over to me.

Its just....waaaah! I could feed myself for a month and pay my monthly bills and then some with that much! 

[Turnsky]

I admit I have considered the "Talk like a pirate day" tomorrow to perhaps be a sign of what I may be doing tomorrow...

Truth be told I would much rather try to stay the line of legit.  The place I live in is a college town and I am currently seeing if any of my friends have someone attending courses who may be able to score me a college discount.  Cause my original copy of Photoshop is pretty outdated and an upgrade may be nice.  But not nice enough that I can easily slam down 700 bucks on.

If I must, I must. Cause after all the donations were done to help me get back and running and get the comic going again ASAP.  So I dont feel right dawdling an extra week while I wait for a copy of Photoshop to mail its way over to me.

Its just....waaaah! I could feed myself for a month and pay my monthly bills and then some with that much! 

if you can get your mits on the academic discount by all means, do it, might as well have your proverbial cake and eat it too. 

[Amber Williams]

Thats pretty much what Friday and Saturday are gonna be.  Staples sells Photoshop and will likely be open all weekend so come Sunday if I cannot wrangle out a college kid who is willing to help a sistah out for a free dinner, then I will suck it up and buy it.  But I am hoping I can wangle a bargain cause I sure wouldn't mind having 200-300 dollars that I can tuck away for a rainy day. 

[Jairus]

Thats pretty much what Friday and Saturday are gonna be.  Staples sells Photoshop and will likely be open all weekend so come Sunday if I cannot wrangle out a college kid who is willing to help a sistah out for a free dinner, then I will suck it up and buy it.  But I am hoping I can wangle a bargain cause I sure wouldn't mind having 200-300 dollars that I can tuck away for a rainy day. 

Well... I may have decided to hold off on buying my copy of Photoshop until my birthday in three weeks, but that doesn't mean I can't donate a little more. For the Rainy Day fund. And Tacos.

[Tapewolf]

Well... I may have decided to hold off on buying my copy of Photoshop until my birthday in three weeks, but that doesn't mean I can't donate a little more. For the Rainy Day fund. And Tacos.

When I upgrade the Mac OS it's going to kill Photoshop dead.  Like Amber, I'm on V7 and a full upgrade is an expense I simply can't justify given that I only use it for corner cases where GIMP isn't good enough.
Hence, my plan - when I get around to it - is to buy the latest version of Elements.  It might not work well enough for Amber, but it worked well enough for RJ so it'll probably work well enough for me.

[DarkAudit]

If saving several hundred bucks means extending the hiatus through the weekend, DO IT. 

[Mao]

Might I also suggest a can of compressed air for cleaning out your compy?  I've never been fond of the idea of dust busters or vacuums inside of my computer and have found that this is a viable and somewhat safer solution due to the lack of static build up that vacuums are prone to.  If you want to go one up from that I would recommend foam cleaning swabs (not cotton, those leave lint and such behind).  It's a little more time consuming, but it's much safer, as long as they're not treated with any sort of cleaning solvent.

[Brunhidden]

what they really need to make available to the public is keyboards that are a flat surface, no raised keys and definitely no gaps crud can fall under the keys.

ive seen pictures of them, and it looks like such a good concept i have no clue why most computer stores don't carry them.... as a guy who sheds on his keyboard a lot i can see the value in it.

[Tapewolf]

what they really need to make available to the public is keyboards that are a flat surface, no raised keys and definitely no gaps crud can fall under the keys.

http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/zx80/zx80.htm

Basically, the problem is that flat keyboards with no tactile feedback are horrific to actually use.

[Turnsky]

what they really need to make available to the public is keyboards that are a flat surface, no raised keys and definitely no gaps crud can fall under the keys.

http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/zx80/zx80.htm

Basically, the problem is that flat keyboards with no tactile feedback are horrific to actually use.

you forgot the "virtual" keyboard

[Mao]

Ugh, that thing would bust up my touch typing so bad... home keys?  What home keys?