Posts from the ‘Front Porch Musings’ category

Windows 10 Installation: my experience

According to several news sources, 14 Million Devices were upgraded to Windows 10 on July 29 (this number likely includes 5 million Insiders (Beta testers), but still – an impressive start. And the numbers jumped fourfold in the next 3 days.

Two out of my own three devices are part of those numbers and although I haven’t tapped a lot of the Win10 new features and I was NOT unhappy with Win8/8.1 … I am very much liking what I’ve seen so far.

But first, my Install experience on my new Toshiba laptop (quad core i7 2.60ghz processor with 16 GB Ram AND a solid state drive, i.e. a very current and very fast combination of innards) and my Toshiba Encore tablet (Intel Atom 1.3 ghz processor with 2 GB Ram, i.e. not the fastest tablet in the west!)

I reserved my Windows 10 upgrade ( Windows 10 Icon) on June 2. (I reserved my Win10 Upgrade on my new Toshiba laptop, my Toshiba Tablet and my backup Acer Laptop) On the morning of July 30, I received the pop up notification that my Windows 10 Upgrade was here – on my Toshiba Laptop. ( Windows 10 Is Here)

Throwing caution to the wind, I did the first install on my Toshiba laptop…the speed demon, but also my production machine…the machine on which my income depends. I have never, ever installed something like a new operating system on the first day on the machine I absolutely depend on. But, this round, after all I’d read and seen (videos) … I trusted Microsoft.

After the “Your Windows 10 is here” and “working on it” …and the license acceptance, the above screen appeared. VERY cool – I scheduled the install for 6:00 p.m. At 5:00 p.m., a notification popped up that reminded me that my Win10 update was scheduled in 59 minutes and gave me an opportunity to keep that time, schedule a different time or cancel altogether.

I never had a second thought…

Onward!!

Here we go!

The update proceeded without a hitch and it was nice to have both the percent complete info as well as info on what was happening: small text at the bottom of the screen.

Success at the 32 minute mark on the Toshiba Laptop.

It took an hour and a couple of minutes on my Tablet.

I have not yet received notification that the upgrade is available on the Acer. The Acer was the first device that I reserved on. There is some info that the rollout happened first for those devices that were most compatible. Additionally, the download is reputed to be a “stealth” download in that it downloaded in the background as it could and then the “Your Upgrade is Here” activates – on completion of the download. I don’t know any of those things for fact, but the order of things is working for me as I’d decided to keep my backup Acer on Windows 8.1 for a week or so and make sure there were no glitches in my work environment.

For Margaret :) … None of my folders or existing files were disturbed by the update. I haven’t read of any existing files or folders being lost by the upgrade.

There are some that are unhappy with the Win 10 install setting the default browser to the new Microsoft Browser “Edge”. I find this a bit laughable. I knew I needed to keep my default browser Internet Explorer or Chrome because Edge does not support the debugging mode of some legacy software I must support. It took me about 15 seconds to change the default browser from Edge to Internet Explorer: type “default browser” in the Cortana search box.

You can also click on Settings (Gear icon) and use the “Find a Setting” search box. AND, instead of directing you to a web page with directions, both searches take you directly to the spot to make the change.

Click on the current default browser and the Select App window pops up and you may select any browser you have installed or go and find one you want.

That’s it on my installation experience. It was easy and glitch-free on both devices. I worked Friday on normal stuff, including the legacy apps which must use Internet Explorer vs Edge and all was fine. I have zero complaints and am excited by all that Windows 10 offers. As I said, I have not really explored much, but below are a few simple things that I like a lot.

The party line is that Windows 10 merges the familiar with the new. The Start screen is back with jump links and all any Windows XP -> Windows 7 user is used to seeing. The Windows 8/8.1 tiles are there as well but if you dislike them, you can remove them. If you like them like I do, you can make them your own. You can customize the Start screen to your heart’s content!

Also the Taskbar. Add things you use often or just use the Start screen…take your pick.

Pinning applications to the taskbar was a Windows 8/8.1 feature and open apps had a lighter color AND you could see a preview of the window in miniature…but Windows 10 allows you to see the miniature preview and as you move the mouse up…you can see a full screen preview as well as get a close button. There are more taskbar features – above is just a sample.

Below are links to my initial Windows 10 post which includes several links on Windows 10. And following that link are two YouTube videos on Windows 10:

The first is a Joe Belfiore video – Joe is the Microsoft voice of Windows 10. I feel like he is a friend of mine. He is passionate about Windows 10 as he was about Windows 8/8.1 and Windows phone. He invokes a curiosity in me to delve into all that the Windows operating system is capable of. His video is nearly 34 minutes long. If that seems too long, try the second from a Windows Insider (non Microsoft beta tester). That video is just short of 12 minutes and highlights some of the new features in an easygoing way.

Lastly – do you need to upgrade? No. It is a personal choice. If you are happy with your current setup and are not a power user … at least wait a bit. Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 registered owners have a year to update for free so you can take time to decide and let the first round of patches and updates happen.

I love the way the technology is going and I am thrilled with the Microsoft management team: Satya Nadella at the top and the others I’ve watched in developer conference videos. I think the future of technology is exciting. I also think that which platform you choose: Apple, MS, Android … there is not a wrong choice – look at them, find the one that resonates with you and how you’d like to use your devices. Ultimately, things are coming together in a way that makes it easy to select one and work with the others. In my mind, it is an incredibly fun time and will only get better.

Now, if technology could solve global warming and particularly the Hot-Hot summer we are experiencing this year in Montana … I would be ecstatic!!

My Windows 10 Post

Joe Belfiore

A Windows Insider (non Microsoft)

And again with the hot

Good grief!!!

Yikes!!

The 76 inside is a bit deceiving…it is the entry temp. The rest of the house is 69-71F – quite comfy.

Zinnia and Sunflowers for this weeks cut flowers.

Some grape and heirloom tomatoes for this week’s veg.

I was up at 4:30 a.m. this Saturday morning and Bear and I headed to town at 6:45 a.m. We stopped for a walk along the river before hitting the grocery, then a breakfast drive-through, gas for the Jeep …and were at Farmer’s Market at 9:00 a.m. on the dot for the open to get this week’s veg and flowers.

Gorgeous zinnia…

Early sunflowers…

Then home by 10:00 a.m. to put all away.

By noon … again with the HOT.

So much to catch up on

My work is crazy, crazy busy…but good and SO much fun…in between the frustration of learning new stuff and 2 deadlines, etc. Ultimately, though …SO much fun that I didn’t go to town this Saturday and stayed home working…BY CHOICE!

And to add to the tech fun, my almost 2 year old phone was wigging out so I did a factory reset which went VERY well and as all the “data” was saved to the cloud, it restored itself admirably…yes, lots of restarts and catching up on versions, but all in all, it was done in 2 hours with minimal interference from me. While 2 hours might seem a lot, per some reading online, some people were 4-8-12 hours for all to come right so…whatever…at the moment, I am happy!

Fires. Glacier National Park is the biggie, but we have a Type 1 team here and it IS the West and the West knows fire. Media hype is horrible. Meanwhile, weather tomorrow (Sunday) and Monday is poised to help things and hopefully the firefighters will get a handle on things … AND be safe. Because of the media hype and tourism, I have some worries that unusual risks will be taken. I hope to be very wrong.

Back on the home front…

Relaxing on Friday afternoon…

Clear, blue sky…the GNP fire smoke is blowing east I think. Here, it is clear.

The Fuschia continue to flourish. They are so beautiful and every day I am so happy to see them doing so well!

This is the first year in many years that I’ve had porch hanging baskets with gorgeous blooms. They add so much to the front porch and my kitchen window view.

Happy, happy boys…on Beardog Point.

Nothing better than seeing them together!

Saturday…inside light as the weather changes and thunder rumbles and hopefully rain comes as well…

…along the road home.

Peace and Light

It is still cool.

We’ve had bits of rain overnight and in the days.

June was like July and so far July is more like June.

Bear, Auggie and I are enjoying every moment of the current cool, pleasant and sometimes rainy days and nights.

Peace and Light.

Two stories from the chairs

The odd chair arrangement speaks to an event from last week.

I was trotting down my driveway in hopes of speaking to the UPS person as he was delivering a package to my “end of the driveway” box. At one point, I said “OW!” I didn’t twist anything or step wrongly – there was just a sharp pain in my left shin.

Back at home, I thought that since I don’t normally run and I was not in shoes that had much cushioning, it was probably a shin splint. I iced and took some ibuprofen and massaged and stretched.

Through the week, it got worse in both pain and swelling.

By Friday afternoon, I was sporting a “platypus” foot, fat ankle and shin. The pain is on my shin bone but the swelling went from there all the way through to my toes.

Saturday morning, I went to an urgent care orthopedic clinic for an exam and x-ray. The thought is a stress fracture – inconclusive as stress fractures do not show on x-ray until they heal … or actually fracture.

Well, phooey.

The Dr. suggested a cane for the next week to wait for the swelling to subside and then to get fitted for a walking boot to stabilize things and allow healing vs a full break.

I’m using ski poles vs a cane which allows for both support and a more normal stride than a cane. The more normal stride will hopefully keep other joints and muscles from objecting.

Plus I am keeping my leg elevated as much as possible …THAT is what the chairs are saying as I moved them in order to have a leg rest when outside.

And a lot of “icing” … well, a bag of frozen peas was too small…the bag of blueberries is just right and the heavy paper wrapping is much more comfortable than the plastic wrap around vegetables :) !

The second story from the chairs is weather related. We’ve had some rain. Not a lot, but off and on light showers the last two days. Yea!!

The chairs have spoken.

The End.

Dealing with the heat and my 24 hours as a farm and ranch hand

This week was a repeat of last week…took time midweek to head to town and stock up on supplies so we could hunker down over a forecast hot 4th of July weekend:

Full frig and freezer!

Version 2 of the long, long cat … a cat inside to escape the outside heat!

Good news, bad news: The good news is that all fireworks have been banned this year. The bad news is that the fireworks have been banned because of the severe fire danger from heat and lack of rain. I don’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d rather it was green and moist and I was complaining about fireworks for a week. The fire danger is off the charts. I have the motorhome fueled, filled with water and stocked with food and clothes. We can roll quickly if necessary. Hopefully, it will not be necessary.

Meanwhile, my across the road neighbors, home to the chickens that supply me with THE MOST GORGEOUS EGGS – the neighbors went camping. They had hoped to do a 2 day trip but because of the 4th and fire danger, decided on an overnight. They asked if I could collect eggs, feed the horse and pony, the chickens and the barn cats and water the garden…in addition to eggs, I also get extras from the garden. So, I said: “YES”!

So, for 24 hours, I was Ms. Farm and Ranch Person. This is SO out of character for me. I do not like to be out in the hot and dusty and stinky, etc. BUT, the chickens are not only beautiful and supply the most wonderful eggs but they are a kick to be around. The horse (Bernita) and pony (Lexi) and cats (Oscar and Gerti) are so much fun also…

Lexi and Bernita. Lexi aka “Miss Piggy” LOVES her food. Bernita has restraint. They now love me because in addition to forking (pitch fork!!!) over their hay, I took carrots – YUM!

The cats. So funny – these cats are like Auggie: Norwegian Forest Cats!

Oscar, the gray. Oscar kind of has Mr. Bob’s build… wide body!

Gerti, a calico is a bit slimmer but still fluffier than Auggie and shorter tail.

They are both sociable and followed me around as I did the chore routine.

Some of the “girls”. These are last year’s chicks. For whatever reason, this year’s prefer to stay in the coop per Mel. But they are all together in the coop overnight so it is not a “get along” thing ??? Chickens are funny, I think. I can’t remember the breed names, but I think these are an incredibly beautiful group of hens and it was fun to feed and talk with them.

The “inside girls” … this year’s chicks in the coop. So, the other funny thing is that inside the coop there are nesting boxes for each chicken. BUT, the eggs are almost always in the left side boxes…rarely in the right side per Mel and Jesse.

On my watch, Friday night there were 6 eggs on the left side: 3 in 1 box and 2 in another. Saturday morning there was 1 egg on the right side but above the boxes! Saturday, 11:00 a.m. ish there were 2 eggs in 1 box on the left side.

Hmm.

But, there are 15 chickens so I told them a few of them were slackers!!

They said: “bawwk, bawwk, BAWWKKKK!!!”

The garden – lush and beautiful. Jesse set things up so I only had to turn on 2 faucets and all of the garden got a good drink.

After Saturday morning chores, I headed home and gathered my boys for a walk in the woods while it was still cool…

Mornings – still the best!

The long, long cat and the hot, hot dog.

This week.