computers – Oddball Update

Full Stop

June 5, 2013June 6, 2013 Chief Oddball 3 Comments

The sidebar of this site proclaims that Oddball Update is home to “rants”, though precious few have appeared here in recent years. (As it happens, my last post — in which I complained about the direction Microsoft is taking with the Xbox One — may be the closest thing in a while.)

Just When I Thought I Was Out, PC Gaming Pulls Me Back In

December 16, 2012December 17, 2012 Chief Oddball

It all started with Diablo III, and from there things began to spiral out of control. From Faster Than Light to System Shock 2 and even a brand new Radeon video card [!!], this is the tale of my rediscovery of PC gaming.

Solving Windows 8 Sleep Issues

November 3, 2012November 3, 2012 Chief Oddball 4 Comments

I first installed Windows 8 when the RTM became available to MSDN subscribers in August, and on my home computer I had one serious problem that kept bugging the hell out of me and which I was never able to solve: Windows 8's sleep, hibernation and much-vaunted "Fast Startup" options just plain wouldn't work right.

Junior Programmer

October 18, 2012October 18, 2012 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

It’s a rare event when I actually go to bed at 8:30 in the evening, but tonight it’s happening because I’m whipped. A few months ago a coworker and I went through a crash course in .NET development using the custom GIS controls our company makes, and since then I’ve served as “Junior Programmer” (my words) for made-to-order projects when all of our mainline developers are otherwise tasked out.

Acclimate or Die: The Importance of Keeping Pace with New Tech

August 24, 2012August 24, 2012 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

In my younger days I spent a lot of time experimenting with a great many things in the realm of computers. New games, new software, new OS tweaks, new hardware types, new ways of doing old things. I loved being on the bleeding edge, and if something new that I tried didn’t work out, I usually fussed and fretted and pounded away at it until I made it work out.

Oddball Review: Microsoft BlueTrack Wireless Mouse

May 8, 2012May 9, 2012 Chief Oddball 1 Comment

My faithful Logitech MX400 laser mouse recently started acting up, failing to register a left-click every so often. Because this is one of those problems that becomes über annoying über rapidly, I ordered a replacement. I was going to simply get the MX500, essentially the evolution of my current mouse, because I use one at work and like it.

Laptop: The Next Generation

July 29, 2010October 7, 2011 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

In my life, few purchases (besides an automobile) are more exciting than a new computer or some other piece of electronic gadgetry. So I was particularly geeked today when I finally pulled the trigger on my new mobile workstation — a laptop for business, in other words.

Slingbox Setup with Wireless Ethernet Bridge

November 10, 2009September 21, 2011 Chief Oddball

From time to time, I’ll post something here that’s primarily a note to myself. You might wonder why I don’t simply write this down in a document and store it on my computer someplace. In addition to my hope that these notes may offer some value to others as well, the reason is largely organizational.

An Apple For Apple

November 1, 2009May 8, 2012 Chief Oddball 2 Comments

“What the hell’s wrong with this computer now?” I groused this past Friday morning as my wife reported to me that her Dell laptop had suddenly lost connection to our wireless network…again. As I futzed around with the machine, I eventually realized that the cooling fan was running full-tilt and the keyboard felt like there was a five-alarm fire raging underneath it.

Review: Windows 7 Enterprise Edition

August 10, 2009October 7, 2011 Chief Oddball

Okay, so this isn’t exactly the typical Oddball Review…no Asian horror or computer games in sight. However, after installing the final version of Windows 7 Enterprise Edition this past weekend (courtesy of MSDN), I am finding it significant enough to warrant a review of its own — particularly in light of certain earlier posts I’ve made here about Microsoft’s operating system.

Tag: computers