MAGPIE'S MUMBLINGS

A blog about my interests, which include fabric landscapes and various and assorted other artsy pursuits and sometimes known to contain mumblings of a random nature.

Friday, March 01, 2019




ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOME DAYS JUST SUCK

Heaven deliver me from technology.  Why is something that should be so simple is bound and determined to thwart me every single solitary step of the way???

My much-loved Canon printer/scanner/copier decided, after much service, that perhaps it was tired and deserved to die a natural death.  After appropriate funeral-like sympathy, your blogger got a brand shiny new Epson (which seems to be one of the few printers these days that simply prints, scans and copies without all sorts of other bells, whistles and farts that aren't necessary to my existence).  

It arrived yesterday and after much nail-biting and mustering of courage, your writer undertook to set it up.  Hmmm.....plug this into that....and that into this.  So far, so good.

Oh....and it comes with a CD.....wow, that's easy.  Right?  Wrong!!  Inserted CD and watched while things whirled, and spun and said click this....click that....wait.....and finally, finish!  Woo hoo!!!  

Well, not so fast.  It didn't want to play nice with my computer.  Hmmm......much reading of manual....that first had to be located on the internet because, after all, such things no longer come with it.  After much swearing and trying this and that....oh, and maybe this other thing too.....they decided that talking to each other might be good.  Yay - it even printed a whole entire photo!!!  

Much celebration here at Chez Magpie.  

But wait....

Someone (moi) jumped the gun and celebrated much too soon.  Maybe she believed it would scan because after all, it said it did.  Hah....not.  

So....much more reading of on line manual and googling ensued and lo - another 'thing' had to be downloaded and installed.    More whirling and spinning and clicking ensued.  And we had a scanner that worked.  Maybe. 

Yep, success.

But wait.....

(we're now on Day 2 of this process)

Now why do you suppose your writer would ever want to do something so stupid as to want to RESIZE a scanned image for insertion in such places as Ancestry....or.....gasp.....this blog???  Yes, why......

Well, much more reading of online manual where, it appears,  resizing images is not 'a thing'.  Hmmm.  Your writer then consulted with the experts at Google who seemed very sure that another 'thing' had to be installed.  So more whirling, spinning and clicking....

.....and swearing.....

AND IT STILL WON'T WORK

Two days....lost.  Your writer's temper.....lost.  

And the saga continues...........

The quote - "There was a piece of ornamental water immediately below the parapet, on the other side, into which Mrs. James Harthouse had a very strong inclination to pitch Mr. Thomas Gradgrind Junior"  ( from Charles Dickens, Hard Times)

A very good quote, but I think it should read - "There was the Scugog River immediately below the balcony, into which Magpie had a very strong inclination to pitch a certain Epson XP-5100 printer"  (so there)












26 comments:

  1. Ugh, what a nightmare!

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    1. I will figure it out.....I will figure it out.....I will....maybe.....

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  2. Aaarghghg! Computers are lovely when they work..

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    1. Aren't they though? I absolutely hate having to change the status quo because I know before I start that it will be a process that involves a huge chunk of my life, much swearing and general angst.

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  3. Oh, dear! You need to take a spell, have a drink and give it another try tomorrow. Thank goodness I have a resident computer guru in house. Wish you luck. I had to take my sewing machine back to the service guy today after just getting it back from service on Monday. Hope it's not the motherboard. Have a great weekend.

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    1. Hmmm....a drink....now maybe THAT's what I need!!! Maybe even several. So sorry about your sewing machine - hope it's not the motherboard. Fingers are crossed for you!

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    2. Thanks. I'll know by Wednesday.

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  4. Sorry you are going through that. Well stated though because that's the norm, not the exception it seems with new hardware. The good news is that I've heard Epsom is a good printer. I guess that means when and if it finally works.

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    1. Computer literacy isn't my forte at the best of times and everything I do is by trial (lots!!) and error (lots more!).

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  5. This is why I dread any sign that a piece of electronic/digital equipment may be preparing to retire. The expense is bad enough, but the frustration...UGH!
    I haven't owned a printer for several years now, as I decided to try doing without one as an experiment. When absolutely necessary, I can print things out on a VERY rudimentary printer at the local library, for 10-25 cents/page, but mostly I can do without quite nicely for the time being. If I ever start writing seriously again, though, i'll probably have to buy one, as I like editing on paper. I think I will NOT buy the one you've got, though!

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    1. I use my printer a lot - and the scanner even more. Working with genealogy means I want to add a lot of pictures and documents to my 'tree' and a scanner is essential. (ps....I think....shhhh.....I might have figured it out.....)

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    2. My fingers are crossed for you!

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  6. Oh dear Mary Anne! I hear you! Technology is fantastic when it works but when it doesn't boy oh boy! I am sure it will be able to do all that you want it to.... you'll get there! Hugs Christine xx

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    1. I think these things are sent to keep us humble!

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  7. I feel sorry for you MA and hope the Epson behaves soon and permanently. I've had several Canon, HPs- both short lived- and my first and best, an Epson 400- no bells and whistles. The latter lasted for many years and had a full ink cartridge, not the promo type used these days.

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    1. I have loved my Canon for years now and really did mourn the loss. It's really hard to find a simple printer/photocopier/scanner these days - seems they all have too many bells & whistles that aren't necessary. The Epson is one of the few that was 'simple' enough for me (and even that, obviously, was NOT simple!!)

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  8. I've never even considered using my printer/scanner to resize images - haven't even looked to see if it can. However, I have a lovely little free program called IrfanView, which not only resizes, but does some basic editing as well. You can get it from Cnet.com or just Google it, I don't think you'll be sorry. Good luck.

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    1. The actual printer/scanner doesn't do the resizing - it has to be done in a program on my actual computer. My problem was trying to get the scanner to 'talk' to the computer in such a way as to allow it. Thank you for the info re the IrfanView - will definitely check it out.

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  9. Oh how I can relate to what you are experiencing. Me and technology are not compatible at all. We bought a new Jeep and i does not come with the over 600 page manual. Furthermore it communicates through hubby’s smart phone. I have no smart phone so I have no clue what Jeep is or is not doing! So frustrating for me (both hubby and the new Jeep!!!). Hope your week is technology smooth dear. XO

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    1. Oh geez - now I have to hope our 2011 Rav4 never dies!! I can't imagine a vehicle talking to the smart phone (which I do not have, nor do I ever aspire to having!!). Technology is definitely NOT my forte!!

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  10. Tee Hee! I know just what you’re going through! We’ve had a list of machines dying on us recently! First there was the laptop ..... then guess what our printer died on us, oh yes and my sewing machine and now the latest has been our tumble dryer! Nothing else can go wrong now can it!!???!!!
    Loved your post!
    Hugs,
    Barbara xx

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    1. These things seem to come in bunches don't they!

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  11. As a former school tech coordinator, solving printer problems was the worst. No 2 printers, even same brand-model never worked the same. Aarg. Sorry for your loss.

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    1. I must admit I mourned the loss of my faithful Canon, but now I have the new Epson talking nicely I must admit I'm feeling rather fickle.

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  12. I'm soooo glad I don't have to figure computer things out due to live in techie (husband)! Though he does get a bit frustrated when I pass it on to him instead of first trying the fix myself. But then, if I screw it up, then that makes a make work project for him. Good luck.

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    1. Hah, my hubby wouldn't have a clue!! He flatly refuses to even consider anything computer so he's absolutely no help. Oh well - he cooks, so I can't have everything!

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Thank you so much for leaving comments! I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to talk to me. It's wonderful to know that someone is actually reading my mumblings and even more fun if I can connect with you and visit your blog.