Why there is no ProArms Podcast and why I’m not answering email or posting on fo

[Gail]

Well, my laptop stopped liking Audacity, the program I use to edit the podcast,  and decided not to have any more sound coming from the speakers.
So, after trying to fix the problem myself and a lot of good friends trying to fix the problem, I finally sent it back to the manufacturer just before our last 3 week trip. It was waiting for me when I got home and it had sound, yippee! they replaced the soundboard. As I started loading programs into my laaptop my desktop died, blue screen of death permanently, this time.
I had two new desktops also waiting for me to set up when I got home, yippee again! But I needed some stuff off of the desktop before I put her down for good, so it was off to the computer repair shop, in the next town over, to hopefully fix it enough to get what I needed off of it.
So back home I set to restoring the programs on my laptop again, I download Audacity, the one program I need to do the podcast and I get the same problem that I had before I sent it in to be repaired, it freezes up when I try to use the program, not even ctrl-alt-del will work to restart the computer.
So, OK. I'll take a break from that and set up one of the desktops. I set up the first one and I get an endless loop of blue screens and windows not loading and the darn thing re-starting. I call the help desk in Mumbai and they are very sorry and will be sending a disk to repair it.
OK, so I'll put that one aside and set up the other desktop 'cause I really don't want to deal with the Audacity problem right now. I set the desktop up and it fires up and I'm downloading all the programs that need from the internet, I spent all night downloading programs and getting them just right. So, now it's time to load my Adobe software, which is on CDs. You know like Photoshop and the stuff I use every day. I put in the first CD and nothing, nothing at all, the computer doesn't even recognize the drive, so another call to Mumbai, they’re very sorry, and they want me to do another system restore, wiping out everything I spent all night loading. I think it was then that I lost it.
So, all my time has been spent loading and unloading software, trying to fix things that don’t work. So I took a little downtime and checked some of the blogs, when I ran into Japete’s blog of hypocrisy, which inspired the video I posted earlier. Those are actual quotes from her blog. Sheesh…


Gail

[tom]

Can anyone say Mac? 
Sorry to hear of all these issues, that is a bad run of luck and incompatibility.

tom

[jmstevens2]

You need to bite of the Apple Gail. Trust me, it is not addictive or anything......
You don't owe us an explanation or anything for that matter. We are not paying you. You are helping us. Thanks anyway for doing so.

Pod Cast--iPod--Apple Macintosh....... I'm just sayin'

Perhaps it is a windows conspiracy to prevent us from bashing and proving wrong their buddies like japete...

[Doc Wesson]

Sounds like you used the Beta (unicode) version of Audacity....

[flop-shank]

You don't owe us an explanation or anything for that matter. We are not paying you. You are helping us. Thanks anyway for doing so.

+1. I truly appreciate all that you do, Gail. This is the only forum I participate in anymore. It may be a quiet backwater of cyberspace, but the people here are so knowledgeable and I'm out of patience with the stupidity (ignorance I can handle) and time it takes to deal with it elsewhere. While there are other excellent forums, this place is one of the two that I consider the best and the one that fits my needs most. You are a huge part of why I love this place. Thank you so much for all that you do. You just reminded me of why I like being a computer neanderthal. I don't have the patience to deal with the computer nonsense that you do (flop-shank = Han Solo shooting the computer with a blaster).

[Jerome from California]

I had problems with audacity in the past too. I am so glad I switched to a Mac desktop and have been using Garageband to record podcast segments.

[Matt G]

It's not the quantity but the quality.  Everyone here knows life and work happens and not speaking for anyone but myself, am willing to waitif you all promis to get together and let the magic flow.  ALL OF YOU!

Matt G

[Charlie Foxtrot]

  
Does anyone else imagine Mas in a corner? Under a fort composed of couch cushions and Kevlar vests?  Working up a Jim Beam and Valium load for his tranquillizer gun?  

I've downloaded the Audacity 1.3 Beta.  It's supposed to be the best for Windows 7.  I hope so.  Any alternatives?   Does the old 1.2.6 version work with Win7?  

BTW, the ProArms Podcasts are certainly worth the wait.  Take your time - we'll be here.  Thanks.

[jmstevens2]

Don't forget the chocolate!

[MasAyoob]

(flop-shank = Han Solo shooting the computer with a blaster).

Flop, I don't think that option is exactly off the table just yet...

Fearfully,
Mas

[mistertaco]

Does the old 1.2.6 version work with Win7?

Yes. On a ThinkPad w. Win7 it (1.2.6) does. Haven't tried the 1.3 yet.

Lee

[melski]

Continue shooting until the threat is eliminated!!

[Doc Wesson]

1.3 works real good ... you just gotta know how to get it to talk to the sound board or mics...that was a real experience...but very good now...

[Gail]

You guys are great. Although Charlie Foxtrot hits a little too close to home.   (It's like he was here)

I used Audacity (the Beta) for almost a year on this very laptop before it stopped working. I don't know why it decided to stop working.


I finally give up and bought Adobe Audition last night, it's way more than I need and there's going to be a learning curve but I guess that's what I had to do. I didn't like any of the other free editing software. I had a 30 day free trial but burned that up while I was computerless.

i was talking to Mark Walters (Armed American Radio) and he convinced me to look at the Apple computers. He told me he bought one and loved it. I guess once you go Mac you never go back and since I use iPods, iPhones and an iPad I thought maybe it was time. I really tried to bond with the Apple computer, I spent an afternoon at the Apple Store with a really nice salesman who produced music so he kinda understood my needs. I was really not impressed. I would have cost so much more to get what I needed from Apple and their computers seem so minimalist, I need ports, lots of ports. And the onboard speakers were inadequate. And how do I deal with .wav files? All that and I would have to buy two because we need commonality in our workflow and probably 2 laptops too eventually. So I decided to stay on the PC route.

Oh, I almost forgot my digital camera, printer and Roku player are also no longer working.  

I told my daughter my sad tale of woe this morning and she suggested that I invest in paper and pencils, not pens, pencils.

Gail (AKA Crash)

[Charlie Foxtrot]

1.3 works real good ... you just gotta know how to get it to talk to the sound board or mics...that was a real experience...but very good now...

 
Doc, will you be able to take Audacity Talk questions Wednesday night?  After the Barstool Discussion/ Mosin Talk?      

Nope, Gail -- don't have to be there.  I merely mentally adapt the expressed situation to encompass my wife (another Alpha Princess) and bring in my expertise in disaster preparedness, risk management, forecasting, and aberrant and organizational psychology (really the same thing) -- and thereyahgo!    

[jmstevens2]

.wav files play in iTunes fine. Mac can also be a PC by using Boot Camp. You can boot up in either if you so desire.

[Steve]

For those of you who are following this saga, I want to share one of those magical moments that occur unexpectedly and further illustrate how fragile those moments can be.

It all began just a short while ago in Pro Arms.  The shop door opened and three "senior" gentlemen walked in.  One was Chief Jim "Patches" Watson.  The other two were his brother and a friend.  That's right folks.  It took a minute to sink in, but it was THE Chief Watson.  If you don't know who he is, start googling or skip to the next paragraph.  What a fine, unassuming and personable gentleman.  We talked about a few things, including the knives that he designed, the original Masters of Defense Trident folder and his Gerber Silver Trident.  All was going so well as they picked up a few accessories for a shooting session they were headed off to.

Then Mas and Gail walked in.  WOW, it must be "Legends Day" at Pro Arms.  Gail took a few photos with her temporary camera (hers is broken, ya' know).  Mas and the Chief chatted for a bit (they have known each other for some time), then the Chief and his buddies left...

Slowly Gail began to explain what has been happening with her electronic world.  The atmosphere grew dark and heavy.  Everyone in the area began to notice a penetrating coldness found only in that place beyond oblivion.  It was as if the sun itself had shut down and ran to hide behind another solar system.  The combination of fear and foreboding was overpowering.  Gail kept telling her story and it was as if the Dementors were gathering for a convention in Live Oak.  By the time Gail left to check on her old hard drive, there was nothing left but utter destruction and chaos.  Some, the heartier ones, were simply dazed and confused.  Others have lost the will to live.  The mere mention of the words "blue screen" incite a level of terror that can't even be imagined by those who were not here.  Gail took Mas to the house, so he would have a chance to recover, while she goes to retrieve her computer.  I tell you, we hope Mas can fill the sandbags fast enough while she is gone.

Some of you may have felt the disturbance in the force.  In any case, it is too late for us, but you can still save yourselves.  Flee, before all the life boats are gone.  I see no way at this time that we can contain this to Live Oak only.  Whatever you do, don't look into the darkness.  There be monsters starin' back!

And to top it all off, there are two IDPA matches this weekend!

And you think your life is a roller coaster???


Steve

     

[Gail]

Nope, Gail -- don't have to be there.  I merely mentally adapt the expressed situation to encompass my wife (another Alpha Princess) and bring in my expertise in disaster preparedness, risk management, forecasting, and aberrant and organizational psychology (really the same thing) -- and thereyahgo!    

But CF, how did you know it was Jim Beam?

Gail

[Gail]

Yup, Steve summed it up pretty good. The motherboard is dead and I looked at what they had to offer in custom built machines.
More later,
Gail

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Nope, Gail -- don't have to be there.  I merely mentally adapt the expressed situation to encompass my wife (another Alpha Princess) and bring in my expertise in disaster preparedness, risk management, forecasting, and aberrant and organizational psychology (really the same thing) -- and thereyahgo!    

But CF, how did you know it was Jim Beam?

Gail

 
Before the Mag 20 class in LA, I felt the need to ransom my life for one (or more, many more) smart @$$ed comments.  I believe one of your responses was; "Sure you can come to Mag20, how else can I extract my revenge?"     I expected to provide the danegeld in dark chocolate; however Mas opined that Jim Beam and Diet Coke would be best for all concerned.      

I truly hoped to buy those drinks for you, Mas, and Alex, but never got the chance.  Without the ransom, I suppose I'm still a marked man.  Knowing you are and entire country away, and you would undoubtedly have to employ some electronics in order to get here to use that Glock Bayonet, I'm able to move about without too much fear.  

Best of luck with your electronic gremlins.  As a former industrial electrician, I have to ask: Are you experiencing a lot of electrical power spikes and fades?  When I saw a lot of failing electronics, power surges always came to mind.  Are your electronics protected by good quality surge protectors?  If so, do you refrain from plugging in vacuums, blenders, etc. into the same surge protector power strips?  It doesn't take too much electrical noise to fry modern integrated circuits, and electric motors are often the prime culprit.    

Luck (and Jim Beam) to you!

LoL Steve!