Experiences with non-techies

[DigitalHermit]

Why not use Wifi?

 

Because WiFi "causes cancer"... Courtesy of mainstream media in my country

[MEC-777]

Because WiFi "causes cancer"... Courtesy of mainstream media in my country

HA! That's what my aunt says. She turns off their router when ever not using their PC. I then pointed out to her that we are all surrounded and bombarded with wifi and other wireless signals pretty much anywhere you go. She still turns it off.

 

I will say this though; I moved our router in our house to a different location a couple months ago (so it could be hardwired to my PC and the HTPC for Steam in-home game streaming with minimal latency) and the two plants beside it started to not do so well. Might be a coincidence, might not. Just an observation. Wife made me move the router further away from them, so we shall see if they perk up again... In this case, I'm talking about the router sitting literally right beside the plants. Perhaps being that close can have an effect...? I suppose it's debatable.

[colonel_mortis]

HA! That's what my aunt says. She turns off their router when ever not using their PC. I then pointed out to her that we are all surrounded and bombarded with wifi and other wireless signals pretty much anywhere you go. She still turns it off.

 

I will say this though; I moved our router in our house to a different location a couple months ago (so it could be hardwired to my PC and the HTPC for Steam in-home game streaming with minimal latency) and the two plants beside it started to not do so well. Might be a coincidence, might not. Just an observation. Wife made me move the router further away from them, so we shall see if they perk up again... In this case, I'm talking about the router sitting literally right beside the plants. Perhaps being that close can have an effect...? I suppose it's debatable.

Maybe it's just a result of the heat being given off by the plants. But you should absolutely do a controlled experiment to see what happens (if you can).

[DigitalHermit]

HA! That's what my aunt says. She turns off their router when ever not using their PC. I then pointed out to her that we are all surrounded and bombarded with wifi and other wireless signals pretty much anywhere you go. She still turns it off.

 

I will say this though; I moved our router in our house to a different location a couple months ago (so it could be hardwired to my PC and the HTPC for Steam in-home game streaming with minimal latency) and the two plants beside it started to not do so well. Might be a coincidence, might not. Just an observation. Wife made me move the router further away from them, so we shall see if they perk up again... In this case, I'm talking about the router sitting literally right beside the plants. Perhaps being that close can have an effect...? I suppose it's debatable.

 

Please do the experiment and post it on the forums... It would be interesting to see if there's something that would come out...

[WinNut]

When I said that I stopped acting childish, there was no relation to me not playing video games, I stopped playing them to put forth more effort to my studies and I stopped acting childish as in I changed my personality. No relation exists between the two. Sorry if anybody was offended.

EDIT: my parents never let me play decent games (they think that it will turn me into some sort of emo psychopath/murderer) so I can't really comment on the topic, although I would like to play said games once the overload of studies are over.

[juretrn]

HA! That's what my aunt says. She turns off their router when ever not using their PC. I then pointed out to her that we are all surrounded and bombarded with wifi and other wireless signals pretty much anywhere you go. She still turns it off.

I will say this though; I moved our router in our house to a different location a couple months ago (so it could be hardwired to my PC and the HTPC for Steam in-home game streaming with minimal latency) and the two plants beside it started to not do so well. Might be a coincidence, might not. Just an observation. Wife made me move the router further away from them, so we shall see if they perk up again... In this case, I'm talking about the router sitting literally right beside the plants. Perhaps being that close can have an effect...? I suppose it's debatable.

EM fields don't cause cancer, don't believe anyone who tells you that. Even living under a 400 kV powerline would not cause any health issues due to magnetic fields, and a measly 1 W radio transmitter would? Oh please...

[steffen_anywhere]

This is what I call mother fuck uppery.

Where did the facepalm go? NOOOOOOO!

[babbaj]

Why not use Wifi?

I have a card but it never worked but i could try my xbox adapter but i don't know where it is

[MEC-777]

Maybe it's just a result of the heat being given off by the plants. But you should absolutely do a controlled experiment to see what happens (if you can).

I meant the plants started to not do as well when the wifi was moved right next to them (within 2 feet). Or so my wife says - they looked ok to me, but I never paid close attention to them before that. lol.

 

EM fields don't cause cancer, don't believe anyone who tells you that. Even living under a 400 kV powerline would not cause any health issues due to magnetic fields, and a measly 1 W radio transmitter would? Oh please...

I agree with you it doesn't cause cancer. However, some people and other living things can be effected by Em fields. It's called EM hypersensitivity. I'm not saying our wifi router is causing cancer in the plants right next to it, but it is totally possible that the EM field it's giving off is strong enough [up close] to somehow harm some part of it's biological system. 

 

Perhaps I'll do a more controlled test of this and see what happens. As I said before, it may have just been a coincidence. 

[Wrenn]

My friend called me in a panic because her internet "didn't work" and she had to take a test that night. I calmed her down and she explained when she opened Internet Explorer *eye roll*, it said her proxy configuration was incorrect. I asked her if she changed that and she firmly said she didn't. I walked her through to resetting it to the default configuration. I still wonder how she messed it up.

[soup]

EM fields don't cause cancer, don't believe anyone who tells you that.

 

Rather think the jury is out on that one.  Some (most) people say there is no way it could, but at the same time there are others convinced that this stuff isn't good for you.

[juretrn]

Rather think the jury is out on that one. Some (most) people say there is no way it could, but at the same time there are others convinced that this stuff isn't good for you.

Radio waves are hardly ionizing radiation, they don't have the energy to break chemical bonds in DNA. As for other EM fields, their strength would have to be truly colossal to affect people. We had quite a conversation with a professor in our power engineering course regarding this topic.

But hey, I could be wrong...

[Kherm]

This is a little OT, but I've never played roblox, I've only briefly heard about it, so what is so bad about it, i'd like to know.

[Cree340]

one day i was trying to fix a broken fan inside my computer and when i was idleing i got really high temperatures so, i took off the side panel and put a fan running next to it, then my grandma comes in my room and starts touching a bunch of random things after i told her not to....    i was lucky nothing got fried

 

not really a non-techie thing but kindof related 

one day i went to my (other granmas) house and i had to do a  school project on her computer and i turned it on and there was windows vista i just bursted out in laughter

LOL. My aunt still uses windows vista and I ask her why she doesn't use windows 7, she says its because "it will make my computer slow" (her computer is a toshiba and has a 1.5ghz centrino duo.)

[Cree340]

The reason why she's using such a slow toshiba laptop is because one day we went out to buy a new computer for her (core i5, SSD, 6GB RAM, integrated graphics) and she didn't use it at all, then one day (when the computer was only 2 months old and gathering dust) she sold it for very cheap, like $400. And she needs a computer for her work (accounting) so now her old toshiba needs is so slow, it takes 10 mins to turn on and 10 mins to turn off.

 

Also, her internet is so slow, (1mbps down and 0.25mbps up) and whenever she gets a call from the internet service provider about upgrading, she says she doesn't want faster internet even if it is only $5 dollars more every month. So whenever I go to her home and try to access the internet, it takes forever to load a video and to download anything.

[Zombater]

When I said that I stopped acting childish, there was no relation to me not playing video games, I stopped playing them to put forth more effort to my studies and I stopped acting childish as in I changed my personality. No relation exists between the two. Sorry if anybody was offended.

EDIT: my parents never let me play decent games (they think that it will turn me into some sort of emo psychopath/murderer) so I can't really comment on the topic, although I would like to play said games once the overload of studies are over.

I'd really like to meet your soccer mom and school her on her ignorance and the benefits of videogames. Most studies are manipulated by the media, and those that aren't are ignored. Society needs a scapegoat - videogames are a good scapegoat, because most are ignorant of them. Watch Rob Ager's documentary Elephant and The Videogames controversy - and get schooled! Speaking of Rob Ager, you would be interested to know despite my moms lack of interest in him, he is a really good movie analyst and such.

If anyone here wants to debate me, I have been on the topic for a year and successfully debated dozens of arguments, particularly via email and reddit. So, not to brag or sound obnoxious, but you're welcome to any day.

You're probably right about never playing decent games, and sorry to sound obnoxious in my earlier reply, but not playing videogames isn't something you should exactly "brag about". Sorry for the misunderstanding. What videogames do you play?

Also make sure to quote my post so I can see your reply

[NeatSquidYT]

I'd really like to meet your soccer mom and school her on her ignorance and the benefits of videogames. Most studies are manipulated by the media, and those that aren't are ignored. Society needs a scapegoat - videogames are a good scapegoat, because most are ignorant of them. Watch Rob Ager's documentary Elephant and The Videogames controversy - and get schooled! Speaking of Rob Ager, you would be interested to know despite my moms lack of interest in him, he is a really good movie analyst and such.

If anyone here wants to debate me, I have been on the topic for a year and successfully debated dozens of arguments, particularly via email and reddit. So, not to brag or sound obnoxious, but you're welcome to any day.

You're probably right about never playing decent games, and sorry to sound obnoxious in my earlier reply, but not playing videogames isn't something you should exactly "brag about". Sorry for the misunderstanding. What videogames do you play?

Also make sure to quote my post so I can see your reply

I play naughty games for big kids.

[Zombater]

This is a little OT, but I've never played roblox, I've only briefly heard about it, so what is so bad about it, i'd like to know.

Simply put, the community.

The game is "designed for people ages 7-17" but I don't know a singe person who plays it above 10.

[NeatSquidYT]

Simply put, the community.

The game is "designed for people ages 7-17" but I don't know a singe person who plays it above 10.

I do, and I take the piss constantly by saying stuff like "Can you not wait to talk to 5 year olds tonight?". He takes it as a joke btw, we all do stuff like that to eachother.

[soup]

Radio waves are hardly ionizing radiation, they don't have the energy to break chemical bonds in DNA. As for other EM fields, their strength would have to be truly colossal to affect people. We had quite a conversation with a professor in our power engineering course regarding this topic.

But hey, I could be wrong...

You are probably not.

I did say most thought it a load of baloney, but some do feel it is bad for them.

[ibbadib]

When I said that I stopped acting childish, there was no relation to me not playing video games, I stopped playing them to put forth more effort to my studies and I stopped acting childish as in I changed my personality. No relation exists between the two. Sorry if anybody was offended.

EDIT: my parents never let me play decent games (they think that it will turn me into some sort of emo psychopath/murderer) so I can't really comment on the topic, although I would like to play said games once the overload of studies are over.

No offence taken dude:-).

[Simmytu]

When I said that I stopped acting childish, there was no relation to me not playing video games, I stopped playing them to put forth more effort to my studies and I stopped acting childish as in I changed my personality. No relation exists between the two. Sorry if anybody was offended.

EDIT: my parents never let me play decent games (they think that it will turn me into some sort of emo psychopath/murderer) so I can't really comment on the topic, although I would like to play said games once the overload of studies are over.

No problem mate, I was being sarcastic but having sarcasm hidden in text and using emoticons doesn't cut it, unfortunately. :unsure:

[andyysplash]

The reason why she's using such a slow toshiba laptop is because one day we went out to buy a new computer for her (core i5, SSD, 6GB RAM, integrated graphics) and she didn't use it at all, then one day (when the computer was only 2 months old and gathering dust) she sold it for very cheap, like $400. And she needs a computer for her work (accounting) so now her old toshiba needs is so slow, it takes 10 mins to turn on and 10 mins to turn off.

 

Also, her internet is so slow, (1mbps down and 0.25mbps up) and whenever she gets a call from the internet service provider about upgrading, she says she doesn't want faster internet even if it is only $5 dollars more every month. So whenever I go to her home and try to access the internet, it takes forever to load a video and to download anything.

 

Don't be hatin' on dat 1meg internet - I live with it too! One day it got up to 1.1meg!!! 480p video actually loaded!!! But really, she has the ability to upgrade, and I don't know what she's paying but $5 more per month would grant her enough so that she was getting more speed for her money. I, currently (until they activate the fibre cabinets on the main road) can't get an upgrade an am getting something close to 0.03meg/£ (not sure exactly how much it cost us per month). Compare that to £10 more per month and 36meg I'll be getting with fibre, that'll be 1.1meg/£ - wow such improvement many speed such video wow.

 

But, I can't believe she got a new computer (did you buy it or were you just helping her choose) and then didn't use it for some reason and then sold it for less than it was bought. If you're gonna sell something worth some money don't you normally get someone to evaluate it (or at least your family to help you)?

[ShadowCaptain]

Not exactly a none-techie but my friend is not super comfortable inside PCS

 

Anyway I get a text as I leave work "Erm...Dropped my pc".., so as it turns out, he was cleaning and knocked his desktop off his desk and it crashed down to the floor

 

I grab some spare parts and drive over to his house, he has the pc on the floor side panel off and is like..... everytihng is connected but it wont power on

 

...

...

...

 

Turns out wire for the power button had fallen off so the on button didnt work 

HAHA i nearly pissed myself I was like "you are a tit" he was like "oh I did not know where those cables went"

[Beskamir]

When I said that I stopped acting childish, there was no relation to me not playing video games, I stopped playing them to put forth more effort to my studies and I stopped acting childish as in I changed my personality. No relation exists between the two. Sorry if anybody was offended.

EDIT: my parents never let me play decent games (they think that it will turn me into some sort of emo psychopath/murderer) so I can't really comment on the topic, although I would like to play said games once the overload of studies are over.

You should give games like the Portal and Half Life series a try. There isn't any real killing in Portal (unless you yourself die) so there isn't much worry for becoming a psychopath As for Half Life if you can't play that for whatever reason the Black Mesa standalone mod is basically a remake of the first game from what I know. (Also I only played some Black Mesa and the Portal series but I know that Valve games are fantastic so I will recomend them based on the reputation that Valve has )

 

If you're intersted in something with a good story and set in Star Wars I'd recomend the Jedi Knight series as well as Knights of the Old Republic (both 1 and 2) as those games basically got me into tech and modding I played them when I was about 14 in 2010. Additionally KotOR has one of the best twists imaginable. I won't spoil it and I suggest you try not to spoil it for yourself either It gets heavily forshadowed and since most mods embrace the idea I would recomend avoiding them (asides from 1080p support) for the first playthrough.

 

As for science and learning Kerbal Space Program and to an extent Star Citizen are good places to start for physics.

 

Those are games I'd recomend with a consideration for possible violence or any other aspect that makes a game M rated. I personally never cared about ratings that much having played doom when I was 5 or so and later when I returned to gaming I played AC2 just prior to KotOR. Of course these days ratings no longer apply to me anyways