And of course I have no clue!

[Old Ranger]

OK, I understand tubes well. I really like transistors. Shucks, I even get along with IC chips. But then again I'm trained on electronics and went to school to learn amp repair. But I don't know diddly about computers and the internet stuff and such. Here's my problem. OK, well, one of MANY!!

I am an old man and I think in old ways. Currently I have dialup service. Likely I'm the only one here that does. Figures... But I'm so damn tired of watching the system I got travel at the speed of dirt. I'd like to try to catch up to the 21st century. Maybe... The service I have is NetZero, and they've been real good to me and I want to stay with them as my e-mail junk and such is there. Will have a smaller learning curve I hope too.
I just looked at their wireless stuff and was simply overwhelmed!
Looking at what they have with stuff like 3G and 4G sticks and stuff was like speaking Greek or Russian to me. 100% totally lost.... They've got all sorts of plans as well offering different "G" things. OK, I got a wound G on my Les Paul, but beyond that what the hell are they talking about? They got these stick things that I presume plug into the USB (?) and get the signal? And they got what look like the new phones that have stuff in them. Does that mean internet in the phone like I think it does? And does everything have to have a G?? What, and which, G are they talking about? Sounds like there's more than one. Seriously, I can do ballistics in my head on the fly behind a rifle and that's pure calculus and trigonometry. But this stuff is beyond my comprehension. I feel like a caveman in outer-space. Am I asking too much? Maybe I just better leave well enough alone and just sit here feeling stupid.

If you don't hear from me in the future that means that I lost my temper with this computer and shot it like I did the last one.

[phantomman]

The "G" refers to transmission (ie: download) speed. The "3G" represents three gigabytes, pretty fast and suitable for most residential use unless you are into online gaming, Wall Street stock trades, live-porn chat rooms, and such. You will likely need a new modem for this type of broadband service. You might also consider a wireless router so you can "pute" anywhere in your home or even out on the veranda or the "south forty" (assuming you have a laptop).

[Bill Moore]

Ranger, in my country, unless you are in town, everything is "slow G". Here at the shop, I have a microwave dish that hits a tower on the mountain, still not very speedy. My only option at my house is telephone, so we don't have it. My brother in law has a place west of town, and telephone connections are slow, so the sister in law got one of the dongles you are talking about. Being wireless, it's a little pricey, but it's faster than this connection, and she gets to do all the things grandmothers want, (facebook, skype, etc.) She got it under the plan the brother in law has through his business to supply phones and service for all his family.
PS don't shoot your computer, my brother in law got fed up with the heater in his reloading shed, and emptied his 45 into it. (Then he had to fix the holes in the wall!)

[ch willie]

Ranger,

I don't know about your access to a community college, but they often offer non-college credit classes dealing with computers. Also, don't underestimate your local younger guitar clerks / players for their knowledge about using computers to record. You get a good guy, and he'll patiently explain things to you.

But of course, the guys here are pretty savvy with the stuff too.

[Old Ranger]

I worked out of a saddle in the mounted div to avoid computers when they started putting them in patrol cars! And when it comes to internet and computers now, well I'm a total idiot! Guess time has blown past me at Mach III and I've become another senile old man.

Good call on the community college part. Too bad I'm on an uber tight fixed income. The young guitar players around my neck of the woods that I've met wouldn't give me the time of day. Bunch of young smart-asses! That, and I've grown short tempered in my old age. The more I think about it the more upset I get. Probably the best thing for me to do is nothing. Just leave it alone and put up with the slow as syrup in winter movement of the internet and just live with it. I've never seen a Youtube thing in my life. Maybe the first 10 seconds of one, but it was a short burst of 2 seconds then a 10 min pause and another 2 sec burst. I gave up on it.

And those phones they got with all that stuff in 'em, geeezzzzz! When I was on jury duty last month everyone on the jury, when we'd take a break, was dancing their thumbs across their phones or whooshing through things with sweeping fingers across the tops of the phone. I sat there while the other folks were tuned into their phones, but no one was talking. Just texting or whatever else that stuff was. So I either read a book or took a nap. I didn't know what the hell anyone else was doing anyway. I really felt old then.
, that's me!

[smitty_p]

Have you tried calling Net Zero to see what they may have for you?

I know nothing about Net Zero, but often Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have different products and services. That would be the first place I'd go for help.

[Old Ranger]

Yeppers, they got different plans that's for sure. Looking at their website that shows their stuff, I was completely overwhelmed by it. Different plans with different G things and such. And the plans listing the G stuff are different I suppose than what Roger said about the G as an indicator of speed. I'm clueless. Never been intimidated by any man nor beast, I'd just fight or shoot my way out of it, but this? Forget it! Nope. I think I'll just leave it alone. Forget I brought it up. I'm going out to the woods now and go shoot my big .50 cal Hawken. The best of 1830's technology has to offer. That I understand! I'm going to go sniff burnt gunpowder now.

Ranger out.....

[smitty_p]

I don't think you need to walk away from it that quickly. Do they have a Customer Service number you can call? Maybe they can walk you through the plans. I would insist on a firm quote from them, though.

[Old Ranger]

Well all is not lost.....I hope.

OK, I went and got me a Motorola "moto e" phone today. Three reasons:

1. The hand-me-down phone I got from Bill was OK, but was far outdated and kept messing up on me.
2. I needed a new phone anyway and one with a much larger screen on it so I could see it with my antique eyes!
3. This phone has e-mail, internet, Youtube, and about a gillion other things that will take a lifetime to discover! Oh, and it's pretty with a black or white case cover (I went for the white so I won't loose it in the woods) And has "android" whatever the hell that is.

Roger, it's a 3G thingie. That's gotta be good right?

$45 a month with unlimited everything, phone, internet, text, the works.

I got the e-mail thing figured out. That wasn't so hard. But I have no clue how to get the internet thing to work yet. Something about G-mail or Google something or other. Who knows? But I'll try to figure it all out. The little book that came with it has some stuff in it, but may not cover what an idiot like me needs to know!

I'm trying to catch up to the 21st century, but then again shooting a weapon designed to load loose powder, a patched round ball, and fired with a percussion cap sure felt natural to me today! I'd have taken a picture of it, but I'm not that far along with my phone training.

[phantomman]

Sorry, Ranger......I don't even own a phone.

As for shooting......



Sorry to disappoint.

[Old Ranger]

These were taken with an older phone camera sometime ago, but you can get the drift anyway. Built this one up from a batch of parts long ago and browned the barrel like in the old days. I know that when it connects with it's target whatever it hits stays down!

Yeah, that's a .50 caliber Hawken style that weighs in at 9.5 pounds and has double set triggers to boot. With 115 gr. of FF Black Powder and a tight patched round ball that baby's pushing close to 2000 fps and cracks like a howitzer when it goes off! Cloud of smoke the size of a small panel truck every time it goes boom. It's a beautiful thing.

[Old Ranger]

OK, back on the subject....

Bill came over today for a free shooting lesson, but before that he was all a-twitter over the new phone. He was oohing and awhing and such and sliding thumbs and fingers all over the screen having a wonderful time. Then we found that there was a lot of stuff to do before it would do "The Big Stiff" that other folks got. But I got a gmail thingie now too. Boy howdy before long I'm gonna be somebody with a big hat! (That's Texan for a self impressed goof that thinks he knows more than he does)

But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Using Google based stuff is real different for me and thus a massive learning curve is in place. It's gonna be a slow trip for this Old Ranger I can assure you.

[DanTheBluesMan]

You got a wound G on your Gibson?!?

*curling up in fetal position*

Make the bad man go away, I'm scared.

[Old Ranger]

What's wrong with a wound G? I kinda like playing with barbed wire across the frets. Reminds me of the good old days when all we had was that kinda stuff! I gotta have at least 10 or heavier on my gear. Besides, anything lighter makes me think I'm playing a plastic toy guitar!

+++++++++++++ Moto E Phone Update ++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wow! What a difference a few days make. I now have six apps loaded up and working on my new fanged fancy-schmancy phone! Even a very usable strobe tuner! Cool! I can check my ebay stuff. Firefox loaded up as my whatch'a-call-it, Got TWO email things now. Got a gmail one to go with the Google business in the phone, and I can check both that, and my netzero email, at the same time. I found how to use the mapping thing with Google and can talk to the phone and it will give me full mapping to the destination and a description of it as well! How friggin' impressive it that?
Amazing.... I believe I'm ready to pilot the space shuttle!! NOT! But I've come a long way in just a short time. I may yet become a functioning member of the 21st century.

[Bill Moore]

I seldom use a cell phone, although I've had one for years. I went to pay for more time, (pay as you go), the end of last year, and it wouldn't update. Tracfone says they don't service it anymore, so they sent me a new one. This "modern" phone folds, has internet service, (they say), and has a camera. I never run out of minutes, but have to update the time quarterly for $21 and change.
I hope I don't need to venture any further!

[Old Ranger]

Well this reply was with my new phone and not hard to do at all.
Actually quite easy to type and such.
To me it's amazing. And I found that I can search using only
Voice commands. Astounding.