Chris

This utter piece of tripe-candy network switch keeps not staying on.

Is there any way of telling the computer to ignore the entire concept of a physical network switch, and just stay on until I say otherwise?

Originally posted on Dreamwidth.  Number of comments so far:

Question!

I have an AC device.  The cord snapped.  I hear tell that I can:

* Strip the insulation.
* Get some shrink tubing meow meow what and slide it on, cord-side.
* Twist the two wire ends together.
* Slide that tubing over, and use heat or summat to seal it all together.

Two questions:

1) Can I use duct tape instead?  Wrap it around the middle to keep the wires separate, then around the whole thing?
2) It's not two wires, so much as two bundles of teensy wire things.  Let's pretend I don't speak hardware, and that this extends to electrical work - what would be the easiest way to reconnect these?

I want a laptop that has sufficient memory, a lot of hard drive space, a DVD-ROM drive, a networking card, an OS*, and a distinct lack of thunderweevils.  Sound is required but top-notch is not - I listen to rock music loudly, using headphones, so it's not like I'm aiming for quality.  And I suppose the DVD drive wouldn't be required, I would just like it a great deal.

* I am most familiar with Windows, but am at least moderately fluent in the three major user OSes, and can get software I want for each of them.

Decent-sized screen, all of the keys present and functional, USB ports, trackpad for the mouse I suppose*, not actively on fire, and if Windows then not less than Win2k.

* The only thing my current trackpad does is move the pointer.  There is no clicking or dragging, because I am clumsy enough without assistance.

I am going to find pawn shops and check Freegeek and look for refurbished laptops.  I can do nothing now, but I am shoppinating.  Once I get a proper laptop, if it has oodles of hard drive space yay (I currently only use about 80 gigs total, not including OS space, across two machines, so 100 gigs should suffice as a minimum), I can donate all other hardware to Freegeek, and then be free.

...and then get a Ubuntu desktop from Freegeek, because why not.  I like Ubuntu, and you shut up.