we're alive, or a simulation thereof

[bunrab]

S is recovering. Yes, spending all day Monday in the doctors' waiting room and then in the emergency room was every bit as fun as you think it was. But after a couple of liters of IV solution, he started perking up, and we got out around midnight. However,squirrel_magnet is still recovering, so people we were supposed to visit with over the weekend or Monday, we'll get in touch with you next trip. More later - I'm doing this post from the OLPC XO, which is a tiny keyboard and not that comfy to type long entries on.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

meep? Evidently I've missed something. Hopefully squirrel_magnet is OK. Good thoughts to both of you.

[nentikobe.livejournal.com]

you're not the only one!

I second the good thoughts.

Positive energy to all

[fritzsmomma.livejournal.com]

Me three. Positive energy is there...

Smiles!

[fadethecat.livejournal.com]

Eek! I hadn't realized the situation was that rough. Very glad to hear he's on the mend, and we'll just plan on catching you next trip.

[unless-spring.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about this. What happened to S?

It's interesting that you have an XO laptop. I have one too. My sympathy goes out to other XO owners, and even more so to those kids in the developing world that were supposed to benefit from them. This is one of the lamest computers ever -- and not even because of the tiny keyboard!

[bunrab.livejournal.com]

Oh, now see,I like the little thing. The way I look at it is, it's this sturdy little way to check email and do a bit on the web while on the road. It's tough enough to just throw in a suitcase and let it go through airport screening - no separate case needed, and no one questions it cause it looks like a toy. People pay more than what I paid for this for telephones that will check their email, and this certainly has a better screen and keyboard than telephones. And it's a great way to meet people, because every timeI open it up at a Panera, people come over to ask about it, since it's unique even among the vast laptop farms that spring up in Panera everywhere every day. So I am enjoying it. And right now, when I don't also have food in one hand, and can center this on my lap, it;s lots easier to use than most of the time, when I am holding a sandwich and typing off=center with one hand. Still not perfect, but easier - and as I said, LOTS easier than a cell phone.

[unless-spring.livejournal.com]

I can see how if you do only small, non-data-intensive activities, it could be adequate, or even convenient. The key is, I guess, to keep only throw-away data on it, or at least to not want to organize it in any meaningful way. Most normal people want to organize files in folders, and the Journal does not let you do that. It also does not recognize folders in a USB drive you may want to plug in for backups, so you can't copy your files into their proper places in the folder hierarchy on the backup device. This is just one of the issues why I think it is useless for serious work. (Another would be that it freezes if I open 5+ applications.) I've blogged about it extensively on my blog (http://unless-spring.livejournal.com/tag/xo) so of course I will not try to repeat all of that here. It suffices to say I never stopped shaking my head at the "logic" of certain XO design decisions.

But if you use it only occasionally, on the road, for disposable activities, then I guess it can work well, because if it's anything, it's portable. And pretty good at finding wireless access points -- a lot better at it than any other Linux laptop I have used.

[stylizedboredom.livejournal.com]

You better be glad your man was all hospital-y or I'd be pissed I was not called when you were South side.