Progress?

[Mark Oakley]

I have an earth-shattering announcement to make. Oakers took a tentative step into the 21st Century yesterday when he successfully performed a 'download' from i-Tunes.
Medics were on  stand-by but no anaesthetic was administered, and apart from a markedly accelerated heartbeat and some nervous perspiration the whole procedure was completed with no other ill effects. Just an EP mind you. I didn't feel confident enough to take on a full length album with this first foray.
The absence of pain came as such a surprise I immediately did it again, and whilst I would hesitate to recommend it (good musicians deserve the greater support afforded by actual CD or vinyl sales) I can confirm - for others trapped in their old ways as I have been - that it appears to be safe.

Antique Seeking Nuns - for anyone interested - a prior incarnation of Sanguine Hum. Wonderful stuff!

[Jules]

Strange isn't it, how we sometimes resist the changing of technology despite ourselves.

I've been working in IT for donkeys years now, but still find myself clinging to familiar paths. I'll admit to purchasing CDs from various online retailers (having just about given up trying find much of interest on the High Street). These often come with a free MP3 download, which I studiously resist in favour of ripping the CDs at home myself. What's the point of that then?

Also, must confess to a hankering for the twin-disc vinyl version of 'Reanimated Memories' coming up soon. May pick up a copy at the Putney gig, assuming they turn up in time this year! Yes, I do still have a turntable, quietly gathering dust next to the VHS machine.

[Rob W]

I have an earth-shattering announcement to make. Oakers took a tentative step into the 21st Century yesterday when he successfully performed a 'download' from i-Tunes.
Medics were on  stand-by but no anaesthetic was administered, and apart from a markedly accelerated heartbeat and some nervous perspiration the whole procedure was completed with no other ill effects. Just an EP mind you. I didn't feel confident enough to take on a full length album with this first foray.
The absence of pain came as such a surprise I immediately did it again, and whilst I would hesitate to recommend it (good musicians deserve the greater support afforded by actual CD or vinyl sales) I can confirm - for others trapped in their old ways as I have been - that it appears to be safe.

Antique Seeking Nuns - for anyone interested - a prior incarnation of Sanguine Hum. Wonderful stuff!

Bet you still have that poxy phone though.

And I bet you still never turn it on!

#oncealudditealwaysaluddite

 

[Mark Oakley]

Actually I have upgraded marginally, but only because the old one just died and refused to be resuscitated. Instead of investing in the latest model however, I raided the IT department for someone else's cast-off and just swapped sim-cards. So it's still prehistoric, but at the same time the swankiest, flashiest, most hi-tech model I've ever owned, which probably explains why I haven't yet found out how to lock it, or indeed to check to see if sent text messages actually went anywhere. And you're right Rob...it will be mostly switched off!

[Rob W]

And you're right Rob...it will be mostly switched off!

That's a shame, I was just about to phone you...

 
Or is that why you always keep it off?     

PS just done a tidy up of my CD'S in the car. Patio, Riverside, CBP. A cornucopia of Oakers. 

[Barry Island]

I must admit to buying quite a bit of vinyl in recent years the quality on the the new heavy duty discs seem magical compared to some of my older copies from 40+ years ago. Best purchase so far a pink vinyl copy of Troutmask Replica. As my old mate said the other night - you can't roll a spliff on an MP3. Hooligan!

[Allan Heron]

I must admit to buying quite a bit of vinyl in recent years the quality on the the new heavy duty discs seem magical compared to some of my older copies from 40+ years ago. Best purchase so far a pink vinyl copy of Troutmask Replica. As my old mate said the other night - you can't roll a spliff on an MP3. Hooligan!

The new vinyl albums are really good because it's a quality product and this is reflected in the pricing of them too.

They are streets ahead of what we were used to buying in the 1970's where some of them are pretty poor and on a par with the poorest CD reproduction.  Some of the American records I had were as flexible as a freshly cooked chapati!!

However, the hype around vinyl can make it sound like we're getting what we always had but this is so not the case.

[Barry Island]

I agree Allan - pays to be selective and I still regard the new product as a 'special treat'. I must admit to downloading occasional tracks but the term is linked in my mind to something I do with greater frequency in the water closet 

[Tel]

Strange isn't it, how we sometimes resist the changing of technology despite ourselves.

I've been working in IT for donkeys years now, but still find myself clinging to familiar paths. I'll admit to purchasing CDs from various online retailers (having just about given up trying find much of interest on the High Street). These often come with a free MP3 download, which I studiously resist in favour of ripping the CDs at home myself. What's the point of that then?

Also, must confess to a hankering for the twin-disc vinyl version of 'Reanimated Memories' coming up soon. May pick up a copy at the Putney gig, assuming they turn up in time this year! Yes, I do still have a turntable, quietly gathering dust next to the VHS machine.

This caused a wry smile on the Bassman brow here. People whose job is defined in the term "Technology" are amazingly resistant to "New Technology"!

I remember years ago how I used to study computer magazines from cover to cover looking for the latest innovations and getting technology I probably didn't need but wanted. Yet for the past year, my Laptop has been nagging me to upgrade for free to Windows 10 - A FREE UPGRADE - Something I would probably have sold the family heritage for in the late 1970's/early 80's

Yet for that year I have steadfastly ignored and avoided it, until last weekend when I finally bit the bullet and upgraded. It took a few hours but it all worked okay, all my data is intact, all my software worked. As far as I can tell I am still as secure as I was. The only problem I had was with a heavily VBA coded spreadsheet and to be fair I was having problems with that before the upgrade - but with a bit of jiggery pokkery it's was working within an hour.

I have since had the conversation with a few people about why I never did it earlier, if only to stop the bloody nag screen!! And they are the same. They have lived with the Nag screen for a year and are reluctant to upgrade.

Like Jules, I still use tried and trusted methods to do things but when did I become so cynical of New Tech and freebies!

Tel

[rockprof]

Shamefully others among us have barely evolved beyond the principle of the abacus. When it comes to computers the same part of the brain shuts down as did that during algebra lessons at school. Its all utterly mystifying. 

[Barry Island]

Calculus was my nemesis Rockprof. I was advised to drop the course after weighing in with a massive 4% in the exam during the 6th Form. Mrs Hudd the Maths teacher was very gentle about it much to her credit.

[Allan Heron]

The thing I remember about calculus, trigonometry and some of the other more difficult algebraic topics was that they were never placed in any kind of context.

When you don't understand how things fit into the big picture, you've got no chance with the detail.

[Mark Oakley]

Binary would be another classic example.
Had anyone explained to me before they started firing baffling sequences of '1s' and '0s' at me...that this was the language used to programme computers...I may have paid more attention.

[Mike Morgan]

A junior school teacher of mine told the class  class in about 1966 at he wouldn't be bothering teaching us binary as its day had gone. No wonder I'm so IT illiterate!

[rockprof]

When you don't understand how things fit into the big picture, you've got no chance with the detail.

I think the man hitting us with a stick may have been a disadvantage too.....