I've been working on my entrance pre-task for TAMK University of Applied Sciences (= Tampereen Ammattikorkeakoulu, where the acronym comes from), and it's taken the last couple of weeks of my time pretty well, along with not so inconciderable tiredness over having to get up for work ridiculously early. As I said, semi-decent...
As usual, something always has to go wrong. This time around with the pre-task I ran out of printer ink crucially the night I should have printed the thing and put it together. The printer is my sister's and it hasn't really been used so I could only count on what she knew about it, so it was a bit hazard to begin with. But I had counted one extra day for slugglish delivery, so I just went instaling Office and a gazillion fonts on my parents' computer and printed my portfolio on it, then mailed it express yesterday. Lucky I had printed the photos for it first, meaning they were full inked and shiny and all. My parents' printer doesn't have proper photo printing shamminghangs, seen.
I did try sharing the printer from Vista, but my XP machine couldn't find it in the network. I don't know if Norton installed on the Vista computer was in the way or what, but I did see my computer on it a few times so the network connection exists to some extent. There are some XP settings and updates I read about but the settings aren't anywhere to be found and the update refuses to install claiming I already have it installed.
Another thing yesterday: I got my hands on a few dynamic micropones and an E-MU USB 0202 pre-amp/audio input thingamaboing. Instead of using my evening testing the mics and configuring the software that came with it I spend it googling around for USB 2.0 drivers and solutions, since my XP installation doesn't seem to recongnize the fact that a USB 2.0 Host Controller is installed, and it even claims it's running and working! I wouldn't really mind if it weren't for the fact that the 0202 doesn't really stay in touch too well with Sonar atleast on USB 1.1. With my computer configuration a 10 millisecond latency for the device should be plently. I tried 200ms and, well, it doesn't drop out but clicks, pops, stutters and loses synch. I even closed everything else, so the USB has something to do with it. I'm not claiming the XP installation is in the best possible shape, but still.
I apparently have to use my much slower laptop, which however sports USB 2.0 just fine, if it'd work any better. If it does it'll just be for the better, provides me mobility. I also need to find a decent pair of headphones. If I'm not mistaken there's one in the house somewhere, if it's still working that is. A real nice old one.
To fix the USB issue I guess I could just reinstall XP if I could, but I can't. Reinstalling it would mess up my boot record, which would force me to most likely reinstall Windows 7, and I just don't want to do that. I'm liking it too much. If and if so when I get my hands on the 7 Release Candidate I'll definitely reconsider, though. I did remove SP3 to see if it resolves anything at all anywhere, but I doubt it.
On a half-related note, as I've been using XP on my work computer I've noticed I'm starting to slightly dislike the XP interface compared to the 7 one. The themed one I have at home is bareable, but this basic one is a bit too unpractical. 7 is so smooth and fast. The only real weak spot I've come across in 7 normal use wise is the networking center. It, in a nutshell, sucks. The network diagnostic tool works way better than in XP, but everything else is just way too shiny for the user group who really want to go messing around there and know what to mess up. Way too many clicks to be followed from a help file too. But yeah, most of it is there. It's just hard to find. Ofcource I can see the plus side in hiding everything: people who don't know what they are doing aren't as likely to mess things up.
I'll really need to get to the XP/7 comparison at some point, when things around everything else get a bit less hectic and I get a bit clearer picture - the glamour of something new and exciting having worn off 7.
I also decided to give Live Messenger 2009 another chance, and mess.be patched what I could out of it with the light patch, getting rid of the worst flood of space-consuming adverts. I wouldn't really mind them if they didn't take up so much of my precious screen space and distract me so much. I know and appreciate what they are for, I just don't like the execution of the idea at all. Overall the new Live Messenger isn't THAT bad, once you get used to it. But it's still unnecessarliy huge everywhere. 8.5 is still better.
A bit of light amidst all this mess, I'm getting a new montior sometime soon, maybe even today. A big one. I'm fed up with my back-up 15" CRT I was forced to use when my 17" flat broke. Fingers crossed for a nice large, 8-cornered surprise today. The realist in me doubts it though, but in the past doubts like these have been proven wrong.
I've spent my free time today reading up on recording and mixing vocals, and I guess tonight's a night for some duct tape and peculiar voices.
I don't have a mic stand, so I'll need to build one, you pervert.
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