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| 2005 Chachi #4 |
My trusty Dell Dimension 8400, my old PC running on Windows XP and containing the wonderful Microsoft Picture It! graphic design software, completely crapped out. It completely and totally, 100% crapped out.
I attempted a bit of basic resuscitation by successfully locating and replacing the lithium battery contained within the PC's motherboard. I got a faint green light on the motherboard, but nothing else. No juice at all.
What does the death of my PC mean? It means I'm going to have to find another way to create the 2013 Chachi set. It also means I may need to break down and learn a new software application. When I switched over to a Mac a few years ago, I removed everything from the PC with the exception of all the templates I had created to make my custom Topps cards. I wrote then about my trepidation in switching to a new software application. I managed to squeeze out two more years of Chachi sets with my old PC set up dutifully in a back corner of The Phillies Room. A third year wasn't in the cards. Pun intended.
I really look forward to making the Chachi cards each year, so discontinuing the set is not an option. The way I see it, I have three choices with the latter two being the most likely:
1. Keep pressing the power button on my old PC in the hopes that it will somehow miraculously turn back on.
2. I have my Dad's old Dell Dimension 8300. It's got its own issues, but I could load Microsoft Picture It! onto that and recreate my old templates. For starters, I would just create the 1973 Topps template for this year's Chachi set.
3. Learn something new. I've messed around with Pixelmator a little, but it still feels so foreign to me. I think if I just dove in and spent a solid day or two with it, I could figure it out. But finding the time to do that would be tricky.
I welcome your suggestions, words of encouragement and advice. I'd also welcome your tips on how to jump start a dead Dell Dimension 8400, if at all possible.
4 comments:
On the plus side, baseball games start today!
I hate to say it, but I think it's time to move on to something new. Think of it like an unknown adventure. Not unlike the 2013 Red Sox season.
I know it'd involve a not-insignificant learning curve, but it's time to pick up something new. I think you should consider yourself fortunate that you were able to get this much service out of your XP box.
I can't offer any suggestions; the software I use is 9 years old, is no longer published by the same company, and probably isn't available for Mac.
On the plus side, whatever you switch to is likely to have more "toys" to play with.
Good luck!
Thanks guys.
I'm going to start messing around more with Pixelmator. The only way I've been able to learn new stuff in the past is through trial and error. For now, as long as I have a PC running Windows XP, I can use my old trusty Picture It software.
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