Sunday, September 9, 2007

Shooting Trouble

For the most part I am reasonably computer literate. But occasionally something blindsides me and until I figure out what the problem is, I am frustrated and annoyed and cranky. In the last few days at some point, I inadvertently disallowed the cookies for Yahoo.



Now I have no idea why it's called a cookie, but it seems to be a small bit of code that tracks usage. You would think that a tracking cookie wouldn't be that critical to the overall scheme of things, but then you would be wrong. Perhaps if someone explained why it was called a cookie, I could then get with the program. As it is, I have difficulty taking something called a cookie seriously.



I spent three hours this morning tracking down (no pun there) the elusive cookie. Believe me, I tried everything. Finally, I removed all of my anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-everything else software and still the missing cookie was nowhere to be found. Now what?


Next I turned off my Windows firewall, etc, etc. Still no cookie. By this time, I was beginning to feel like the Cookie Monster. Close to drooling and banging my head on my desk, I was moaning, "Cookie, cookie..." My husband suggested a toast and coffee break while he walked the dog.

Refreshed and reinvigorated, I sallied forth once more in search of the Yahoo cookie. Lo and behold I noticed a new button. Click. And there was a list of blocked cookies with...you guessed it...Yahoo. With glee, I unblocked the cookies and immediately checked to see if that was the problem.

Yay! I could log on to Yahoo! Check my mail! Read my chat loops! Amazing how little it takes to excite me these days. Sigh. Of course, I still had to re-install my anti-everything software. And turn all the blocking stuff back on.

Because it was a re-install, the program insisted on running a virus scan which took the better part of the millennium. But I seem to be up and running again. Notice I said "seem to be" because I also had ominous messages blinking at me that some programs might not work properly due to the resets. I just love surprises, don't you?

So now that I'm finished with my trouble shooting for the morning, perhaps I'll get back to the main event and write a chapter or two on my current work in progress.

Have a blessed weekend and be well.

Anny

Don't forget to drop by Amarinda's blog at www.amarindajones.blogspot.com and Kelly's blog at www.kkirch.blogspot.com to find out what words of wisdom they have for a Sunday morning!

4 comments:

  1. I'm so glad for you!!! Grab some milk and a TimTam. Show those cookies how they are SUPPOSED to be dealth with!

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  2. computers...fabulous when they work - crap when they don't - but isn't that just life?

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  3. I'm so happy to hear I'm not the only one who screams obscenities at the computer when it refuses to work in the manner and speed at which I expect! My e-books are stuck on my hard drive, and refuse to be written to CD; and now my 3 1/2 floppy drive has joined the strike...this is wonderful, should my children get bored and decide to peruse the 'my documents' file...

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  4. Well, the ominous warnings came true and about half of my stuff doesn't work correctly. Mostly stuff from the internet. However, I will slooooowly figure it out. Very sloooowly.

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