The Joys of Upgrading

Kaitlyn Dunnett/Kathy Lynn Emerson here, today sharing the “joys” of upgrading from my fifteen-year-old pc to a new laptop.

current set up

I didn’t want to do it, but there were two arguments in favor. One, of course, was that my husband’s pc, acquired at the same time as mine, died about a year ago, so it’s only a matter of time before mine goes belly up. The other is that it’s pretty certain the cost of all things tech is going to skyrocket thanks to new tariffs, and by acting now I could get a laptop almost like the one he bought for almost $200 less than what he paid. Sounds like a good deal, right?

I admit it. I’m a dinosaur. I’ve never stopped using Word 97-2003 for my writing. Long ago I learned that switching to a newer version will always drive me a little crazy trying to locate common functions like find and replace and where to change curly quotes into straight quotes.

I am seriously techno-challenged.

first computer–a Tandy 1000

That said, the fear of having my pc crash, even with all my files religiously backed up on multiple flash drives, was enough to make me acquire the laptop. Fortunately, the husband took care of the set up. He did most of it when I wasn’t home—smart man! Most files seem to have transferred. Not my photos for some reason, but I can do that from a flash drive. And of course, as expected, a few of my older programs, like Family Tree Maker, will no longer work. That’s okay. I long ago transferred all the info into .doc files.

There were, however, a few things I hadn’t counted on. One was needing a second subscription for Microsoft for this device. Another was the fact that my reliable LaserJet printer, acquired at the same time as the old pc, will not work with the new laptop. We have another printer that will, but (wouldn’t you know?) I bought a complete set of very expensive HP ink cartridges just last month, since the ones in the printer were getting low. “Had I but known,” as the saying goes.

new laptop in temporary location

My plan, such as it is, is to keep working on my current writing project (editing the three Mistress Jaffrey Mysteries to reissue in POD and e-book) on the old pc for as long as it keeps working while at the same time (slowly) learning my way around the new laptop. When the time comes, I’ll have to do some reorganizing in my office, too, since it’s currently set up for a certain size monitor, keyboard, etc. I’m NOT thinking about that just yet.

Shadow’s solution to both cold weather and techo-frustrations

This is all good. I keep telling myself that. I’ll figure it all out eventually and get used to working in the updated Word and on a new keyboard.

Right now, though, the best thing about the process, even the hassle of it, is that it helps take my mind off all the other unwelcome changes going on around us. This year, that’s not a bad thing at all.

Kathy Lynn Emerson/Kaitlyn Dunnett has had sixty-four books traditionally published and has self published others. She won the Agatha Award and was an Anthony and Macavity finalist for best mystery nonfiction of 2008 for How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries and was an Agatha Award finalist in 2015 in the best mystery short story category. In 2023 she won the Lea Wait Award for “excellence and achievement” from the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. She was the Malice Domestic Guest of Honor in 2014. She is currently working on creating new editions of her backlist titles. Her website is www.KathyLynnEmerson.com.