| Author | Message | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1529 Registered: 11-2003 |
It's gone - again! | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 170 Registered: 7-2010 |
It: An animal? Pet? Dog? Cat? Rodent? Bird? Fish? An item? Do you usually use it outdoors? Indoors? In the kitchen? Bathroom? Living room? Dining room? Bedroom? Study? Cellar? Attic? Garden? Car? Do you carry it along with you in a bag or purse or something? Is it en electronic device? Does it have to do with computers? Or video games? Or watching TV/DVDs/videos? Do you need it for cooking? Tinkering? Crafting? Needlework? Yardwork? Personal hygiene? Hairstyling? Putting on make-up? Is it a book? A cell phone? Spectacles? A piece of clothing? A battery? A different kind of power supply? A wallet? Ticket? Keys? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1532 Registered: 11-2003 |
It: An animal? Pet? Dog? Cat? Rodent? Bird? Fish? No to all An item? Yope, depends on your definition Do you usually use it outdoors? Indoors? Usually this, and when this took place, it was only for indoor use In the kitchen? Bathroom? Living room? Dining room? Bedroom? Study? Cellar? Attic? Garden? Car? Do you carry it along with you in a bag or purse or something? All this is possible these days, but most likely study/office, but can also be living room or bedroom Is it en electronic device? Does it have to do with computers? Definitely has to do with computers! Or video games? Or watching TV/DVDs/videos? Do you need it for cooking? Tinkering? Crafting? Needlework? Yardwork? Personal hygiene? Hairstyling? Putting on make-up? No to rest Is it a book? A cell phone? Spectacles? A piece of clothing? A battery? A different kind of power supply? A wallet? Ticket? Keys? No to all, but a cell phone may be used for 'it' these days. | ||
| Whirligig (Whirligig)
New member Username: Whirligig Post Number: 416 Registered: 8-2010 |
Screen savers relevant? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1534 Registered: 11-2003 |
Screen savers relevant? No, not that | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 4080 Registered: 5-2003 |
Another computer stupidity, right? Is it an icon? Something that you would expect to disappear? Unless you were stupid? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7794 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is "it" a computer itself? Some part of one? Did someone think they'd deleted a file/program/something important, when they'd actually just minimized the window? | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 174 Registered: 7-2010 |
Internet connection relevant? Is the "thing" WLAN/WiFi/whatever reception? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1537 Registered: 11-2003 |
Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) Another computer stupidity, right? Very much so! Is it an icon? Something that you would expect to disappear? Unless you were stupid? No to rest Balin (Balin) Is "it" a computer itself? No Some part of one? Not a physical part, no Did someone think they'd deleted a file/program/something important, when they'd actually just minimized the window? Definitely on the right track, but she didn't think she had deleted 'it'. Explore. Potato (Potato) Internet connection relevant? Is the "thing" WLAN/WiFi/whatever reception? No to both | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7795 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is "it" an image on the computer? A file? A piece of software? Did she move something to the Recycle Bin that was necessary for the computer to run? | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 176 Registered: 7-2010 |
Did she use a shortcut that did something she didn't expect and she thought something was wrong with her computer, such as her windows closing due to Alt+F4? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1539 Registered: 11-2003 |
Balin (Balin) Is "it" an image on the computer? A file? A piece of software? This, no to rest Did she move something to the Recycle Bin that was necessary for the computer to run? Potato (Potato) Did she use a shortcut that did something she didn't expect and she thought something was wrong with her computer, such as her windows closing due to Alt+F4? No | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7809 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did she uninstall the software? Or delete it? "To save space"? Did the computer crash? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1542 Registered: 11-2003 |
Did she uninstall the software? Or delete it? "To save space"? Did the computer crash? No to all. Her remark was even stupider than that. There is a question that have not yet been asked, that is usually asked fairly early on. When this is answered, it might lead you in the right direction. | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 182 Registered: 7-2010 |
Was she the only one who used the computer? Are different accounts for different users relevant? And she, for some reason, used someone else's account and the program she wanted to use didn't run there? Or she couldn't find the desktop shortcut to the program because it was a different desktop? Are there several computers in the house and she used the wrong one? Or someone else used her computer and deleted stuff there without her knowledge? Was it her computer in the first place? Or was she, say, in an internet café and she couldn't find a program on the computer she used that, in her opinion, has to be on every computer by default? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1545 Registered: 11-2003 |
Was she the only one who used the computer? Are different accounts for different users relevant? And she, for some reason, used someone else's account and the program she wanted to use didn't run there? Or she couldn't find the desktop shortcut to the program because it was a different desktop? Are there several computers in the house and she used the wrong one? Or someone else used her computer and deleted stuff there without her knowledge? Hmm, nice thinking, but not right, I'm afraid. Was it her computer in the first place? Yes, and to confirm the first question, she was the only one using the computer and it was a work computer Or was she, say, in an internet café and she couldn't find a program on the computer she used that, in her opinion, has to be on every computer by default? so no | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7845 Registered: 4-2010 |
Was the "it" something related to work? Is her job relevant? Does it involve computers? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1548 Registered: 11-2003 |
Was the "it" something related to work? Something most of us use on a daily basis, both for work and private Is her job relevant? Not spesifically, she's a upper level manager Does it involve computers? She's not in IT, if that's what you mean. But she would need a computer to do her job | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 188 Registered: 7-2010 |
E-mails relevant? Did she think she had accidently deleted a mail although it just went into a different folder? Like it goes into the "Sent" folder after it was sent although you didn't explicitally put it there? Or the window containing the mail closing after the mail was sent (it's like that in Outlook, IIRC)? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1551 Registered: 11-2003 |
E-mails relevant? Yes Did she think she had accidently deleted a mail although it just went into a different folder? Like it goes into the "Sent" folder after it was sent although you didn't explicitally put it there? Or the window containing the mail closing after the mail was sent (it's like that in Outlook, IIRC)? No to all. In theory, this could have happened with other applications as well. It is nothing spesific with the e-mail application that made her say this. In order to find out about the 'missing' part, there is one spesific thing that hasn't been asked yet, something that is very relevant for this puzzle. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7854 Registered: 4-2010 |
Subject of the email relevant? Is it an email she sent? Received? Was the computer even on? Did she try to get her email from a physical mailbox? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1557 Registered: 11-2003 |
Subject of the email relevant? Is it an email she sent? Received? Was the computer even on? Did she try to get her email from a physical mailbox? No to all, it was all to do with the e-mail client, not any spesific e-mail as such | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7859 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the name of the client relevant? Did the client close the program after sending an email? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1560 Registered: 11-2003 |
Is the name of the client relevant? Did the client close the program after sending an email? No to both. A little hint before going to bed. The missing question that is usually asked is if era/time is relevant. And it is. Explore | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7861 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the decade relevant? Time of year? Time of day? | ||
| Potato (Potato)
New member Username: Potato Post Number: 192 Registered: 7-2010 |
Explore --> Internet Explorer? ;-p | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1563 Registered: 11-2003 |
Balin (Balin) Is the decade relevant? Yes! Time of year? Time of day? Potato (Potato) Explore --> Internet Explorer? ;-p LOL, but no. And to help things along while I sleep - this took place in the mid-1990's. I moved to Ireland in -97 and it happened before that. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7875 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the specific type of computer relevant? Of OS? | ||
| Rbruma (Rbruma)
New member Username: Rbruma Post Number: 909 Registered: 9-2009 |
Was it a graphical client or a text based one (like Pine for example)? | ||
| Noel (Noel)
New member Username: Noel Post Number: 1989 Registered: 7-2009 |
I can remember at one point in my life having an email account where the default setting was NOT to save copies of sent email. I'm pretty sure that was in the 90s. Relevant? Is AOL relevant? The "you've got mail" voice? Did she think she was hearing voices? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1568 Registered: 11-2003 |
Balin (Balin) Is the specific type of computer relevant? No Of OS? Yes(ish). Rbruma (Rbruma) Was it a graphical client or a text based one (like Pine for example)? Graphical, but the important thing here is really the OS Noel (Noel) I can remember at one point in my life having an email account where the default setting was NOT to save copies of sent email. I'm pretty sure that was in the 90s. Relevant? No Is AOL relevant? The "you've got mail" voice? Did she think she was hearing voices? No to all | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1572 Registered: 11-2003 |
Recap My boss back in the mid-90s thought something important had vanished from her computer. She was using the e-mail at the time, but also a couple of other applications. There is really nothing about the e-mail client as such, that created this situation. In fact, it could have happened with other applications as well. OS is important. Explore. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 7973 Registered: 4-2010 |
Was the computer running Windows? Was it an Apple? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1578 Registered: 11-2003 |
Was the computer running Windows? This, but the exact version is also relevant Was it an Apple? | ||
| Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin)
New member Username: Kayleetonkslupin Post Number: 1300 Registered: 9-2010 |
Windows 95? (That's the earliest version of Windows I can remember by name) | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1580 Registered: 11-2003 |
Windows 95? (That's the earliest version of Windows I can remember by name) Even older than that, I'm afraid. | ||
| Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin)
New member Username: Kayleetonkslupin Post Number: 1302 Registered: 9-2010 |
Rats. I was ten in '95, and didn't pay attention to computer name things before then... | ||
| Whirligig (Whirligig)
New member Username: Whirligig Post Number: 428 Registered: 8-2010 |
Screen savers relevant? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1581 Registered: 11-2003 |
Screen savers relevant? Nope. There was an important feature that was introduced with Windows 95, something that was missing from the earlier versions. Explore. | ||
| Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin)
New member Username: Kayleetonkslupin Post Number: 1305 Registered: 9-2010 |
(I had to look it up, but...) The Start button? (Dear Lord, there was actually a time when computers didn't have start buttons???) | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 8015 Registered: 4-2010 |
Windows 3.1? 3.11? (My family's first computer that I can remember ran Windows 95, so I don't know much about the previous versions.) And Kaylee - apparently so. And as everyone knows, to shut down the computer, you have to first click on "Start." =| | ||
| Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin)
New member Username: Kayleetonkslupin Post Number: 1312 Registered: 9-2010 |
And Balin, we will soon be able to tell who our elders are, as they come out of hiding to tell us that we privileged children never knew a time when computers actually didn't exist. =P | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1584 Registered: 11-2003 |
Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin) (I had to look it up, but...) The Start button? Well, that one was introduced as well and it's kind of OTRT, but it is not the start button itself (Dear Lord, there was actually a time when computers didn't have start buttons???) Balin (Balin) Windows 3.1? 3.11? This is the one (My family's first computer that I can remember ran Windows 95, so I don't know much about the previous versions.) And Kaylee - apparently so. And as everyone knows, to shut down the computer, you have to first click on "Start." =| That actually created a bit of confusion initially. People went like 'I don't want to start anything, I want to shut down', lol Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin) And Balin, we will soon be able to tell who our elders are, as they come out of hiding to tell us that we privileged children never knew a time when computers actually didn't exist. =P Big grin | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 8038 Registered: 4-2010 |
The taskbar? Floppy drives relevant? 5 1/4" disks? 3 1/2" disks? | ||
| Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin)
New member Username: Kayleetonkslupin Post Number: 1326 Registered: 9-2010 |
I remember floppy disks! Barely... | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1586 Registered: 11-2003 |
Balin (Balin) The taskbar? This is the one. There was no taskbar before Windows 95 Floppy drives relevant? 5 1/4" disks? 3 1/2" disks? No to rest Kayleetonkslupin (Kayleetonkslupin) I remember floppy disks! Barely... Seems like a totally different world, eh? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 8046 Registered: 4-2010 |
Had she minimized the taskbar so it went off the screen? Moved it to another side of the screen? | ||
| Noel (Noel)
New member Username: Noel Post Number: 2013 Registered: 7-2009 |
So she was using Windows 3.1, which is relevant because it did not have a taskbar, correct? Which of the following roles of taskbars is relevant? That the task bar is where things go when you minimize them? That the taskbar contains the Start button? That there is a clock on the taskbar? That controls for things like volume are located on the taskbar? Other? Gosh, I do remember 3.1 (and remember my mom getting mad at my dad for buying it because she thought it was a gimick and thus a waste of money! "we've always done fine running programs through DOS before..." LOL). But that was a long time ago. All I really remember is a vague sense of what the screen looked like. Hmm. If I dig down deep into my memory, I seem to remember that all of the programs were stored on (or at least accessed through) the desktop, or else folders on the desktop. Am I remembering that right? Is it relevant? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1590 Registered: 11-2003 |
Balin (Balin) Had she minimized the taskbar so it went off the screen? Moved it to another side of the screen? No to both. Remember, there was not taskbar before windows 95 Noel (Noel) So she was using Windows 3.1, which is relevant because it did not have a taskbar, correct? Which of the following roles of taskbars is relevant? That the task bar is where things go when you minimize them? This, no to rest That the taskbar contains the Start button? That there is a clock on the taskbar? That controls for things like volume are located on the taskbar? Other? Gosh, I do remember 3.1 (and remember my mom getting mad at my dad for buying it because she thought it was a gimick and thus a waste of money! "we've always done fine running programs through DOS before..." LOL). But that was a long time ago. All I really remember is a vague sense of what the screen looked like. Hmm. If I dig down deep into my memory, I seem to remember that all of the programs were stored on (or at least accessed through) the desktop, or else folders on the desktop. Am I remembering that right? Is it relevant? No, not really. The relevant thing is the lack of a taskbar | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 8197 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did things appear to disappear when minimized in 3.1? So she thought they'd gone completely? And not just been minimized? | ||
| Eli (Eli)
New member Username: Eli Post Number: 1592 Registered: 11-2003 |
Did things appear to disappear when minimized in 3.1? So she thought they'd gone completely? And not just been minimized? This is close enough for a ************SPOILER************** Before my time in tech support, I worked for a while as a secretary for the chief accountant in a bank in Norway. She knew that I had training and experience with computer, so she always asked me first. One day she panicked, almost screaming out of her office 'Eli, my e-mail has vanished'. So I rushed in, hearing the terror in her voice. But when I got there I saw immediately what had happened. She had maximized the window of the application she was working on so it was covering whatever else she had opened. I used ALT+TAB to locate the e-mail client and showed her how to tile the windows and suggested that when she was using one application, she could simply just reduce the window size and then she would see them all again. That part was not so stupid. But she did the same 3 or 4 times after that, always yelling 'Eli, the e-mail has disappeared again!' |
