"Steve Y" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> No such thing as a European keyboard, there are many variants depending on
> the version of whatever language is spoken in the country.
>
> Steve
> (typed on his AZERTY)

Well, we do know that. I venture that the Canadian keyboard must be
different to the USA one so that French is possible.

On Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:17:55 +0200, Steve Y >
fired up random neurons and synapses to opine:

>No such thing as a European keyboard, there are many variants depending
>on the version of whatever language is spoken in the country.

I remember when the DH and I were first married, back in the Mesozoic
Era, he had a typewriter he'd bought while at prep school in
Switzerland. I can't remember the letter setup, but I do recall it
was definitely not QWERTY. Used to drive me crazy trying to use it.

--

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

"Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch!"

-- W.C. Fields

Giusi wrote:
> "Janet Wilder" > ha scritto nel messaggio

>> I'm going to Europe in the Fall and would sure like to have my own WiFi
>> enabled gizmo with a word processor on it. My laptop is old and heavy,
>> though and I don't know much about small substitutes.

> You can use InternetTrain cards all over. Of course you can use individual
> internet cafes, too, but with the Train the same card takes you to lots of
> places.
>
> Lots of hotels have a computer you can use for free. It would help to know
> the language, however. Even then, the keyboard is different, so the rule
> is: be flexible or carry a notebook.

Thank you for the information. It appears that it's only in Italy.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Janet Wilder > wrote:

> I'm going to Europe in the Fall and would sure like to have
> my own WiFi enabled gizmo with a word processor on it. My
> laptop is old and heavy, though and I don't know much about
> small substitutes.

I'm very happy with my Thinkpad X61S, which I took on a
European trip earlier this year, but if I had to make the
purchase now I'd take a strong look at the MSI Wind which
at $550 is about half the price, and goes on-sale Mid-July
(including at Costco). Both computers weigh about 2.5 lbs,
and they have similar size keyboards (near-full-size) but
the MSI has a smaller display.

A disclaimer that I haven't seen the MSI, since it hasn't
hit the stores yet. But the reviews are good.

Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
> Janet Wilder > wrote:
>
>> I'm going to Europe in the Fall and would sure like to have
>> my own WiFi enabled gizmo with a word processor on it. My
>> laptop is old and heavy, though and I don't know much about
>> small substitutes.
>
> I'm very happy with my Thinkpad X61S, which I took on a
> European trip earlier this year, but if I had to make the
> purchase now I'd take a strong look at the MSI Wind which
> at $550 is about half the price, and goes on-sale Mid-July
> (including at Costco). Both computers weigh about 2.5 lbs,
> and they have similar size keyboards (near-full-size) but
> the MSI has a smaller display.
>
> A disclaimer that I haven't seen the MSI, since it hasn't
> hit the stores yet. But the reviews are good.
>
> Steve

Thanks, Steve. I did see the reviews. I also looked at another small
laptop for a little less. Can't remember the name but it had a lot of
e's in it, IIRC.

I was hoping that there could be something more of a BlackBerry size
that got WiFi so I could get on the internet, check the bank account and
pay the credit card bills and also some kind of word processing for
notes. I just can't see having a desk top and two lap tops when I'm the
only computer user in the house. If it comes down to deciding on taking
a lap top, I'll probably schlepp my Dell Inspiron and stick it in the
wheeled carry- on. I just don't want the hassle of going through airport
security with a computer.


--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Janet Wilder > wrote:

>Steve Pope wrote:

>> I'm very happy with my Thinkpad X61S, which I took on a
>> European trip earlier this year, but if I had to make the
>> purchase now I'd take a strong look at the MSI Wind which
>> at $550 is about half the price, and goes on-sale Mid-July
>> (including at Costco). Both computers weigh about 2.5 lbs,

>Thanks, Steve. I did see the reviews. I also looked at another small
>laptop for a little less. Can't remember the name but it had a lot of
>e's in it, IIRC.

Probably an Asus Eee PC (7" or 8.9" screen)

>I was hoping that there could be something more of a BlackBerry size
>that got WiFi so I could get on the internet, check the bank account and
>pay the credit card bills and also some kind of word processing for
>notes. I just can't see having a desk top and two lap tops when I'm the
>only computer user in the house. If it comes down to deciding on taking
>a lap top, I'll probably schlepp my Dell Inspiron and stick it in the
>wheeled carry- on. I just don't want the hassle of going through airport
>security with a computer.

It does seem you already own enough computers.

I know nothing about Blackberry-class devices, other than that
you can get a WiFi enabled Blackberry. I would worry that such
a device might have difficulty getting through the settings
and welcome screens needed to work with hotel WiFi systems,
where they assume you're probably using a standard computer, but
maybe those problems are worked out.

Steve

On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 15:14:11 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
Pope) wrote:

>Janet Wilder > wrote:
>
>>Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>> I'm very happy with my Thinkpad X61S, which I took on a
>>> European trip earlier this year, but if I had to make the
>>> purchase now I'd take a strong look at the MSI Wind which
>>> at $550 is about half the price, and goes on-sale Mid-July
>>> (including at Costco). Both computers weigh about 2.5 lbs,
>
>>Thanks, Steve. I did see the reviews. I also looked at another small
>>laptop for a little less. Can't remember the name but it had a lot of
>>e's in it, IIRC.
>
>Probably an Asus Eee PC (7" or 8.9" screen)

I have the Asus Eee PC 900 with the larger screen. Terrific little
gadget. I got it with Linux.
>
>>I was hoping that there could be something more of a BlackBerry size
>>that got WiFi so I could get on the internet, check the bank account and
>>pay the credit card bills and also some kind of word processing for
>>notes. I just can't see having a desk top and two lap tops when I'm the
>>only computer user in the house. If it comes down to deciding on taking
>>a lap top, I'll probably schlepp my Dell Inspiron and stick it in the
>>wheeled carry- on. I just don't want the hassle of going through airport
>>security with a computer.
>
>It does seem you already own enough computers.
>
>I know nothing about Blackberry-class devices, other than that
>you can get a WiFi enabled Blackberry. I would worry that such
>a device might have difficulty getting through the settings
>and welcome screens needed to work with hotel WiFi systems,
>where they assume you're probably using a standard computer, but
>maybe those problems are worked out.
>
>Steve


I've a Blackberry on Verizon's EVDO. It has a small keyboard that is
ok for emails, but I wouldn't want to edit any documents on it.

There are smartphones with wi-fi. Best to check with one's carrier to
get the details.

Boron

On Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:17:55 +0200, Steve Y >
wrote:

>No such thing as a European keyboard, there are many variants depending
>on the version of whatever language is spoken in the country.
>
>Steve
>(typed on his AZERTY)
>

the azerty keyboard is not part of god's great plan.

your pal,
blake
>
wrote:
>
>> Yes the European keyboard is so different!!

On Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:41:57 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>Steve Pope wrote:
>> Janet Wilder > wrote:
>>
>>> I'm going to Europe in the Fall and would sure like to have
>>> my own WiFi enabled gizmo with a word processor on it. My
>>> laptop is old and heavy, though and I don't know much about
>>> small substitutes.
>>
>> I'm very happy with my Thinkpad X61S, which I took on a
>> European trip earlier this year, but if I had to make the
>> purchase now I'd take a strong look at the MSI Wind which
>> at $550 is about half the price, and goes on-sale Mid-July
>> (including at Costco). Both computers weigh about 2.5 lbs,
>> and they have similar size keyboards (near-full-size) but
>> the MSI has a smaller display.
>>
>> A disclaimer that I haven't seen the MSI, since it hasn't
>> hit the stores yet. But the reviews are good.
>>
>> Steve
>
>Thanks, Steve. I did see the reviews. I also looked at another small
>laptop for a little less. Can't remember the name but it had a lot of
>e's in it, IIRC.
>
>I was hoping that there could be something more of a BlackBerry size
>that got WiFi so I could get on the internet, check the bank account and
>pay the credit card bills and also some kind of word processing for
>notes. I just can't see having a desk top and two lap tops when I'm the
>only computer user in the house. If it comes down to deciding on taking
>a lap top, I'll probably schlepp my Dell Inspiron and stick it in the
>wheeled carry- on. I just don't want the hassle of going through airport
>security with a computer.

i seem to recall that recently someone was arrested at an airport for
having material that violated copyright on the laptop. (can't find a
cite, sorry.) apparently, the homeland security people can and do
sometimes inspect laptops for content. just in case you're not
paranoid enough already.

your pal,
blake

blake murphy > wrote:

>On Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:17:55 +0200, Steve Y >
>wrote:

>>No such thing as a European keyboard, there are many variants depending
>>on the version of whatever language is spoken in the country.

>>(typed on his AZERTY)

>the azerty keyboard is not part of god's great plan.

One thing I do before traveling to Europe or Asia is I create
a webpage that has text containing non-alpha characters that
might occur in things like usernames and passwords that I
need for logging onto various systems/sites. Then,
when I encounter a keyboard that is apparently missing these
characters, I can cut/paste them.

Even the @ character is missing from some keyboards; I dunno
how you're expected to send email without that one
(other than hitting "reply").

Before I got into the practice of forming such a webpage,
I was sometimes reduced to cruising the web until I randomly
see the characters I needed.

Steve

blake murphy > wrote:

>i seem to recall that recently someone was arrested at an airport for
>having material that violated copyright on the laptop.

I heard a second-hand account of something like this. ICE
(that's what they're called now) observed copyrighted music
on a person's laptop upon entering the country, and confiscated it
for further investigation. I do not know the outcome of the
investigation, but meanwhile their laptop is gone. They did
not get immediately arrested.

Steve

Boron Elgar wrote:

> There are smartphones with wi-fi. Best to check with one's carrier to
> get the details.

Thanks, Boron. Unfortunately my carrier is Verizon and I'd be at a loss
to find CDMA towers in most of Europe. I'm thinking about renting
"global" cell phone for when I go.


--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>Boron Elgar wrote:
>
>> There are smartphones with wi-fi. Best to check with one's carrier to
>> get the details.
>
>Thanks, Boron. Unfortunately my carrier is Verizon and I'd be at a loss
>to find CDMA towers in most of Europe. I'm thinking about renting
>"global" cell phone for when I go.
I'm going to the Netherlands in August with my darling daughter and
family and I want to get one of those global cell phones too. Let me
know what you find out, please.

Thanks plenty.

aloha,
Cea
roast beans to kona to email
farmers of Pure Kona

On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>Boron Elgar wrote:
>
>> There are smartphones with wi-fi. Best to check with one's carrier to
>> get the details.
>
>Thanks, Boron. Unfortunately my carrier is Verizon and I'd be at a loss
>to find CDMA towers in most of Europe. I'm thinking about renting
>"global" cell phone for when I go.

Verizon offers two worldphones. One is a Blackberry and one a
Palm-based, I believe. They work with smartcards. Neither is cheap.

I am on Verizon, too.

Boron

On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>I'm thinking about renting
>"global" cell phone for when I go.

How do you rent a phone? Is it rented from Verizon?

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first

On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:18:07 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
Pope) wrote:

>blake murphy > wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:17:55 +0200, Steve Y >
>>wrote:
>
>>>No such thing as a European keyboard, there are many variants depending
>>>on the version of whatever language is spoken in the country.
>
>>>(typed on his AZERTY)
>
>>the azerty keyboard is not part of god's great plan.
>
>One thing I do before traveling to Europe or Asia is I create
>a webpage that has text containing non-alpha characters that
>might occur in things like usernames and passwords that I
>need for logging onto various systems/sites. Then,
>when I encounter a keyboard that is apparently missing these
>characters, I can cut/paste them.
>
>Even the @ character is missing from some keyboards; I dunno
>how you're expected to send email without that one
>(other than hitting "reply").
>
>Before I got into the practice of forming such a webpage,
>I was sometimes reduced to cruising the web until I randomly
>see the characters I needed.
>
>Steve

or for windows, i think you could use the alt + numeric keypad trick.
(alt + numeric 130 = é, for example.) there's a page with characters
and the codes he

<http://www.tedmontgomery.com/tutorial/ALTchrc.html>

since linux and mac users are special people, they have another
system.

your pal,
blake

sf wrote:
> On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
> > wrote:
>
>> I'm thinking about renting
>> "global" cell phone for when I go.
>
> How do you rent a phone? Is it rented from Verizon?
>
I believe it is. I haven't called to ask yet. We're not going to Europe
until the Fall.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

blake murphy > wrote in
:

> On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:18:07 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
> Pope) wrote:
>
>>blake murphy > wrote:
>>
>>>On Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:17:55 +0200, Steve Y >
>>>wrote:
>>
>>>>No such thing as a European keyboard, there are many variants
>>>>depending on the version of whatever language is spoken in the
>>>>country.
>>
>>>>(typed on his AZERTY)
>>
>>>the azerty keyboard is not part of god's great plan.
>>
>>One thing I do before traveling to Europe or Asia is I create
>>a webpage that has text containing non-alpha characters that
>>might occur in things like usernames and passwords that I
>>need for logging onto various systems/sites. Then,
>>when I encounter a keyboard that is apparently missing these
>>characters, I can cut/paste them.
>>
>>Even the @ character is missing from some keyboards; I dunno
>>how you're expected to send email without that one
>>(other than hitting "reply").
>>
>>Before I got into the practice of forming such a webpage,
>>I was sometimes reduced to cruising the web until I randomly
>>see the characters I needed.
>>
>>Steve
>
> or for windows, i think you could use the alt + numeric keypad trick.
> (alt + numeric 130 = é, for example.) there's a page with characters
> and the codes he
>
> <http://www.tedmontgomery.com/tutorial/ALTchrc.html>
>
> since linux and mac users are special people, they have another
> system.
>
> your pal,
> blake
>

Check your windows machine for charmap.exe...it might have it. A
microsoft freebie that has All the characters

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:24:17 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
Pope) wrote:

>blake murphy > wrote:
>
>>i seem to recall that recently someone was arrested at an airport for
>>having material that violated copyright on the laptop.
>
>I heard a second-hand account of something like this. ICE
>(that's what they're called now) observed copyrighted music
>on a person's laptop upon entering the country, and confiscated it
>for further investigation. I do not know the outcome of the
>investigation, but meanwhile their laptop is gone. They did
>not get immediately arrested.
>
>Steve

i looked a little more this morning, and still couldn't find the
specific case. there's an article here, though, more generally on
examining laptop contents, which requires no warrant or probable cause
in u.s. airports:

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/06/AR2008020604763.html>

i have the feeling this practice will end up before the supreme court
some day. hard to say what they would think about it.

your pal,
blake

On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:24:17 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
Pope) wrote:

>blake murphy > wrote:
>
>>i seem to recall that recently someone was arrested at an airport for
>>having material that violated copyright on the laptop.
>
>I heard a second-hand account of something like this. ICE
>(that's what they're called now) observed copyrighted music
>on a person's laptop upon entering the country, and confiscated it
>for further investigation. I do not know the outcome of the
>investigation, but meanwhile their laptop is gone. They did
>not get immediately arrested.
>
>Steve

oops, here's another article on a guy popped for kiddie porn after a
warrantless search:

All of the contents on a laptop can now be searched without wrongdoing
or suspicion from U.S. Customs agents according to a recent federal
appeals court ruling (PDF).

This ruling comes about after 43-year-old Michael Arnold was returning
to Los Angeles from the Philippines and was selected for the secondary
questioning by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. During the search and
questioning, one official asked Arnold to turn on his laptop and then
handed the laptop off to another customs agent. The other customs
agent looked into a pictures folder and found what was believed to be
child pornography. The customs agents seized the computer, but let
Arnold go. Two weeks later federal agents obtained a warrant for
Arnold's arrest.

<http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/006839.html>

your pal,
blake

blake murphy > wrote:

><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/06/AR2008020604763.html>

>i have the feeling this practice will end up before the supreme court
>some day. hard to say what they would think about it.

Since you're crossing a border they do not need a warrant
to search you. End of story, I suspect, as far as the Supremes
are concerned, unless there's seriously unreasonable profiling.

It only makes sense to clear cookies/history before getting
on an airplane, and maybe running "Secure Shredder" or similar.
But wiping a laptop until it's blank seems a little extreme.
It would take a long time to restore it from an internet
connection in a hotel.

Also if you re-download your music to your laptop after
wiping it, it seems you are then committing more, rather than
fewer copyright violations.

Steve

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:52:20 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>> On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> I'm thinking about renting
>>> "global" cell phone for when I go.
>>
>> How do you rent a phone? Is it rented from Verizon?
>>
>I believe it is. I haven't called to ask yet. We're not going to Europe
>until the Fall.

I had Verizon at the time I opted not to rent a cell phone that would
work on the European band withs. I thought it was interesting and
logical that different countries/continents have different bandwidths.
Now I have AT&T and plan to go in soon to find out more information
for my August trip.

aloha,
beans
roast beans to kona to email
farmers of Pure Kona

Steve Pope wrote:
> blake murphy > wrote:
>
>> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/06/AR2008020604763.html>
>
>> i have the feeling this practice will end up before the supreme court
>> some day. hard to say what they would think about it.
>
> Since you're crossing a border they do not need a warrant
> to search you. End of story, I suspect, as far as the Supremes
> are concerned, unless there's seriously unreasonable profiling.
>
> It only makes sense to clear cookies/history before getting
> on an airplane, and maybe running "Secure Shredder" or similar.
> But wiping a laptop until it's blank seems a little extreme.
> It would take a long time to restore it from an internet
> connection in a hotel.
>
> Also if you re-download your music to your laptop after
> wiping it, it seems you are then committing more, rather than
> fewer copyright violations.
>

Question: How would the ICE people know if you had burned a disk from
paid-for music, like from your desk top, and just put that disk into
your laptop so you could listen on the plane? The whole thing sounds
rather iffy, IMHO.

I have a little MP3 player that I got as a gift from a friend. I have no
idea if the music on it is legal or not. I'm sure that the customs and
security agents will see it when I go through the security process going
to/from Europe at airports. I can't believe I'll be asked for licenses.

Down here (way-the-heck-south Texas) there have been several instances
where the customs people have confiscated bootleg DVDs at the border
crossing. Mostly from tourists. Those who know better don't declare
them and buy them when there are a lot of tourists crossing that day and
the customs officers are busy. Or so I am told <g>

Janet who legally brought home 4 gorgeous avocados and a big bottle of
Absolute vodka from Mexico yesterday.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:52:20 -0500, Janet Wilder
> > wrote:
>
>> sf wrote:
>>> On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm thinking about renting
>>>> "global" cell phone for when I go.
>>> How do you rent a phone? Is it rented from Verizon?
>>>
>> I believe it is. I haven't called to ask yet. We're not going to Europe
>> until the Fall.
>
> I had Verizon at the time I opted not to rent a cell phone that would
> work on the European band withs. I thought it was interesting and
> logical that different countries/continents have different bandwidths.
> Now I have AT&T and plan to go in soon to find out more information
> for my August trip.

I believe you might be able to get a roaming program with AT&T. They and
T-Mobile are the major players in the GSM program. Verizon, Sprint,
Alltel (soon to be Verizon), Pocket and Cricket are all on the CDMA system.

You might want to try alt.cellular.att&t (or a version thereof) for some
information.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:52:20 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>> On Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:45 -0500, Janet Wilder
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> I'm thinking about renting
>>> "global" cell phone for when I go.
>>
>> How do you rent a phone? Is it rented from Verizon?
>>
>I believe it is. I haven't called to ask yet. We're not going to Europe
>until the Fall.

Huh! No kidding? I just looked it up... if they had that option, it
wasn't cheap when we went to Europe a couple of years ago. We bought
a phone card from CostCo when we went a couple of years ago. It was
pretty cheap and if you don't mind punching all those numbers, not too
bad otherwise.

Apparently, if you go to Italy - switching out a SIM for a TIM works
(and they're easy to "refill"), but friends who went to France at
virtually the same time as we did had nothing but trouble. They even
bought a new cell phone over there, but it didn't work for them
either.

We made all the calls we wanted or needed to make with our phone card,
couldn't get incoming calls directly - of course.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first