Skip to main content

Home Office Part II -- The Dilemma

My home office equipment is aging. For the most part, this isn't a problem, and I don't care whether I have the latest and greatest computer equipment. However, this summer, I will use a function that has been very convenient in my freelance work, both for me and for one of my clients. It's Apple's iDisk, which allows the client to send me files without having to schedule a meeting and physically exchange flash drives or CDs. This June, iDisk will no longer work for Apple users who haven't upgraded to iCloud, which will not work with my 6-year-old system software.

I'm weighing my three options:
  • Do nothing. I've looked into other ways that my client and I could move files back and forth, but so far, I haven't found any that would allow the clients to access it without having to sign up for an account of their own, something I'm trying to avoid.
  • Upgrade my system software so that I can get iCloud. Overall, this is probably the best option, as long as everything else on my computer continues to work as well as it does now. However, I worry similar issues will keep arising because the computer itself is 6 years old. How soon will it become un-upgradeable? Also, will the desktop publishing software I use now still function as it should? If I have to replace the software, too, this can turn into a pretty pricey choice.
  • Buy a new(er) computer. If I go this route, I will probably get a refurbished unit to help keep the cost low. This would still be the most costly option, though, even though I could get a bit of a rebate for turning in the computer I have now. Plus, the potential that the desktop publishing software I currently use would no longer work still exists. I've researched some free desktop publishing software online, but I don't think it would be as functional as what I currently use.

I have until June to make up my mind; hopefully, whatever transition I make goes smoothly.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tackling the Electricity Bill

I got our latest electricity bill this past week. It went up. Again. I don't understand why. It's been a mild winter, so we haven't used the heater as much as last year. Plus, I've made a few small changes that I had hoped would add up to even a slight savings: I've cut down on the time the TV has been on. I haven't been perfect about it, though, because I still turn it on to watch something, decide to work on something else at the same time, then after an hour or so, I realize I'm not watching the TV at all. Wasted electricity. I've unplugged my alarm clock. When we first brought our daughter home, her pediatrician recommended we feed her every two hours for the first week or so. After the first night of pushing an awkward combination of buttons and waiting for the alarm time to advance every couple of hours, I realized it was tons easier to just punch the time into my cellphone alarm. I kept the bedside clock until about two weeks ago. I also unpl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Home Improvements

I've taken a week off in September to finish some home improvement projects that have been in progress for far too long. My challenge between now and then will be to both set aside and earn enough to buy the supplies without having to charge anything. Our biggest expense will be paint. We've got to paint our living room ceiling, living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and one bathroom to have our home "finished." Hopefully we'll be able to get that far with it, but my fear is we'll need longer than a week to complete it all because several walls need to be repaired in places first. I've got a freelance project in progress right now that will give us the bulk of what we'll need, but I don't think it will cover everything. Plus, I have to make sure I don't spend any of it between now and then on "wants."
Post a Comment
Read more

Walmart Cards

On Thursday last week, I made a hasty trip through Walmart to pick up items I can't buy at Aldi when I noticed a sign that said using a Walmart card at the Murphy Oil gas stations could net a 15 cents a gallon savings. Because I was breezing through the store on my way to drop my daughter off at daycare before I had to head to work, I just made a mental note to do a little more looking into it later. Well, I finally had the chance. The 15 cents a gallon saving lasts through Christmas Eve, and it's good only on a Walmart prepaid debit card or credit card. If the 15 cents a gallon were permanent, I'd consider getting the prepaid debit card. Because it's only temporary though, I've decided to try loading up Walmart gift cards instead, which gives a 10 cents a gallon savings at Murphy stations through Dec. 24. Hopefully, I'll make the time to fit it into my schedule because my car doesn't get the greatest gas mileage, and 10 cents a gallon could come in ha...
Post a Comment
Read more