Author Topic: How do you spend your time on the computer? (Read 39768 times)

Loonier · « **Reply #25 on:** January 23, 2007, 01:56 PM »

The main result of my extensive - timewise - computer use would be the many gigglebytes of apps (constantly updating, seldom installing), videos, pics, jokes (sent/received via e-mail - I save/archive an H of a lot of my outgoing and incoming e-mails), etc. I've recently got into the difficult - for my pitiful grey cells, at least - area of riddle games (weffriddles, ouverture-facile), which is (a) frustrating and (b) elating (when I finally figure out a level). Have a list of sites I visit every day, and participate a little in some forums (e.g. one has Musical Mondays, when we each post a few music videos, almost inevitably from YouTube - good stuff, usually). I am not wasting time on the computer, time is wasting me...

[Now I'm going to fill the Cody's Club task of making a donation to a forum participant but, because I want to see what happens, I'm gonna try and give myself a donation - let's see if/how mouser has that handled... BTW, I'll get around to making a real donation, too.] [Indeed, and as expected, mouser had it handled: "Sorry, you cannot donate to yourself (why would you want to?) - donations were NOT processed."]

wraith808 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 23, 2007, 02:00 PM »

What don't I do on the computer?

Web Design - personal and professional
App Design - personal and professional
Graphic Design/Photography - personal
Web Admin Work - personal and professional (personal sites http://users.gamera.cc/wraith808, http://www.charleslittle.org)
Blogging - (http://blogs.gamera.cc, http://wraith808.livejournal.com)
Reading forums
Gaming - mostly MMOs (Everquest2, WoW, The Matrix Online, Lineage2, City of Heroes, DnD Online), and PbEMs (http://wiki.gamera.cc for more info)
Writing
Reading books
Listening to Music
Learning Music - my guitar connects to my computer to help me learn :-)
Looking at videos

I'm on the computer a good 80% of my waking hours between work and leisure...

pfflyer · « **Reply #27 on:** January 23, 2007, 05:18 PM »

- news reading
- rss feed reading
- searching for new web tools
- writing about what I find
- learning as much as I can
- and because of donation coder I am now addicted to kdice

zxcvbn · « **Reply #28 on:** January 23, 2007, 05:33 PM »

1. Family history research.
2. Blogging - ie: writing my own.
3. Blogging - ie: keeping up with other peoples'.
4. Corresponding with people re Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

dhuser · « **Reply #29 on:** January 23, 2007, 07:04 PM »

What I Do:

Browse Online Forums
Look At Web Templates at Open Web Design and Open Source Web Design
Listen to Music
Work on my software, I make
Read Blogs
Look for new software
Check CNET.com

dhuser

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #30 on:** January 23, 2007, 07:32 PM »

Mainly I am either...(and this IS in order)
Gaming (Auto Assault, GTA3, Halo, Midtown Madness, Midtown Madness 2, Need for Speed Carbon Collectors Edition, Second Life, There, Street Legal Racing REDLINE, and War Rock)

Maintaining my computer (I do this after I get bored with all my games,the game I am playing crashes, or I exit it)

Instant messaging (Trillian or Gaim...hmm...)

Searching for better programs to do more faster

Searching for better hardware to do more faster

Searching for better anti-crapware software (anyone know the best all-in-one solution there is? (Windows Live OneCare is OUT, Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 and SpySweeper w/ Antivirus are battling it out for my computer and my dads credit card

)

Checking my email

Going HERE to check for updates for proggys

Going to Microsoft Update to check for updates (duh)

Editing my computer appearance

and lots more (I spend as much time as possible on computers- even as boring as watching the screensaver, deleting files and watching them fly to the bin, or even just STARING AT THE DESKTOP or the clock!!!)

nudone · « **Reply #31 on:** January 24, 2007, 02:55 AM »

you know when i jokingly said that i think my computer uses me and not the other way around. well, i'm seriously beginning to think i have a mental problem regarding the use of this machine. it never fails to ruin my day in some way and yet i return to it the next morning and turn it back on - hoping that this will be the perfect pc day.

my machine hates me. there is now a battle of wills between me and my machine (using the word 'my' is clearly wrong as it is my master). i hate you computer, i hate, hate you, hate you.

brotherS · « **Reply #32 on:** January 24, 2007, 03:03 AM »

well, i'm seriously beginning to think i have a mental problem regarding the use of this machine. it never fails to ruin my day in some way and yet a return to it the next morning and turn it back on - hoping that this will be the perfect pc day.
-nudone (January 24, 2007, 02:55 AM)

Depending on how serious you are, I recommend that you open https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=6892.0, search for "thinketh" and get (and read) that little ebook.

You > PC

nudone · « **Reply #33 on:** January 24, 2007, 03:38 AM »

i am serious, so i shall follow your good advice, brotherS.

Ruffnekk · « **Reply #34 on:** January 24, 2007, 03:42 AM »

[Select]

c:\>dir /s "visual studio projects"

Totals Files Listed:
17253 file(s) 2.299.705.153 bytes
2267 dir(s) 17.535.489.237 bytes free

I guess I spent a lot of time programming

Other than that I play logic puzzles (my favourite is www.griddlers.net), searching for good new freeware utilities and just browsing random sites by using StumbleUpon for Firefox.

I don't spend time downloading music, chatting or MSN'ing, other than a little bit of IRC on #DonationCoder of course

Perry Mowbray · « **Reply #35 on:** January 24, 2007, 04:27 AM »

I'll try and get these in [importance + time] order (top down):

Communications: Email, VoIP, IM
Learning: Forums, Articles
Home Accounting: Budgeting & Analysis [Excel]
Computer Management: Downloads, Upgrades, VoIP
Entertainment: DVDs, Streaming Radio (unmetered), CDs, Reading: News, Articles
Creativity: Graphics/Photos, Programming, Writing

Work is another issue though...

- Perry

TucknDar · « **Reply #36 on:** January 25, 2007, 01:43 PM »

I would've liked to say that I spend most of my time on the computer doing important work and being creative, but I think the following list is more realistic... in no particular order, except the top two taking up about 50-60% of the time spent on the computer. $:-\$

Surfing, mainly various forums
Reading mails
Checking out software
Trying to get files and folders organized
Organize and edit pictures
Writing school assignments
Chatting
Managing CD/DVD/Book collection
Writing articles for a fanzine

In addition I'm a periodic gamer. I think I've been hooked on two games for a few months during the past year and a half: GTA San Andreas and Football Manager 2007.

CodeTRUCKER · « **Reply #37 on:** February 06, 2007, 11:29 PM »

- Surfing for technology, mainly
- Reading/writing email
- Writing
- Attempt to compose using Finale software
- Listen to music
- Etc.

superboyac · « **Reply #38 on:** February 07, 2007, 07:11 PM »

Listen to music, search internet, write stuff, finances, organize files, try out lots of software. Oh, and waste a lot of time as well.

Darwin · « **Reply #39 on:** February 22, 2007, 01:25 PM »

Computer use for me is an avoidance strategy - I'm avoiding using my computer to do what I am supposed to be doing with my computer... Chiefly working on my PhD dissertation. I spend the majority of my time in front of my computer, pursuing this avoidance strategy. I've been spectacularly successful at this and see no end in sight.

Here's what I do:

- surf the net
- read online newspapers
- obsessively peruse the donationcoder forum (no lie)
- prepare powerpoint presentations for my university lectures
- research software/download software
- order books (related to the PhD that I'm NOT doing, er, AM doing - if I say this loud enough, maybe it will come true)
- send and read e-mail
- organize and ~~occasiaionally~~ occasionally edit digital photographs
- play around (without any skill, sadly) with various vector and raster graphics programs
- banking/paying bills
- download, catalogue and promptly forget about thousands of pdf's related to my PhD topic (note that rarely do I actually READ these files)
- occasionally watch movies (dvd's)

Grorgy · « **Reply #40 on:** May 05, 2007, 10:53 PM »

Well, i do a little research for my studies, like mouser should do heaps more, but, im only an undergrad so i get away with it

I cruise around the windows customising sites, see if their is something of interest, now the initial fun of that has passed i dont do so much. Look at the news and some stuff from places like major geeks and gizmos site, see if anything of interest. Occasionally i dust off the stumble upon toolbar from the list and stumble a bit, that can be fun. Check out this site

and most of all i chat to people on im or in chat rooms (usually in a game of some sort, but the game is secondary to me) havent played many single player type games for ages, used to play simcity and civilization. Ohhhh and tinker with my computer, had to reload windows twice last week, ahh well, we learn by our mistakes they reckon

That seems to take most of my time.

gjehle · « **Reply #41 on:** May 06, 2007, 02:49 AM »

guess i use it for stuff that's been mentioned here already

but the most important:
procrastination

Armando · « **Reply #42 on:** May 06, 2007, 03:20 AM »

Computer use for me is an avoidance strategy - I'm avoiding using my computer to do what I am supposed to be doing with my computer... Chiefly working on my PhD dissertation. I spend the majority of my time in front of my computer, pursuing this avoidance strategy. I've been spectacularly successful at this and see no end in sight.

-Darwin (February 22, 2007, 01:25 PM)

That could be me...
It's 4am

Darwin · « **Reply #43 on:** May 06, 2007, 03:25 AM »

1:25am here... still running scared!

tinjaw · « **Reply #44 on:** May 07, 2007, 03:08 PM »

Chiefly working on my PhD dissertation.
-Darwin (February 22, 2007, 01:25 PM)

Ah! So you and mouser are birds of a feather. Hmm, if a doctoral candidate has a penchant for software maybe they should switch to a PhDC!

I feel almost compelled to start a matching thread for those of us who would have a much shorter list if we just listed the things we don't do on the computer.

P.S. I'd also be interested to check with the psychology departments at universities and see how many masters and doctoral theses on procrastination, or attention deficit disorder, were turned it late.

Darwin · « **Reply #45 on:** May 07, 2007, 03:45 PM »

You're right, tinjaw. Unfortunately, my current project is so far removed from computing (though I am using a computer to do it!) that I'd never be allowed to switch to computer science (also don't have the background, sadly). I keep wondering if the university would just give me a PhD for time served! Nope. Apparently they feel that I should work on the project I outlined at the end of my first year. Hard asses!

Armando, I'm glad that you and I (and mouser, vrgrrl and lilly to name but three others that I know of) are not alone. We're in good company, too, and we can look for inspiration to at least two people at donationcoder who have actually finished their PhD's - Zaine and Ken. Obviously, they've managed to balance a love for computers with their academic workloads, so it can be done!

cthorpe · « **Reply #46 on:** May 09, 2007, 10:24 AM »

Recently, I have been hitting the web looking for useful software with developers that might consider discounts

.

Armando · « **Reply #47 on:** May 09, 2007, 10:57 AM »

You're right, tinjaw. Unfortunately, my current project is so far removed from computing (though I am using a computer to do it!) that I'd never be allowed to switch to computer science (also don't have the background, sadly). I keep wondering if the university would just give me a PhD for time served! Nope. Apparently they feel that I should work on the project I outlined at the end of my first year. Hard asses!
-Darwin (May 07, 2007, 03:45 PM)

Armando, I'm glad that you and I (and mouser, vrgrrl and lilly to name but three others that I know of) are not alone. We're in good company, too, and we can look for inspiration to at least two people at donationcoder who have actually finished their PhD's - Zaine and Ken. Obviously, they've managed to balance a love for computers with their academic workloads, so it can be done!
-Darwin (May 07, 2007, 03:45 PM)

Good to here that.
I love computers too.

I'm thinking of taking a looooong break for the summer.

Working on a PhD thesis (theory of theatre ; now, that's useless) can be a pretty lonely walk. Not to mention that I'm not even sure I'm in the right domain anymore... (and... like you Darwin... I won't be able to switch to computer science.... or evolutionary psychology... or biology, or management... or all the other things I'd consider doing if I had five or six lives...).... and I'm tired of these French universities (I speak French myself; I'm from Quebec, canada's French province)...

More about all that later. I'm actually going to meet my thesis supervisor.

Armando · « **Reply #48 on:** May 09, 2007, 10:58 AM »

Recently, I have been hitting the web looking for useful software with developers that might consider discounts .
-cthorpe (May 09, 2007, 10:24 AM)

Good call !
Is the thread actually getting back on track ?

urlwolf · « **Reply #49 on:** May 09, 2007, 11:24 AM »

We're in good company, too, and we can look for inspiration to at least two people at donationcoder who have actually finished their PhD's - Zaine and Ken. Obviously, they've managed to balance a love for computers with their academic workloads, so it can be done!

Well, I have finished my PhD, but that doesn't mean that I have a good balance between my academic life and other activities (love for computers being one of them). If fact, I'd say that very few people achieve that balance, and it gets worse the more responsibility you have/older you get. If you don't believe me, just peruse threads in this forum:

http://chronicle.com....php/board,33.0.html