I'm typing this

Chatterbox: Down to Earth

I'm typing this

I'm typing this from my laptop, which has issues. I can't ever tell if it's going to work, because it's a very volatile device. Sometimes it just won't load the page even though the little icon in the bottom right corner of the screen says that I have wi-fi. And sometimes the keyboard is slow. It's not that the keys stick. Sometimes I'll be typing something here and the computer can't process the keys I'm typing fast enough and so it freezes. And my parents refuse to believe that my computer has issues. It probably just needs a software update, but every time they try to install the recommended software update, it says it's incompatible with the computer or something. So do any of you know how I could fix my glitchy computer? And about my parents: they don't really believe my laptop has issues, and they don't want me to use the other laptop, because I have access to tumblr and Facebook from that laptop. But the thing is, almost all of my homework involves the computer. In math we use an electronic textbook, and in language arts we have to write an essay every night. But on nights that my computer refuses to work, I can't get my homework done until my parents agree to let me use their laptop. So...can anyone help me?

submitted by Maggie, age 12, nowhere pleasant
(January 8, 2014 - 6:16 pm)

back to the Down to Earth

Mac or Windows.  What version of OS?

submitted by Melody, age 15, Disney
(January 8, 2014 - 8:51 pm)

Windows. I have no idea what version of OS it is. My stepdad would know but I'm not going to wake him up.

submitted by Maggie, age 12, nowhere
(January 8, 2014 - 11:11 pm)

If it's around XP, Vista, or older, it's probably outdated and needs an update.   

submitted by Melody, age 15, Disney
(January 9, 2014 - 9:30 pm)

My parents have tried to update it, but the update is apparently "incompatible with the computer," so what I really need is a new laptop that's a newer model, but my parents don't want to buy me a new laptop. And I've only had it since maybe October.

submitted by Maggie, age 12, nowhere pleasant
(January 9, 2014 - 10:16 pm)

If you have had the computer since October then I think it is probably a newer Windows. I don't know much about Windows but I would recommend going to the place where you bought it (or where your parents got it) and asking for help. Usually, people working at those places know how to fix stuff like that. 

submitted by Elizabeth, age 14, Germany
(January 10, 2014 - 8:58 am)

I have a Windows Surface tablet. If you need help, visit the official Windows site.

submitted by Mag Fan
(January 17, 2014 - 11:13 am)

Yeah, I think the best thing to do would be ask a pro for help.  I can't really tell what's wrong over a thread.

submitted by Melody, age 15, Disney
(January 10, 2014 - 5:21 pm)

Do you have a virus protector ? Like Norton or something ? It sounds fishy , like the device has been infected .

Have you tried taking it in to Geek Squad ( best buy ) or a computer place ? They might be able to help . 

How old is the computer ? Is it older than Windows XP ( 2008 ) ? 

Other than this , I can't really help . All I can say is save your money or prove to your parents you're trustworthy enough to use their computer .

submitted by Vida
(January 15, 2014 - 3:59 pm)

Yeah, my parents installed Norton.

I have no idea how old this computer is. My parents claim this computer is new, but I kinda doubt it.

I'm saving money for a laptop, but my parents said that if I were to buy my own laptop, they would put the same restrictions on it that my current laptop has. They would, like, go through it every so often and read all the Word documents on it and whatever, but the whole point of me having my own laptop is that I'll be able to write stories and poems and whatever in Microsoft Word without having to worry about my parents reading it. But do they care? NO.

submitted by Maggie, age 12, nowhere pleasant
(January 15, 2014 - 8:11 pm)

I totally understand . My parents go through my phone & they have restrictions on my laptop too ( so don't feel bad , I'm older than you lol ) .

And , then that's an easy fix . Write in a spiral .

submitted by Vida
(January 16, 2014 - 1:25 pm)

My laptop just froze up a couple of minutes ago. I was writing a story, but I couldn't save my work because THE FREAKING COMPUTER FROZE UP and so I had to restart the computer and I lost all of the stuff I had added before it froze. THIS IS WHY I NEED A NEW LAPTOP.

submitted by Maggie, age 12, nowhere pleasant
(January 15, 2014 - 8:23 pm)

If you have a gmail, you can use your Google Drive.  It autosaves.  (If you've read the conversation Ruby and I had on this, you know there is a risk to this: Google watches you.) 

submitted by Melody, age 15, Disney
(January 16, 2014 - 10:27 pm)

Watch the starter screen.  It will tell you what OS you have.

submitted by Melody, age 15, Disney
(January 16, 2014 - 10:28 pm)

@Maggie- I also had that happen to me once. My computer just broke down in the middle of writing a story and I lost all my writing. I recommend saving your work on a USB-Stick or burning it onto a disk. A USB-Stick is nice because you can save stuff on it, take it out and carry it around with you. Plus, your parents can't go through it unless they know about the stick. So you can keep your writing private.

submitted by Elizabeth, age 14, Germany
(January 17, 2014 - 8:31 am)