What's So Good About Sharing Computers?

[easysurfer]

Someone may have to explain this to me. As, I don't get what's so good about sharing computers when you don't have to .

We'll, I'm the computer guy for family members. You know, when others have computer issues or questions, I get a call or instant message for help. I don't mind as long as the people receiving the help is appreciative as I find fixing a computer a challenge..like solving a crossword puzzle.

So, the last couple of days, I got a message from a SIL. One was a "duh" type problem as she said her printer wasn't working. So, I teamviewered (a new verb now, like "googled") as asked her to show me what wasn't working. Guess what, the printer worked fine then. So, I concluded maybe a cable wasn't plugged in all the way when she had the problem.

Yesterday morning, I got another IM from SIL who said "Help! I think I may have broke her husband's (my brother's) laptop." When she turned on the screen she said it was blank. So once again, I listened as was probably just that she did a Windows update and the slow laptop was taking a long time to boot. So we were talking about making computers faster and SSDs and running malewarebytes to clean up the laptop.

I was asking about her computer, which is faster, her vs her husbands. She said her's is faster but she often uses his . I asked, why didn't she just use her computer then but didn't get an answer and didn't press (not my place to).

I don't know. Must be a what's mine is mine and what's his is mine thing as common sense to me is why would someone want to use a spouse's computer which is slower, plus then stuck with cleaning up someone else's computer mess.

Anyhow, that's my long way of getting to the original question.

What's So Good About Sharing Computers? (when you don't have to)

[2017ish]

We share an HP Spectre when not using our desktops. Why spend money on two nice, expensive laptop/tablets and each carry a heavy addition to our luggage when one will do? Desktops are much cheaper and see higher use, so we each have our own.

[AutumnElf]

My son and I have our own desktops ... We are both gamers. We have used each other's computers. I used his when mine was down. He uses mine because it has Photoshop on it. My husband uses mine because you can't do everything on a mobile phone. He's not a big computer user. I would get him a little Chromebook for computing purposes if I had the money.

Anyway the big thing is we all have our own profiles on each other's computers. I would hope your brother and SIL have their computers set up with each other's profiles on them. I think sharing is fine if people aren't all logging into one profile.

Sharing can be good if in family. What I used to hate is when guests popped over to our house wanting to use my computer during a visit. I'm like "what nooooo...." I ended up putting a crap computer in with a locked down guest account and told people they could use that one. Not my good work/gaming computer that's gonna get your danged viruses because you can't help yourself from clicking that email you're not supposed to click. My husband wiped his entire profile doing that once. The others were safe but everyone needs their own profile on a shared computer in case they do a stupid thing like that.

[Just_Steve]

Sharing a computer is like sharing a toothbrush, not recommended. The only time we share is when traveling and bring only one laptop.

[Bamaman]

My #1 laptop computer is kept locked up in a safe to keep others out.

For internet surfing and every day use, I use a $150 10.5 inch Chromebook that has virtually nothing saved on it. If the grandkids screw it up or break it, not much is lost.

My close friend sold his sign shop (including computers) to a gentleman "on time." The guy wasn't successful and my friend repossessed his equipment and vinyl sign printers. One day, Federal Marshals knocked on his door with a search warrant. His computers IP address had been used to download tons of kiddie pornography, and the Feds seized the business computers that had left his possession for a few months. Now he's facing a full blown criminal trial this month, despite being a Godly good man.

I don't want anyone to touch my computers for any reason.

[Bestwifeever]

Back in day when we had the single big old desktop, DS's friend spent a summer with us and enjoyed desktop time too. I had to tell DS to tell friend that friend's history of gentlemen's sites (not kiddie porn, but blushworthy adult stuff) opened up occasionally

I have friends who still share email addresses. Drives me crazy not knowing which will be reading or responding to my emails.

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bestwifeever Back in day when we had the single big old desktop, DS's friend spent a summer with us and enjoyed desktop time too. I had to tell DS to tell friend that friend's history of gentlemen's sites (not kiddie porn, but blushworthy adult stuff) opened up occasionally I have friends who still share email addresses. Drives me crazy not knowing which will be reading or responding to my emails.

Luckily, with smartphones when I have guests over, I usually just say, "If anyone needs wifi, my passcode is ******". I find most prefer to just use their phone anyhow.

I did have a guest over who needed to print out airline boarding passes so I said "no problem" but watched like a hawk .

Like you, I hate when folks share email or messenger. Find myself being very careful what I say to avoid feeling like being eavesdropped on .

[Nightcap]

Quote:

Originally Posted by easysurfer What's So Good About Sharing Computers? (when you don't have to)

DW and I were computer geeks when we met. The secret to our long and happy marriage is that we would no more share computers than we would toothbrushes.

[H2ODude]

Laptop and desktops both shared w DW. After 47 years we share pretty much everything. Except toothbrushes....ewww.

[W2R]

I don't know. This behavior mystifies me, unless they are traveling and only want to drag one laptop through the airports. But at home? I don't see anything even remotely good about sharing computers at home.

I am all in favor of LBYM and bring frugal, but to me this is just plain cheap. Others may not see it that way. My reasoning is that laptops hardly cost anything these days. It's not going to break the bank to get two.

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R I don't know. This behavior mystifies me, unless they are traveling and only want to drag one laptop through the airports. But at home? I don't see anything even remotely good about sharing computers at home. I am all in favor of LBYM and bring frugal, but to me this is just plain cheap. Others may not see it that way. My reasoning is that laptops hardly cost anything these days. It's not going to break the bank to get two.

The situation with my SIL was even more mystifying to me in that they have two laptops and she said her laptop is even faster than her husband's. So, why shes prefer to use his and in addition have to clear off the viruses and try and speed up for him escaped me.

I didn't pry as felt none of my business and chalked that up to a couples thing like sharing sweat pants or something . But I guess that's a whole different discussion (to be fair, not saying that they share clothes).

[2017ish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2ODude Laptop and desktops both shared w DW. After 47 years we share pretty much everything. Except toothbrushes....ewww.

Others mentioned toothbrushes as well. We've borrowed/shared at times when forgetting to pack one. I don't see why it is a big deal, apart from inconvenience of waiting for one spouse to finish?

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by easysurfer The situation with my SIL was even more mystifying to me in that they have two laptops and she said her laptop is even faster than her husbands? So, why she's prefer to use his and in addition have to clear off the virus for him escaped me. I didn't pry as felt none of my business and chalked that up to a couples thing like sharing sweat pants or something . But I guess that's a whole different discussion (to be fair, not saying that they share clothes).

Maybe she is checking up on him, scrutinizing his browser history, peering through his e-mails, and looking for porn? Just kidding. Honestly I don't know why anyone would do that.

[Nightcap]

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2ODude Laptop and desktops both shared w DW. After 47 years we share pretty much everything. Except toothbrushes....ewww.

Here's the thing: there is no tool as customized or customizable as a computer. I have dozens of scripts, macros, bookmarks, etc. My desktop is arranged how I like, my applications are configured for me, my dock has my favorite programs in it. It is, in a very real sense, an extension of my private mind.

And the same applies to her computers.

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Maybe she is checking up on him, scrutinizing his browser history, peering through his e-mails, and looking for porn? Just kidding. Honestly I don't know why anyone would do that.

The thought actually crossed my mind too. But he rarely using his computer ever since he got a smart phone.

I do remember him telling me that one time she or one of their dogs tripped over a cord on her laptop and might have got one of the usb ports loose. So, I'm thinking either that or I'm still going with the share and share alike theory.

[Lawrencewendall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman My close friend sold his sign shop (including computers) to a gentleman "on time." The guy wasn't successful and my friend repossessed his equipment and vinyl sign printers. One day, Federal Marshals knocked on his door with a search warrant. His computers IP address had been used to download tons of kiddie pornography, and the Feds seized the business computers that had left his possession for a few months. Now he's facing a full blown criminal trial this month, despite being a Godly good man..

Sounds fishy. They would not have the same IP address. MAC, yes but not IP. The IP that the Marshals would see would be the one their ISPs would have assigned.

[imoldernu]

One answer:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbish...uter/927499487

Plus a decent monitor for about $35.
.................................................. ............

Sympathy for be the "go to" helper. I had the job from 1991 to 2013 for our FL over 55 community of 350 homes. Was casually known as the guy who had " been in more ladies bedrooms" than anyone else.

[Nightcap]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu One answer: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbish...uter/927499487 Plus a decent monitor for about $35. .................................................. ............ Sympathy for be the "go to" helper. I had the job from 1991 to 2013 for our FL over 55 community of 350 homes. Was casually known as the guy who had " been in more ladies bedrooms" than anyone else.

With respect, that computer is a doorstop. The CPU is ancient, the hard drive is minuscule (the OS - which Microsoft will not support - will take half of it), the memory is slow and there's not enough of it, there's no WiFi or Bluetooth... the only thing it has going for it is the price.

It's systems like this that keep me out of ladies' bedrooms in our condo development. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't do Windows."

[T-Minus]

Wife and I each have iPads as our primary "media consumption devices." I have a High-end PC for gaming and photography work, that runs a financial VM from time to time for Quicken, etc. A single, shared laptop for travel is ideal for us, as there are some apps that just don't function properly on a portable device. I see nothing wrong sharing a single device, provided you and the other person have user-level accounts (NOT admin-level), and both commit to good computing hygiene.

[tmm99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Maybe she is checking up on him, scrutinizing his browser history, peering through his e-mails, and looking for porn? Just kidding. Honestly I don't know why anyone would do that.

Yeah, nowadays, you look at some items on Amazon and they show up on early-retirement.org, etc so even if you have no intention to snoop, things you are up to will inevitably come up somewhere.