Gem City Images Is On A Forced Hiatus

Update #1:  I should have thought of this sooner - cell phone camera!  Photos will continue, in an unprocessed direct to you kind of way.

It was a good run of close to 900 straight days of original photos but it looks like the streak will end today.  It is not ending by choice.  My computer greeted me yesterday morning with a blank screen and then error messages.  I have a pretty good idea what the problem is and if I'm right, and I can get a replacement part, this will be a short hiatus.  If it's worse than I expect, getting back to normal will take longer.

No files or photos were lost, they are backed up multiple ways in multiple places.  I'm able to start my computer in safe mode, but that is insufficient for processing photos.  I won't be gone completely, I'll still see and respond to comments and emails. I'll post status updates - that new Monrovia Public Library is going to come in handy.

Cross your fingers and wish me luck that this turns out to just be a minor inconvenience. This site isn't over.  I shall return...


Dave said…
If you can still download and burn ISO files, or get a buddy to do it, you should consider downloading a LiveCD of Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala linux. Its a great FREE operating system (I've used it for 3+ years now exclusively) and it has powerful programs preinstalled like GIMP image editor which is similar to Photoshop and FSPOT photo manager which is similar to Picasa for simple edits like fixing red-eye, resizing, color adjusting, straightening, etc. You can continue on using just a LiveCD for now, which installs nothing on your hard drive... it runs exclusively from the CDROM or DVD drive. I'd be more than happy to burn you a copy and send it your way. Just email me and we can talk. Best bet is to have a buddy download a free ISO file from and have him burn it to disc.

Give Ubuntu a try! Its free, open source, safe, secure, never a virus, no need to defrag, and theres literally 20,000+ free programs out on the net for linux users. Many Windows programs do work on linux using Wine (a windows emulator), so if Photoshop is a MUST HAVE, you can still use it.

dave (the at sign)
Alex Harding said…
hi keith, if you need tech support, i live in monrovia, and offer free tech support for those whop need it email me if you are interested.
Petrea said…
Chin up, Keith. Looks like the cavalry is there to help!
Keith said…
Altadenahiker: Thanks!

Dave: I know people that use and love linux but I don't think that I'm having a software problem. I believe it's hardware. Changing operating systems would just complicate things at this point.

Alex: I think I know what the problem is. I will be emailing you though.

Petrea: I'm not panicking...yet.

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