Life without a PC

Vexr · 22 Feb 2019 at 02:25

My new monitor is being exchanged and I've been told to allow 10 working days to receive a replacement. In the meantime my old one is already committed to a sale and will be going fairly soon. No one nearby has a spare monitor or compatible TV lying around to borrow.

The other tech I have is a Nokia Lumia 735 - a dodgy old Windows smartphone that crashes on 80% of web pages it encounters and never really been set up for apps, not that there are many good ones for Windows phones. I really don't fancy doing anything much with that except for monitoring emails for anything significant. I also don't fancy hauling my PC to the living room TV or vice versa.

I'm thinking this might be a potentially healthy break from tech, though I'm also wondering about withdrawal-like symptoms lol. Anyone here been in a similar position? If so, how'd you find it?

jsmoke · 22 Feb 2019 at 02:36

Charity shop?

IronWarrior · 22 Feb 2019 at 02:36

In this order, sleep, read books and model hobbies, like Warhammer 40,000 or model ships kept me sane.

LeeUK · 22 Feb 2019 at 03:19

Facebook Marketplace and/or Gumtree? Plenty of monitors for sale cheap. Just checked my area and there is a 19" Acer monitor from 2010ish going for £10. Bargain.

MissChief · 22 Feb 2019 at 03:37

LeeUK said:
Facebook Marketplace and/or Gumtree? Plenty of monitors for sale cheap. Just checked my area and there is a 19" Acer monitor from 2010ish going for £10. Bargain.

Just be careful to check connections. Some might have DVI or even VGA connections.

LeeUK · 22 Feb 2019 at 03:53

MissChief said:
Just be careful to check connections. Some might have DVI or even VGA connections.

My graphics card has those both those as well as HDMI. They are not bad monitors I still have one I recently retired which I plan to bring back into use as a second monitor on another system.

Vexr · 22 Feb 2019 at 04:14

LeeUK said:
Facebook Marketplace and/or Gumtree? Plenty of monitors for sale cheap. Just checked my area and there is a 19" Acer monitor from 2010ish going for £10. Bargain.

Gotta admit I hadn't thought of that. Recently had the dilemma of trying to source a displayport cable locally for less than some £20 major retailer rip off price. By comparison the idea there's actual monitors to be had for a tenner never entered my head. My 1070 Ti has DVI-D, but not the analogue DVI. I wonder how many gumtree sellers of £10 DVI monitors specify which they have

I'll probably leave it for if I get desperate/there's some sort of PC-requiring emergency. I gotta admit I'm interested in the idea of going tech-less as a short-term experiment.

IronWarrior said:
In this order, sleep, read books and model hobbies, like Warhammer 40,000 or model ships kept me sane.

Nice - first two suggestions anyway. Don't think I'll be picking up expensive hobbies like Warhammer just for this short period though. Maybe if we get EMP striked

Hades · 22 Feb 2019 at 06:42

Replace porn with real strip clubs. There is a thread about etiquette on here if you need to read up on it while you still have a monitor.

Relentless81 · 22 Feb 2019 at 07:55

I sold my gaming pc in June 2018 due to doing a house renovation which kept me really busy. I've really missed it mostly because its the best way for me to relax, have time to myself and switch my brain off. I'm finally ordering parts for my new build and can't wait to play some games

There are a lot of threads and posts about people saying they are thinking of quiting pc gaming, I was one of them but I missed it a lot

MikeTheNative · 22 Feb 2019 at 07:59

Weather is meant to be nice on the weekend. Go for a walk out in the countryside on the weekend, or there is rugby on Saturday so spend all the day in the pub.

Pawnless Endgame · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:13

When I was short of a monitor for a week or so, I just asked my IT dept if I could borrow a spare for a week. Job's a good 'un.

B1scu1T · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:30

Vexr said:
My 1070 Ti has DVI-D, but not the analogue DVI.

I very much doubt you would have a monitor with a DVI-A input... I have never seen DVI-A on a device input or an output, only on the little dongles that convert DVI-I to VGA.

If you're anywhere in/nr N. Yorkshire, I would happily lend you a monitor to tide you over.

iamdjdz · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:34

I could lend you a monitor if you're in Liverpool! Just get a cheap one off gumtree..

wez130 · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:39

I went on a 10 night cruise last year and decided against buying onboard Wifi, loved being disconnected from everything for that time, i actually went out and socialised on the ship haha.

esoteric · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:43

Got a console? I played my PS4 and got Platinum on Bloodborne when I was without my PC for a weekend.

Orionaut · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:56

Initially read this as "Life without PC" and thought Utopia!

dodg3rman · 22 Feb 2019 at 09:05

My 2013 system lost its graphic card about a year ago and I didnt replace it. About 4 months ago I had to have an operation that would keep me from getting out much so bought a ps4 to fill in some time sat on sofa. I dont like using a controller but its ok for non shooter games , however its time to buy my next system but I'm putting it off until we decide whether to stay in this house or move in the spring. I reckon you'll enjoy having the break more than you think

-westy- · 22 Feb 2019 at 09:16

wez130 said:
I went on a 10 night cruise last year and decided against buying onboard Wifi, loved being disconnected from everything for that time, i actually went out and socialised on the ship haha.

I fly back and forth from Canada quite a bit (West Coast) - it's a ~9.5 hour flight. I really enjoy being disconnected for even that small amount of time, its certainly needed. Once I got complimentary Wifi due to a delay - got to say, I left the plane feeling a lot less rested than normal!

Delvis · 22 Feb 2019 at 09:17

Real world problems

robfosters · 22 Feb 2019 at 09:54

Buy one, use it and return it under DSR