Nice People Thread Number 10 -the official residence of Nice People

LydiaJ

zagubov wrote: »

I'm not fully au fait with the Windows world to known if you're talking about renting or buying software or hardware. but it beats me why there isn't a system for renting computers cheaply so upgrading is less wasteful.

With macs they keep their function for longer so they're over-represented in the computer world because they're used for years longer than PCs.

I'm unclear why modern machines and even more so, modern software) are regarded as better than older ones. I doubt I've seen a better Word than 5.1.

The ancient Nisus word processor has 10 clipboards and a "fuzzy-find" search function and fits on half a megabyte floppy.

I really do wonder what's so great about the new stuff. (Obviously I don't play computer games ).

I bought the laptop because the old one was exhibiting signs of hardware wearing out. I'd had it for lots of years, and decided to replace it before it actually died, so that transferring files etc across would be easy.

What I should have done was get one with Windows 7 as its OS. I would have been quite happy with that. I didn't realise quite how different (and annoying) Windows 8 would be. However, given that the one I've bought has Windows 8 installed, it was crucial that I get the free upgrade to 8.1, which contains fixes for many of the problems that came with the introduction of 8. That is what the Dell engineer has fixed for me today.

I also have a different software issue. My old laptop has Office 2007 on it, although with Outlook 2003, and DS's computer has Office 2003, while DD's doesn't have Office at all. The Office 2007 disks that I inherited (literally) from LNE have already been used on as many machines as they are licensed for.

DS and I need Office for school work, and DD would like it now and will need it when she goes to secondary school in 18 months' time. Office 2003 does everything we want EXCEPT read files created in Office 2010, which causes DS trouble not being able to open files created by his teachers and put on the school network or attached to an email. 2007 is fine, but if we're upgrading it would be better to go straight to 2010 or 2013 so it lasts longer before we start getting these kinds of compatibility problems in the future. I find 2010 nicer from an aesthetic PoV, but can put up with 2013 if that seems to be the best way forward.

I need Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook (ie Office Home and Business) while DS and DD only need Word, Excel and Powerpoint (ie Office Home and Student).

If any computer minded NP can tell me the cheapest way of doing this, that would be lovely. So far, buying them seems mega expensive, so subscribing to the Office 365 system (aka renting it) seems as though it will be cheaper.

chewmylegoff wrote: »

As long as your dad only owns one property he will have three years to sell it before any taxable gain starts to accrue.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cgt/property/sell-own-home.htm#2

Thanks. Even he should be able to do it in that time.

PasturesNew

LydiaJ wrote: »

.... and then we kids (none of whom is at all local to his house) will need to sort everything out and get the house ready for sale, and then to find a buyer and for the chain to complete. I can easily see that process taking months, or possibly more than a year, from when he moves out to when the house sells.

Speak to the EAs to find out how much "ready for sale" is needed. What we did was clear the house except the furniture basics so it wasn't empty.... so it'd look better for viewings.

LydiaJ

Thanks PN. He's had the same advice not to bother doing anything unless he can do everything, which he clearly couldn't do and wouldn't want to try.

However, it's a Victorian house with 5 double bedrooms, 3 receptions, kitchen-breakfast, cellar and loft. It's been inhabited by a hoarder for over 50 years, so all of those are full of STUFF. Even if the only thing we need to do to prepare it for sale is to remove all the contents, it will take ages. Firstly, he will take a long time before he's sure he's decided what's needed in the new flat and what can be let go. Then he will resist any form of getting rid of anything other than giving it to somebody he knows who will appreciate it. Since he's fully compos mentis, it would be wrong to get rid of his stuff without his consent, in the way that can be done if the Old who occupied the property has dementia.

The four of us will try to help, of course, but I'm the nearest, at an hour away, with the next nearest 3 hours away, and the other two not in England at all. We all have jobs and children, so getting down there to sort it out is difficult.

Once the place is empty, I expect selling it will be a doddle compared with emptying it.

neverdespairgirl

We had a sort-of similar deal when my parents sold their London house just over a year ago. Not lived in for as long (20-odd years) but a lot of clutter. It didn't seem too bad looking round the house, because there was lots of space - 4 reception rooms, study, kitchen, 6 bedrooms, box room, cellar, garage and shed. But there was a serious amount of clobber all in all.

My parents were able to do a lot of their own sorting, but my mother's ability at the time was limited by the chemotherapy and cancer. It was all hands on deck, including OH and Isaac (whose job was mostly to stay out of everyone else's way) apart from my brother, who rather cunningly timed his arrival back from South Korea an hour after completion.

Stuff was divided into going-to-Kent stuff, getting-flogged stuff, going-into-storage-for-new-London-place-eventually clobber, and recycling / charity shop material.

Over the next year, my parents changed their minds from intending to buy another house (3-4 beds) in London, to buying a much smaller 2 bed flat instead. So a lot of the stored stuff either had to be crammed in at Kent, or re-sorted for getting rid. That's a job still in progress, and to be fair, Bruv's more than made up for his previous idleness by doing a huge amount of sorting.

LydiaJ

vivatifosi wrote: »

You mentioned burn out and I hope yours doesn't carry on too much longer.

Thank you viva.

Mine is not completely debilitating, but leaves me more or less functioning as far as the basics are concerned but not able to do much more than that. It has been going on a couple of years at least. Perhaps longer. It was a gradual transition from crisis to burnout as the various elements of the crisis got sorted out.

My problem is that the main treatment for burnout is rest. It's caused by excessive stress over a long period of time. (In my case it was on and off from the autumn of 2003 until about the winter of 2011.) You are supposed to get out of the stressful situation (eg take extended time off work) and not go back until you're better. However, work isn't my main source of stress - I only do half a job after all. It's true that I am no longer dealing with LNE's affair, or his loss of his job, or the divorce, or clearing his house, or dealing with his estate, or DS's medical treatment, or his psych treatment, or buying a house, or the dementia and death of my mum etc. However, I am still parenting two kids on my own, without an ex-partner to have them every other weekend or any family nearby, and I find that that is too relentless to allow me to get the kind of complete rest that is recommended. My GP thinks talking therapy will help. I start next week.

zagubov

Apropos of nothing, this is quite cool
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/06/24/the-blue-and-the-green/#.UwImoX8gGSM
:beer:

lostinrates

Good thoughts for viva and Lydia this morning.


I am feeling blessed I have some fuel still. I am NOT finished this morning. Dog dog was hungry so we came in for her breakfast so I am finishing a coffee before heading back out. Its all a bit grim and grey out there today. .

michaels

zagubov wrote: »

With macs they keep their function for longer so they're over-represented in the computer world because they're used for years longer than PCs..

Our 'new' PC is about 5 years old and the rest are older but being PCs unlike Macs they can be updated with new hard disks, ram, even CPUs, batteries (for laptops) etc so they don't become obselete nearly as quickly as the built in sort on apple products.

chewmylegoff wrote: »

As long as your dad only owns one property he will have three years to sell it before any taxable gain starts to accrue.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cgt/property/sell-own-home.htm#2

I have a suspicion that it may be changing at the moment to be any gains while he lived there and the next 18 months (down from 3 years) being CGT exempt. I think it may also be worked out straight line and pro-rated rather than based on values at specific dates?

PasturesNew wrote: »

I use carrier bags for a lot of things, as did my dad. He used to take papers to meetings in carrier bags....and go swimming using a carrier bag for his trunks/towel. Everything with him was in carrier bags.

I'll take one out to the car to clear the car out ... then lob it into a box with the previous carrier bags I've done the same with in the past.

I also use carrier bags when going away - some stuff goes into carrier bags (e.g. walking shoes and crocs; toiletries). I use carrier bags to separate my stuff .... then lob all the carrier bags into a big Ikea bag to get them out to the car.

I line wastebins with them and, at the moment, just hang one off the sink cupboard handle to act as a kitchen bin ... then, when it's full and I'm going out, I'll take it with me and dump it in a public/supermarket car park bin.

I'm pretty scruffy like that .... so me keeping carrier bags is more "bag lady style" than posh

Snap, we do all those things and more.

I think we have office on 2 PCs about 2000 or 2002, I think you can open most versions if you install the appropriate add ons? The netbook I am using borrowed from work should have it but the HD died and it didn't come with office disks so no way of reinstalling. With old office that has reached it's install limit is it not possible to get microsoft to allow more installs via customer services?

Generali

zagubov wrote: »

Apropos of nothing, this is quite cool
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/06/24/the-blue-and-the-green/#.UwImoX8gGSM
:beer:

Quite cool? Amazing more like!

Hope lydia and viva are doing ok.

I just want this lump hacked out now. Sick of it as it's been hurting every since the biopsy. The weather's crap too. And my back hurts. And my boss is being a pest. Beggur it all .

Anyhoo, enough moaning. As long as I've got my health....ah.

On a brighter note I'm dog sitting this weekend. No wife, no kids. Just me and a good book and a dog. I was meant to do this a while back but some loony killed a nurse or something which meant no dog sitting, albeit indirectly.

chewmylegoff

Michaels is right on the changes to PRR - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/264601/13._Capital_gains_tax_private_residence_relief_final_period_relief.pdf

I hadn't heard of this and it is only recently announced - to come into force this April. It says there is an exemption for those moving into care but the situation Lydia described probably doesn't meet the HMRC's definition of what care is.

Any gain is calculated straight line (ie if you own for 10 years but move out after 8, with an 18 month 'grace' period 1/20th of the total gain would be subject to CGT - annual CGT allowance would apply in the year of sale though).