Software Troubles

We have had a trying week.  We bought a new desktop computer, running Windows 8, and an Office 2013 licence.  I think I can safely say, without risking having to contradict myself in future, that Windows 8 is not going to be my favourite version of Windows.  Even worse, when I had installed Office 2013 I was puzzled that I couldn't find Picture Manager.   Office Picture Manager is the picture editing software we have been using for years - almost all the images in this blog have been processed that way. It does nearly everything I want to do with images, and is very simple to use, so it was a nasty surprise when I couldn't find it.  A bit of searching on the internet showed that there's a simple reason for that - it isn't part of the Office suite any more.     Microsoft has decided that users don't need it, apparently.   But I can't find an adequate substitute elsewhere in Office or Windows 8 - and judging by the many complaints I found on the internet, that's because there aren't any.  

Fortunately, following advice from t'internet, I've been able to get it back.  I still had the CDs from the very old version of Office running on the very old computer that we just got rid of, so I was able to install Picture Manager from there.    So I'm OK again, apart from still having to adapt to Windows 8.  I don't know why such contortions should be necessary - my laptop runs Windows 7 and  Office 2010 and I don't remember any difficulties with them. 

To show my appreciation of Picture Manager, here are images of two of my current knitting projects.    

Brought to this blog by Office Picture Manager...

The first is a lacy scarf that I have just started, in 4-ply sock yarn (i.e. fingering weight). It is a beautifully soft wool - Blue-faced Leicester.   It was dyed by my friend Steph who is selling skeins of it in wonderful colours through the Spun shop in Huddersfield.   I started with a provisional cast on,  so that I can join the ends when I have finished knitting (when I run out of yarn), to make an infinity scarf.  

... and so is this one.

The second photo is a close-up of a short-sleeved sweater that I'm knitting in 4-ply cotton.  It's one of Mary Quant's designs from 1965, in  a twisted rib stitch. 


More on both projects later.