NOTHING IS EVER EASY.

If you've video taped your family events and plan to transfer them to DVD's be careful about your choice of machines. Several years back, using a GO.VIDEO brand DVD burner, I played the old videos through the machine, using my television set as a monitor, and burned everything to DVD..The machine changes the analog signal to digital. It was a lot of work, with titles and multiple indexes and so on. Then I set out to make copies for each of the kids and some other family members. Nyet! The newly burned DVD's would only play on GO.VIDEO despite the company's literature to the contrary.
I tried them on friend's machines, computers, every different system imaginable, over a year, nothing!
Fast forward to rescue 2009. My daughter got me started with a Dazzle, which feeds directly into the computer for a monitor AND burner. Every piece of new equipment you buy will claim ease of use. Don't believe it. Its NEVER easy. It took many tries to get the thing half way working. I failed miserably because the machine isn't easy to use, and the directions are minimal. It stumped Jim. With infinite patience, my daughter and I gave it one last try. Finally, results. We were actually able to save video into a hard drive and then burn from it. Otherwise I'd have no room on my computer to hold that much video.
It took a solid week of diligent work, but I transferred everything and made copies times 5. IT WASN'T EASY. I can breathe a sigh of relief. I don't know why I always fall for the newest technology.

Last night, a guy named Brian told me about this great new technology, the web cam, earphones and Skype. I'm going to figure out how to call all over the world, and from Thailand, FREE. Its a snap, all you have to do is download the program before you go. Easy. Great. Can't wait.
You know that old adage? If it sounds too good to be true it probably is? Especially true for new electronic devices. Nothing is EVER easy.

(Times 5)