“resetting” docker

I tried to run “docker –version” on my Mac and it hung. That’s odd. I rebooted and same thing. After some useless fiddling, I decided to try reinstalling. Here’s what I did:

  1. Deleted /docker folder from Applications (this was the old Toolkit which I think I haven’t used in ages)
  2. Tried to delete Docker app from Applications. That failed because it was in use.
  3. Opened Activity Monitor and killed docker
  4. Actually deleted Docker app from Applications.
  5. Reinstalled Docker Desktop

While this was likely way overkill, it worked. And once I stopped fiddling, it took less than 15 minutes

Update: The next time I tried to do something, I got a prompt to accept XCode’s license agreement. That was likely the original problem causing the “hang”

the secret chromebook end of life policy

My mother is a happy Chromebook user. I’m a less than a happy Chromebook purchaser at the moment. Why you ask? Here’s my history

  • 2012 – first laptop. This was a second generation model (the first ever Chromebooks were in 2011. I waited a year to see if they would have legs. It end of life’d for security updates earlier this year (or 2018; I forget). Not bad.
  • 2014 – The first Chromebooks with built in 4G were released. I thought this would be good as she’d have 4G. It was. At first. Then we realized you have to be on wifi to get updates so I gave her an AT&T wifi hotspot instead. This computer hit end of life for updates this year. Luckily, it happened after the computer was in my possession and not hers. She wanted to replace it because computers age. No problem. Five years is a good amount of time for an inexpensive device.
  • 2019 – I picked the Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532). It end of life’s in August 2021. That means we only have two years before that machine can no longer get updates.
  • 2021 – I get to involuntary bug a new Chromebook.

I learned today that Google has an automatic end of life policy. It says you can’t get updates after 6.5 years from when the hardware is first released. So I only get two years of updates because the model of computer has existed for four years. I didn’t know this when I bought the machine. If I did, I would have sat there looking up the end of life dates for every model at Best Buy.

Granted the computer only costs $240. But there is a cost to setting up a new computer when you don’t live near it. One that I’d like to minimize.

Oh and the reason I was looking at the in the first place? Amazon Music is no longer working properly. I can’t tell yet if it is the war Amazon and Google are having or something more mundane.

Pathways 2019 changes

There have been a number of changes to Toastmasters Pathways in 2019. This is one of the benefits of an electronic program.

Some highlights:

  • The Engaging Humor path is new. I’ve updated the Presentation comparing paths to include it.
  • The “Reflect on your Path” project is no longer part of level 5. It is now a separate “Path Completion” level. This means that level 5 is now one required project and one elective.
  • You can now both view and give speeches in any order. This is great news. It makes the 90 day option to change a path useful as you can browse. (Just don’t mark any projects complete until you are sure you want the path.) Additionally, you can give a “later” speech to work on a skill you need now.