Just to say that I've decided to retire from these forums as a helper, something I'd contemplated doing before my 71st birthday in Sept anyhow.

I didn't want to just vanish without saying cheerio to the odd one or two who might still recognise my name. The 9x forum was my stamping ground from mid-1999 so I've had a good innings. I've met some great people and it's been fun, particularly on 9x when we were often forced to get down to the nitty gritty.

I've never actually busted anyone's machine, which pleases me, and I've enjoyed "mucking-in" with the team to fix problems. However, I do need to opt out in case age starts affecting my postings.

I'm aiming to find more relaxing things to do with what time I'm blessed with. I might even get my body clock back to a UK setting at last - those birds make one heck of a noise when I go to bed.

I did become traitor and help out on the XP forum a bit but I'm tiring of a particular situation over there so I thought I'd grab a couple of extra months of summer and ship out right now. I'm sure my wife would appreciate more of my time.

I'll just stick around until any posts I'm involved with fizzle out. Recipes for possible withdrawal symptoms are welcome. Good luck to all and keep the ole Computing.Net flag flying.

Bye now

DerekW

This is going to be a loss for CN. Although I'll say this, once a propeller head .... always a propeller head.

Stay safe & good luck with everything ahead.

Hi,

Sorry to see you go Derek, you'll be missed. Like we discussed in private today and yesterday, if anything changes your mind, let me know. Until then, thanks so much for all your effort!

Justin

Derek

You will be missed. You know most folks here come and go and return again as the time and inclination suits them. I hope you do the same. You know if you stay away too long your brain will turn to putty. I come here to try and stay sharp and keep from snacking. You do have a few years on me. When I registered for this forum I thought I might be the old fogey. I learned that there a quite a number of regulars that top my 63 years. Well, as I said, come back when the mood strikes. You don't have to make it full time you know. I've aften wondered about the hours you keep. I'm 5 hours behind you, yet sometimes your still here when I pack it in. Good Luck

Quote from Othehill. "You know if you stay away too long your brain will turn to putty. I come here to try and stay sharp and keep from snacking."

I have both of you beat when it comes to age and my brain is well on the way to putty. I think this forum slows the dementia process somewhat. At least i hope so. Don't completely reject the idea of coming back, Derek. At least consider popping in once in a while. You're one of the 'really' good guys.

Use it or lose it. ;)

I strongly think you should reconsider young man.

:)

I too would like to express my pleasure of having communicated with you via these forums (since mid 1999 myself).

We will still be here and welcome you back with open arms if you decide to show yourself or when your wife gets tired of you being around too much :).

Best regards,
Bryan

It has always been a pleasure. I faded from here some time ago but have just recently (this year) not been posting help in any forums.

Good luck.

Derek you're old not dead. And as long as your posts show up in the search function you never will be.

I too will miss you. I learned early on to pay particular attention to those who knew on these forums.

Your name was high on my list. I know a lot of people still using 98 and ME. Your departure is a loss to all.

That being said, enjoy yourself. You deserve it. I'll miss you. Thanks for everything;

RandyL

Derek,

I'll miss your extensive experience and level-headed manner.

If you get to Thailand, gimme a shout.

Best regards,

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

Derek,

I am sorry to see you go. I will miss reading your down-to-earth postings.

I also hope you will put aside your curosity about Windows XP DropMyRights and enjoy your Golden Years :-) You deserve it.

Best Regards

i_Xp/VistaUser

Derek, I can't add much to whats already been said, except to say goodbye & wish you well.

HTH

Dave

If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

Hi Derek,

I used to post on the Windows 95/98 forum at Computing.Net around 2001-2003.

Derek, I'll never forget Computing, the knowledgeable guys and gals who were posting here and especially the perfect solutions and advice you were providing to everyone in the need!

Thanks a lot for what you gave here!

Thanks a lot for so many wonderful hours on the Web!

Take care!
You know my email address and I will always be so glad to received some news from you!

Gerard, from Paris, France

PS- Hello to people I met here years ago: Justin -of course-, OtheHill, Bryco, sekirt, RandyL...

Justin, would you have the number of messages posted by Derek? 30,000? 20,000? 40,000?

Come on now, Derek, quit kidding around. Or is this just a ploy for a raise? (Oh, right, that's not a factor here.) It does me no good to poke occasional fun at those in the 'old country' if no one's there to listen. I know the forum's slowed down but no more so than, say, a typical soccer match. Well I hope you have a good fishing spot picked out. (They do allow fishing there don't they?)

You do realize this takes you out of the running in the Last Man's Club? The cognac is getting better with age. (I imagine the Coronas Mesich donated have gone flat by now.)

How about Contributor Emeritus? That way the door is always open.

Thanks folks for all the kind words. I did wonder if anyone would spot this on the 9x forum as it has slowed down so much.

I have to say that I've made my final blunder (on this post). I forgot to say how much I've "learned" on here since those earlier days. Many of you are responsible for this tuition, as well as past names such as WhitPhil, reghakr & Doofus whom only some of you will remember.

Don't worry DAVE I can take the knocks about the 'old country'. Give me a shout if you ever come over and I'll warm up a beer for you. Thanks for taking over so many newbie and/or tricky posts when I was clearly waning in the early hours this end. True team spirit.

As for leaving doors ajar on here, well I have pretty well made my mind up to get on with other aspects of life. As there are less helpers on 9x, if I see some poster struggling and in the unlikely event I think I happen to have a quick cute answer... well "maybe" I won't be able to resist.

Hey, I actually managed to get my XP as reliable as my W98SE and in months rather than years too (although I did begin to wonder at first).

Once this post goes 24h with no further input I'll ask JW to ditch it. Nice to have met you all - hands across the sea and all that....

Cheers & beers

DerekW

Hello Derek

Good luck with your "retirement" !

The good old days on computing.net were such a laugh with Win9X, shame that XP came along to spoil the fun !!!

Best regards
Krystyna

Krystyna (Paris/Sydney/Szczecin)

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Bye Derek, I will not ask you to stay.

As I feel that when you go public with a statement that you are leaving you should just walk away.

Good to see some of the older folks popping in on this thread. Nice to know they still exist.

Bryan

Hi DAVE, Derek, Krystyna, soupnasty, Bryco, hi everybody,

"Once this post goes 24h with no further input I'll ask JW to ditch it."
No, I don't agree! ;-)
Though not a technical thread, I would like to find it here in some months/years...
Please, Justin, would you like to keep this thread online?

Have a good day,
Gérard from Paris, France

Thankyou Derek for all your input.

Nice to hear from you again Krystina and thx - yeah, happy days. Thanks also Tubesandwires, you just overlapped me on this reply.

Agreed, soupnasty - no point p--sy footing around, I'm off to enjoy myself. [Ooops I chose the wrong word there LOL and it got auto modified]

Your kind thoughts are very much appreciated Frenchie but many others have come and gone around these parts and this post is in the off topic category. I would prefer it not to run into another day. I've plenty of stuff in Google already.

Account & PM's staying open so I can keep an occasional eye on developments or maybe seek help myself sometime.

DerekW

Although I stopped posting in this forum yonks ago and moved onto the "unfun" XP forum I still on occassion pop in to see how things are going, so it was by chance I seen this post and just had to say a few words to Derek.

Good Luck

I said it was only a few words and geez, look at all the oldies coming outta the woodwork....good to see you all again.

cop ya later people

RR [now into my 9th year here]

Nice to hear from you RR and glad you caught this post. 10 years eh - no parole (or pay roll) I guess LOL.

I've been rushing around on XP forum too but decided to post here where I started. Seems most have stumbled upon it. JW must be away, I didn't expect to see it still here today.

DerekW

Leave here for posterity as Gérard seems to suggest, we don't often get to say goodbye to 'one of our own'.

... Well, I was pretty definite in my email to JW.
I guess I'll leave it up to him.

DerekW

Derek have a great retirement but i think you should post a youtube video of yourself wearing all those cool looking hawaiian hula skirts you have lined up.

Geez, how did you find out about that LOL.

DerekW

Derek,

Your presence will be sorely missed.

If you're ever here (across the pond), look me up. We'll have a cold (albeit American) brew waiting...

T-R-A

Hi Derek, Justin, hi everyone,

Okay Derek: you would like this thread not to stay in a technical section but look at this one which is still in Windows 95/98...

Happy New year (2003)

;-) Goode olde time!

Have a good day,
Gérard from Paris, France

Derek, Hate to see you leave the forums. You have helped out many over the years with your expertise. Whatever you decide I wish you the best in the future.

Take care and the best of everything to you.

Tufenuf

Well, OK, if Justin cares to leave this in place then I won't argue. Not as my epitaph though, more as a reminder of the formative years of this forum and the team spirit that prevailed, which I hope will continue for the life of this forum.

There was once some talk of "ranking". If that had happened I would have walked away right then. Sure, everyone is allowed a quiet buzz if their suggestion happens to clinch a post (we are only human) but I believe that is as far as it should ever go. Even newbies have taught me the odd lesson.

It is far more important that folks work together for the benefit of others and boy, there's been plenty of that over the years - even though posters often vanished into cyberspace after our inputs.

Thx Tufenuf. I've not failed to notice you moving quietly around these forums, almost always hitting the nail right on the head when you respond - just keep doing it.

Thanks also T-R-A. It's nice to see that so many of my mentors spotted this post.

DerekW

Derek

I wasn't going to respond to this thread again but your response immediately above moves me to.
I have to say that truer words were never spoken. You are a Gentleman and a Scholar.

Oh my, must I really bid a solemn farewell to you Derek?

Back pre-2000, I knew little of computing.net and less of you, but after reading many posts on which you replied, and seeing how knowledgeable and clear-spoken you were, I drew courage to ask you personally for help and feared nothing as a result... You've been there for my computer woes ever since. Would you believe I still have every one of your DOS instructions !??! Ha!

A gigantic "Thank You" to you, computing.net, and to the many others who stepped in when you were catching zzzz's! It was nice to see their names on this very post.

Best to you ~ Nikki “L”

OtheHill
You "nearly" scored a first there and left me speechless (that'll be the day) - thank you so much.

Nikki
It's been a pleasure but we'll be in contact again no doubt. Btw there are folk on this very post who can run rings around me on DOS - I get by well enough, that's all. Nice to see yet another "poster" popping in on here, if you don't mind that handle.

Well, this thread must surely be devoid of further inputs now. May I say that it kinda reminds me of the words of one of my best bosses, after all the nice things folk had said at his retirement do. Adjusting his words, to echo this particular situation, would go something like this:

"You know, you lot really ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I start a thread to say goodbye and all you can do is keep talking about this other bloke".

Have fun (I will) & thanks all.

DerekW

Sorry to be late here Derek. As I said in my PM, just moved across the country. Now your PM makes sense after seeing this post. I was wondering.....

Gonna miss your input, but enjoy your newfound extra curricular activities!

Take care and best wishes.

Dan

It's a good day when you learn something

Derek - When a truly useful source of knowledge is removed from the mix it leaves a large vacancy which is very difficult to replace. None of us lasts forever although our influence, if we are lucky. lingers on for awhile. I just hope there are some people out there who will fill the void with equal substance and give the rest of us poor souls a way out of the darkness. Thank you for kind assistance and understanding. Sky42

Thx for you kind words sky42. We come and go, but linger for a very long time in "Go Search" on this website and even Google.

DerekW

Hi Derek, Sabertooth, Justin Weber, OtheHill, max00, Viking, Bryan, sekirt, RandyL, M2, XpUser, Dave, Gérard, DAVEINCAPS, Krystyna, soupnasty, Tubesandwires, Ronnie Ratt, T-R-A, Tufenuf, Nikki, Dan, sky42, hi everyone

"Account & PM's staying open..."
"As there are... ...able to resist."
Derek's <status>
"...Regenerating..."
"...We are one, we are The Collective.
The Collective will prevail.
Resistance is futile...:\>_" :-)

Be back soon!!! Please...
In the meanwhile have fun during regeneration...

My very best Regards and Wishes to you and your loved ones,
The Count, Co-webmaster of mesich.com

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The Count

I still grab a look every now and then LOL. Thx.

DerekW

Hi Derek, Sabertooth, Justin Weber, OtheHill, max00, Viking, Bryan, sekirt, RandyL, M2, XpUser, Dave, Gérard, DAVEINCAPS, Krystyna, soupnasty, Tubesandwires, Ronnie Ratt, T-R-A, Tufenuf, Nikki, Dan, sky42, hi everyone

It does one good to see you are still with The Collective.
"You have been assimilated:\>_" ;-)

Best Regards and Wishes,
The Count, Co-webmaster of mesich.com

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I ~do~ have your email address Derek. Don't expect it won't be used......... ;>)

It's a good day when you learn something

Dan

Always happy to receive emails from anyone but if you have that old email addy with my name in it then I no longer look at it (spam ridden).

If you ever wish to email then PM me for the latest address, I look back here from time to time.

...some other bloke...

Hey Derek, I've not spent much time here
lately, but when I did it was always good
hearing your opinions on any matter buddy..
Sorry to see you go, Hope to still hear from
you now & then...
It's been a pleasure mate..
Bye..!

Thx Ken, the pleasure is reciprocated. Sorry abt delay (just back from 2 weeks in France).

...some other bloke...

Derek,

Speaking as a former non-PC and LAN support tech who followed your advice on numerous occasions when confronted with a supposedly "obsolete" computer and am now gainfully employed fixing computers (a considerable number of which still run 98SE), I believe that I owe you a drink.
If you're ever in Smithville NJ, the email is akai11@comcast.net. The beers are on me.
Many thanks.

Rich Dennis

Thx akai11

If I ever pass your way I'll sure hold you to that drink LOL.

Err...bit of advice:
NEVER put your email addy in "open text" on the internet or the spammers engines will find it and you'll get junk email forever. [Voice of bad experience speaking].

On here we can just click your name and get your address, and it's encoded so quite safe. On other forums disguise it somehow. Lots of ways but using "at sign" instead of the single character is one, or adding DELETE THIS somewhere which only humans will understand.

Personal Messages with addy's in them are quite safe on here too.

Excuse lecture.

...some other bloke...