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tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US
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tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US |
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Subject: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: JB3 Date: 25 Jul 99 - 03:15 PM I have a new website for my business (www.dancenetwork.net)and need to access my responses whilst on holiday to England, Wales, Ireland, and France. A friend has offered to loan me their laptop computer, but I am confused about the differences in electrical current and have questions about how easy it would be to hook up with a local provider. We will be staying in Southampton, for our homebase. I have found a few cyber-cafes where I might be able to get online. Do the libraries in UK have internet access? The ones here in Houston do. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading all this! June Burton |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Llanfair Date: 25 Jul 99 - 03:29 PM Hi, June. I can't answer the technical stuff, but if our little part-time library in Llanfair has internet access, I,m sure all the others do, too. Bron. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Peter T. Date: 25 Jul 99 - 04:36 PM JB3, You need a transformer (not just plug) if you are going to run the laptop from an outlet (these are pretty easy to get). Remember also that you may be asked to turn the laptop on at smaller airports, so either make sure that there is enough battery power, or you still have the right plug for the country you are in. There are internet sites in libraries all over the U.K. Any American Express office will give you nearby places on arrival. They probably have sites in their offices for rent by now (I haven't been in one for years, so don't know, but I'll bet they do). If you are wary (or weary) of trying local service providers, you might consider that IBM has (or did have a couple of months ago) a online server connected to its offices around the world, and if you pay a minimal fee, they give you a piece of software (you can download it), and you can use it in each country. You are essentially piggybacking on IBM's inhouse server. I have used it in many countries with no problem (well, the usual problems). I don't have the US number, but it shouldn't be too hard to find. What makes it worthwhile is that you are making a local call (which is more expensive in the UK, because they stupidly charge time for local calls, but anyway), rather than doing anything more drastic. yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Penny S. Date: 25 Jul 99 - 06:18 PM I have a friend who was able to use his laptop in my place, but we had to go and buy a three pin to two pin converter (aka shaver socket). Current differences didn't matter, as his own transformer could deal with that. You need to check the specific laptop specs for that. Don't assume all libraries will have internet access, as the counties have different priorities in finances. Kent is in the process of doing this, but hasn't yet. Gloucestershire has some libraries wired, and others not. You need to check with the Southampton library service somehow. It is a large university town, and may have an Internet cafe, but these have a history over here of opening and closing. Sorry to be down beat, but I've tried accessing my e-mail around the country, and it isn't always easy. Penny |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Penny S. Date: 25 Jul 99 - 06:24 PM This site may have something useful on it. It has a library section. http://www.southampton.gov.uk/ Penny |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Jeri Date: 25 Jul 99 - 07:13 PM June, Penny's right - check the back of the transformer that comes with the computer. (That little box thingie that goes in between the power socket and the computer.) Most of these will work just about anywhere. For example, mine says 120-240 V, 50-60Hz. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Tony Burns Date: 25 Jul 99 - 09:05 PM There is one other thing to watch for Jane and that is the software on the laptop. There are some software packages that have distinct North American and International licences. This normally means that the encryption on the North American licence is stonger than the world wide licence. It is illegal to take North American licenced software outside of North America and you could be stopped at the border. Make sure you know what software is installed. France is a whole other kettle of fish when it comes to encryption. The French government will not allow software with encryption greater than 40 bits to be sold in the country unless they are given the source code. Large companies are reluctant to hand over their intellectual property that easily so provide "dumbed down" encryption for the French market. I don't know what the French laws are concerning laptops travelling through. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Wotcha Date: 26 Jul 99 - 11:54 AM You might want to check that your modem is in synch/rated for the UK: the frequencies are different in many places. I believe that you can purchase cards that get over that problem. Oh, if you buy anything electrical in the UK (while we are on the subject of cultural dissonance) be sure to buy a plug and fuses (each plug is fused)... electrical appliances don't come with 'em generally -- oh, and good luck figuring out the color coding for the wires (is it red for live, blue for neg, and earth for a green and yellow shade?).
Cheers, Brian |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: SueH Date: 26 Jul 99 - 12:16 PM er.... most appliances have moulded plugs on them now, Brian. But if you do need to wire a plig, the wires are blue, brown & yellow now. Yellow is the earth & goes in the middle, & to remember how to wire the other 2, remember the 2nd letter of each colour - ie bLue to the left, bRown to the right. An old electrician's tip (- ot that I know any old electricians.... Sue |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Peter T. Date: 26 Jul 99 - 12:22 PM 1) Various comments above are correct about some laptops. I have an older one, which needs a transformer. As mentioned, check! 2) Neither American Express nor Thomas Cook run in-house e-mail/Internet services anymore (I asked today). They did for awhile, but it got to be too much of a hassle. So much for customer service. yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Tony Burns Date: 26 Jul 99 - 12:38 PM If you just want to check email and Mudcat all you need is someone who will give you access to their browser. I have heard that http://mailstart.com/ is a good service. Once upon a time I used my Hotmail account to get my real email. It worked fine. With either of these systems there should be an option to "leave mail on server" I would select that. What that means is that when you get home you can get all the mail while you were away again. That gives you the option of only handling the really important stuff while you are away. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: GeorgeH Date: 26 Jul 99 - 01:37 PM Everything seems to have been covered, except that the Earth wire is NEVER yellow. It SHOULD ALWAS be Green and Yellow; i.e. green with a yellow trace. (In house wiring you may see a yellow installed wire; treat it at LIVE!! Yellow is used for one core of two-way switch installations.) G. |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: Penny S. Date: 26 Jul 99 - 03:57 PM And the shaver sockets have an unusual fuse. Try a Tandy shop (san=me as Radio Shack) Penny |
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Subject: RE: tech. question UK travel w/ laptop from US From: JB3 Date: 30 Jul 99 - 11:31 AM Wow, lots of helpful information. Thanks, Llanfair, Peter, Penny, Jen, Tony, Wotcha, Sue, and George. There's even more to it than I imagined. Since the laptop is not mine, I couldn't be sure about which programs are installed. Who ever heard of illegal importing of software! I do have a hotmail account, and so should be able to check email if I do find any computers on my travels. Thanks for all the tips! June B. |
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