Drastic spring cleaning

[Katsunami]

With spring just having started, I decided to do a little cleaning, and so I've formatted my computer, all my backups, and re-installed Windows 7. I'm starting over from scratch.

Uhm. OK. Not THAT drastic

What I did do was split up my media library (books, music, movies, games) into a part which contains stuff I have actually used, and another part that contains all the rest. Regarding books, I've deleted all freebees I've owned for years but not read, and split off all of my PD books to their own library.

I'm not going to buy any new media any longer, except when it moves straight to a top spot on my "to use" list, and the media I already have but haven't used yet will be considered first, before buying anything new.

For example, I really want to play Pillars of Eternity (released 26-03-2015), but my 6.5 year old computer (barely) meets the minimum system requirements. The CPU is underpowered, just meeting minimum, and the rest of the parts do meet the minimum requirements, but not the recommended ones. Personally, I've always used the recommended specs as a minimum, as when using the REAL minimum, the game will boot... but that's about it

A new computer is slated to be built somewhere in the 6 months after Windows 10 releases, and it'll probably have the power to run PoE multiple times at once. Waiting will also bring down the price of the game, some patches will probably be realeased, and it won't be too hard to wait, because I have multiple games on my To (Re)Play list.

To some extend, I think it was more fun to own something, back in the days of real books, real games in boxes, and real CD's, just because of the fact that you *couldn't* have everything: it was too expensive, and it took up too much space. Because of that, it took some serious consideration and research if you wanted to buy something new.

Now that everything is digital, with a lot of media dirt-cheap and only taking up hard drive space (which is also dirt-cheap), I sometimes feel it's just becoming a chore to keep it all organized instead of a pleasure to own it.

Maybe I'm just nostalgic or something.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

...
I'm not going to buy any new media any longer, except when it moves straight to a top spot on my "to use" list, and the media I already have but haven't used yet will be considered first, before buying anything new.
...

Let us know how that works out for you, I doubt I could do it even though I have enough to read for 3 lifetimes.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Let us know how that works out for you, I doubt I could do it even though I have enough to read for 3 lifetimes.

It works out fairly well. A few days ago I bought the book Sacajewa, after DiapDealer mentioned it, because looks like it's smack dab in the middle of a genre I really like (historical fiction), and I'm interested enough in it that I has moved to the number two spot on my To Read list.

What book did I buy before Sacajawea? I can't remember what I bought, and when. Honestly. It must have been MONTHS ago.

[Jessica Lares]

You shouldn't let deals dictate what you will or will not buy. You're not going to buy one book because it's $12.99, yet you're going to allow yourself to buy $20 worth of $0.99 books which you'll never read.

I don't let spending money get to me. That doesn't mean I just throw it at whatever, but I don't think about it when something comes along and really grabs my attention. I already know that I have this much of it to set aside for later, this much of it going to bills, this much should be kept around for food, and this little bit can be used for whatever and I shouldn't go over it. Why am I going to overcomplicate buying something as mundane as a book, game, or album?

I don't think about losing control of my collections either, it's not really a problem. In 10 years, my music buying habits will become stagnated, I won't be buying games, and I'll probably still be OK with my book collection since I've already strategized my organization and it's working well. You're going to be organizing stuff either way, and you're probably going to use very similar tactics in this day and age. I don't know why it irks people, I take pride in having everything all nicely setup.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

You're going to be organizing stuff either way, and you're probably going to use very similar tactics in this day and age. I don't know why it irks people, I take pride in having everything all nicely setup.

Everything is organized now.

Books, games, music, and DVD/Blu-Rays. I've just split off all of the freebee and public domain stuff (books), and the cheap buys/gifts that I will possibly never use (games, music, DVD/Blu-Rays). Maybe I'll give them a look now and again, and see if I'll do something with an old game or watch one of those movies.

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

You shouldn't let deals dictate what you will or will not buy. You're not going to buy one book because it's $12.99, yet you're going to allow yourself to buy $20 worth of $0.99 books which you'll never read.

I don't let spending money get to me. That doesn't mean I just throw it at whatever, but I don't think about it when something comes along and really grabs my attention. I already know that I have this much of it to set aside for later, this much of it going to bills, this much should be kept around for food, and this little bit can be used for whatever and I shouldn't go over it. Why am I going to overcomplicate buying something as mundane as a book, game, or album?

I don't think about losing control of my collections either, it's not really a problem. In 10 years, my music buying habits will become stagnated, I won't be buying games, and I'll probably still be OK with my book collection since I've already strategized my organization and it's working well. You're going to be organizing stuff either way, and you're probably going to use very similar tactics in this day and age. I don't know why it irks people, I take pride in having everything all nicely setup.

I've started thinking this way myself. Two new rules:

1) If I'm willing to buy something at full price and intent to read/play/watch it now, I'll buy it.

2) If something's on sale, but I wouldn't buy it at full price, I don't buy it.

But then that also goes parallel with just generally stressing less about my various media collections. They're only marginally important to me; much less than my stress and worry capacities.

[Katsunami]

The one thing I've decided not to follow up on is waiting with playing Pillars of Eternity.

After some more research, it looked like I should be able to run the game without too much problems, and I took the plunge, buying it at full price. (The last time I did that was with Dragon Age: Origins in 2009.) The worst outcome would be that I couldn't play it now, thus spending about €20 more than I would next year. Well... I can live with that, if it's money for GOG.com. I gladly support them.

The outcome is that the game seems to run fine on this old rig, with some power to spare even, and I've put everything else (my current Baldur's Gate run, reading at home, and other hobbies at home) on hold to play this thing. If nothing strange happens, it looks like that there's finally a game again that I *really* want to play.

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

The one thing I've decided not to follow up on is waiting with playing Pillars of Eternity.

After some more research, it looked like I should be able to run the game without too much problems, and I took the plunge, buying it at full price. (The last time I did that was with Dragon Age: Origins in 2009.) The worst outcome would be that I couldn't play it now, thus spending about €20 more than I would next year. Well... I can live with that, if it's money for GOG.com. I gladly support them.

The outcome is that the game seems to run fine on this old rig, with some power to spare even, and I've put everything else (my current Baldur's Gate run, reading at home, and other hobbies at home) on hold to play this thing. If nothing strange happens, it looks like that there's finally a game again that I *really* want to play.

As much as I usually hold back on purchases lately, I did the same with Bloodborne. I'm glad I did it. When I want to play something, and I have the drive to experience it now, I usually listen to that feeling and embrace it. It makes me feel like a more involved purchaser of media - someone who actually supports what they want.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I'm not going to buy any new media any longer, except when it moves straight to a top spot on my "to use" list, and the media I already have but haven't used yet will be considered first, before buying anything new.

I've started doing that last year. Especially with books, but also with games.

Originally Posted by Katsunami

For example, I really want to play Pillars of Eternity (released 26-03-2015), but my 6.5 year old computer (barely) meets the minimum system requirements. The CPU is underpowered, just meeting minimum, and the rest of the parts do meet the minimum requirements, but not the recommended ones. Personally, I've always used the recommended specs as a minimum, as when using the REAL minimum, the game will boot... but that's about it

I've hovered over the buy button several times, but finally decided not to do it, as I still have BG and BG2 to finish (and about a dozen other games too...) I bought Corel Paint Shop Pro instead and started using it immediately.

[Tarana]

With all your planned housekeeping, have you remembered to have a backup of your books (and other important stuff like photos) at a location that is not your home? All the saving and sorting won't help you much if you have a fire or thieves break in and steal all your computer stuff. Even though the electronics were untouched by flame, the wiring and stuff inside is damaged from the heat. The only thing that actually survived my relative's fire was the Ipod, but the fire chief said not to use it until the battery was replaced (it worked though, even partially melted!).

I keep the backup drive at my sister's and she keeps her backup at my brother's. Some folks keep their backups in a safety deposit box along with their financials. Anyway, just a point.

I moved my freebee books to their own library. They don't take up much space there and I may get to them eventually. Like Diane Gabaldon's Outlander, most of my freebees are backlist books.

[Katsunami]

I have so many backups, on-site and off-site, that the only things not being backed up are the house and myself

[Rbneader]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I've started doing that last year. Especially with books, but also with games.

I've hovered over the buy button several times, but finally decided not to do it, as I still have BG and BG2 to finish (and about a dozen other games too...) I bought Corel Paint Shop Pro instead and started using it immediately.

Don't force yourself to play BG and BG2 first. They're old, and the gameplay shows it. They look fine, but games have progressed a lot in introductions, UIs and player control since they came out. I couldn't get through either, and am never going to try BG again though I may make another attempt at BG2 one of these days.

Even if they were direct prequels, I would recommend skipping them if you get irritated and just playing POE. If you really want to try an older IE game first, Icewind Dale is still my favorite - epic story, looks great and is much easier to play.

On topic, I also buy things that I want at full price and wait for sales when I'm not totally convinced. When I just want to try something new I start at the library and deals sections for freebies. I've not regretted the change yet, although I don't know if it's saving me money. I am less aggravated and worried about my stuff, so there's that.

I'm trying to work out a coherent backup strategy though. My current PC is in the process of dying, so backups are happening as part of the transfer to my new PC.