My new employer provided me with a beast of a laptop… that runs on Windows 11. I’ve been using computers for 32 years, i’ve been writing about computers for half my life, and yet, i feel like a complete beginner. I’ve had to use Windows here and there over the years, but it clearly wasn’t enough to build any kind of muscle memory. I have to consider every click and scroll, because everything feels misplaced and illogical.

The same could be said about the job itself — i’m managing a creative team that builds learning and e-learning resources. I have to get familiar with a new commute and a new office, learn new faces and new names, grapple with new tools and new practices. Every single little thing is mentally taxing not because it’s hard, but because i have to think about it. As long as company culture isn’t second nature, i won’t be able to concentrate on the actual job.

It’s been a long time since i began anew, but i have a lot more experience under my belt. I need to build muscle quickly, that’s for sure, but i know that i also need to pace myself. I have to learn to walk before i can run, but believe me, i can’t wait to get there. I so missed learning new things. Even if some of them are how to use Windows 11.

Things

iMac M1. Apart from the screen size, what’s the difference between a 24-inch iMac and a 27-inch Studio Display? Both are computers powered by Apple Silicon. Both have Thunderbolt connectivity. Both have mediocre webcams and surprising speakers. Why, then, can’t i use my iMac as an external display now that i don’t need it as a computer anymore? Your guess is as good as mine. It’s not like Apple doesn’t know how to do this — older models had Target Display Mode. I shouldn’t have to throw away a perfectly good screen because i don’t need its computer parts, but here we are. So much for being “dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it”.