I am mad at technology, though technically I am experiencing the effects of a PEBCAK (problem exists between chair and keyboard) error. I am frustrated with technology because it was issues with technology that led to this particular user malfunction.
Unlike blog posts, discussion forum posts don’t have a draft-saving option. [ETA: Super PEBCAK error – they DO have a save draft function!!! Please tell me there is a reset button for the last 24 hours!] Therefore writing and publishing them is a one-stop-shop deal. However, my plans to get around that previously – writing my post in Evernote and then copying and pasting – have led to formatting errrors that I can’t seem to rectify easily on the forum. Since this aesthetic mismatch really bothered me in my first forum post, I decided to draft in Evernote but publish my final copy by directly typing into the forum box. As one does, I edited my writing along the way and added some video, graphics and hyperlinking. Midway through compiling my reference list last night, I realised that I was late for heading out to a farewell party and left the computer without saving my work in any way.
Happily, when I returned to my computer this morning, there was my post waiting oatiently for me. I jumped in and completed my reference list, closing the browser windows after carefully hyperlinking every website. At this point, a prudent, wise and non-congested technology user would consider not tempting fate and backing up more than an hour’s work by simply selecting all and copying and pasting to their Evernote file. Woe is me! I clicked submit and fell down the rabbithole of “I am sorry, but you do not have access to this area of the site.” Yes – my login had expired and all that work gurgled down the virtual drain. So – note to self (and anyone still reading – backup your work in whatever way you can, whenever you can, always remember to back up your work.
But at least I got a reflection post out of it … and one with no citations needed!