advice for beginners

ChrisM

this past year i began keeping a journal for all my trees. it is just a simple notebook in which i write down almost everything that goes on with each tree so that i can track progress. it is also useful when trying new species, ones that you have never worked with. lets face it, we will all try something new and it will not work, so there we are with a dead tree. keeping notes about it will help to not make the same mistake twice, or if what you did worked, it serves as a reference as to what you can do. for instance, i have killed about five serissa now before my latest one. i did not have notes from the first ones, so i am left to guess as to what to do. however, this last one is doing very well. i don't know if i did anything different or not, but i am writing everything down so that i know what is successful. i even print some of the advice i get here and put it in the book as well. just write down the date, the tree your working with and what you did that day. you can also use the online journal feature here on BT. just a helpful hint (IMO), maybe it can help you too.

chris

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A bonsai is like a good marriage.You commit, for better or for worse, till death do you part. I DO!!!

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soonami

I do that too. I think many advanced bonsaists do too. I keep my notes on a notebook computer though. This way I can upload pictures from my digital camera, hot link to pages here or on the internet that or related, and it's easy to find something I wrote by using Ctrl+F (find). Oh virtuals work better too in electronic form, it's a lot easier than drawing with pencil

midwestbonsai

So what happends when the PC crashes or you get a nasty virus.
This has happend to me once and even though I still keep stuff on the PC I have a hard copy in a note book with real photos paper cliped to the pages.
-Paul

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ChrisM

i am with midwest, i once had a nasty virus on my cpu and had to start from scratch. maybe though with these new pocket drives, that is something to think about.

chris

__________________
A bonsai is like a good marriage.You commit, for better or for worse, till death do you part. I DO!!!

soonami

I have a seperate computer I keep documents and important files on that isn't connected to the internet, these little usp flash drives are great for transfering stuff back and forth. I got one that's 1 gb one for free.

Also, I've been cautious enough to not get a virus.

dracothered

Hi all,

One should always have an uptodate antivirus software installed on any computer that you use. Even ones not hooked to the internet because if you tranfer files from one computer to another there is always a chance of bringing a virus along. The other item that should always be done is backup any documents or other data files that you can't or don't want to lose. CD's now days are the best media to use. One last note if you hook to the internet with your computer you should use a firewall even if it is only through a modem conection (More so with High Speed Internet Conections).

NOTE: I would like to say even taking these steps dosen't mean that you can't get a virus or lose data, but these steps will help cut down the lose of important files that you do not want to loose.

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Corbin
Draco the Red

soonami

Personally I think the best protection is to be skeptical of everything on the internet. Don't open emails from anyone you do not know, don't click on any links you see in a chat room, don't allow automatic downloads, disable all pop-ups, ActiveX controls, and just be vigilant.

PatArizona

G'day all...

All of the security advice above is good...in fact more than good...

I keep my bonsai data on the PC...just a simple Word file(s) (one for each tree...1-3 pages). Then, I keep a hard copy file in a binder...this is where I record the "daily" notes.

I know...I know...a data base would be better...

From my experiance...keeping notes is a very good thing to do...getting these notes organized on the PC is better...add a hard copy to record your daily stuff, every day. It works for me...

Then, always remember, on your PC...backup...back up...backup...!

Pat

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BONSAI isn't about surviving in a storm, rather, how to dance in the rain.
THE ONLY WAY: Always remember, and don't ever forget, that whatever you read here is not cast in concrete... the intent of any advice is to help. In no way should you feel that I’m saying that my way is the only way…heaven forbid! I've seen far too much of the "my way or the highway" attitude in bonsai as well as in other areas of life.

ChrisM

here i thought i was giving helpful advice to those just starting out, and i wound up in a computer class (lol!!)

chris

__________________
A bonsai is like a good marriage.You commit, for better or for worse, till death do you part. I DO!!!