>
>
>
> Hi guys,
>
> Long time no see. I just thought I'd post an email (with a few
> omissions/modifications) that I just got finished sending someone in the
> group. I'm sorry that it's so long-winded - but maybe, just maybe, there is
> a morsel or two in my autistic narrative that might be helpful to someone.
> As I say in the email, I really regret not telling you guys about a laptop
> computer that I had known about for months that seemed relatively benign (at
> least to me). What a big "D'OH" on my part. I guess my "reasoning", if you
> can call it that - for not mentioning it is that I had sort-of dismissed it
> in my mind as an "el cheapo" brand computer that wasn't a viable long-term
> option. But so far, this laptop is working for me - well, as much as a
> computer can "work" for someone with esens. It might work for other eSens
> sufferers. The email follows:
>
> I just wanted to update you on my computer situation. In February/March, I
> finally started making some moves on buying a new computer. At first I
> bought an ASUS A52F-XA1 (15.6") laptop, but I returned it to amazon.comwithout even opening the box because when I later went to "test" the
> computer at Best Buy, it seemed like it would be pretty bothersome (I felt
> "forced" to make a quick purchase on amazon.com because it was showing one
> of those "Only 2 Left in Stock" type of messages). Then, a few weeks later,
> I took the plunge again; I was intrigued with ULV processors - so I bought
> an ASUS UL50-XA1 - this computer:
>
>
> http://www.amazon.com/UL50AT-X1-Processor-Notebook-Windows-Premium/dp/B003DZCPL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1306059154&sr=1-1
>
> Well, it was pretty bad! I started feeling quite "fried" about as soon as I
> turned on the computer. In many ways, it was considerably worse than the
> laptop that I was trying to get away from. The low-power, "battery" settings
> made it somewhat better - but not "better" enough. Within hours, I pretty
> much knew that it wasn't something I should keep - there just had to be
> something better. The ultra-low-voltage 1.3 GHz SU7300 Core 2 Duo processor
> just didn't "do the trick" as far as making that thing a tolerable machine.
> Oh, I still have faith that ULV processors can contribute greatly to a
> relatively pain-free computing experience - but in that particular computer,
> it wasn't nearly enough to make it eSens-friendly (at least based on my
> experience). I guess this just reinforces the "theory" (or fact) that there
> must be a lot more involved in computer emissions than just the
> processor/graphics card.
>
> (I was focusing on ASUS computers because I had read that they have one of
> the best track records as far as durability/reliability - Dell's poor
> reputation for longevity steered me away from Dells. I need for my
> investment to last a long time.)
>
> So after this experience, I just said "f - it". I was tired of the
> "buying-and-returning" merry-go-round. I was tired of the "research" and the
> self-conscious store expeditions. Luckily for me, I knew of a computer that
> was relatively benign on my eSens -- the eMachines e725-4520. For several
> months, I eschewed buying an eMachines in favor of searching for my notion
> of a "better option". (The eMachines brand just didn't have a positive image
> in my mind for quality/durability – and I thought that I might find an even
> more eSens-friendly computer. Besides, I wasn't sure whether I wanted a
> desktop or a laptop.) Sometime early last year, without doing any "research"
> - my brother bought this computer at Walmart. (My brother does not have
> electrosensitivity.) His decision-making "process" was basically, "My laptop
> died - I need a new computer fast - oh, this eMachines is very inexpensive."
> During a couple of occasions last year, I spent hours "trying out" his
> computer - and it seemed relatively gentle on my esens. I even felt
> comfortable with using his computer on my lap – and it had been a long time
> since I could do that with the Dell. I was worried about the
> quality/durability - but when I checked the reviews of the laptop, it seemed
> to get as good (or better) reviews than a lot of the more "reputed brands"
> out there. And my brother's laptop was still going strong after a year, it
> seemed. So I searched around and bought one. Here it is:
>
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Emachines-E725-4520-250GBDVD%C2%B1RW-Wireless/dp/B003AG7N4C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270241710&sr=8-1
>
> I'm not saying things are "perfect" with this computer (there is rarely a
> such thing as "perfect"). But my symptoms are a LOT less "active" with this
> eMachines than they were with the ASUS ULV monstrosity, and this computer
> just seems considerably more "gentle" than a lot of laptops out there. There
> are a lot of times when I hardly notice any symptoms at all. Funny - this
> "journey" I went on to find a good eSens computer - all of the so-called
> "research" I did - leads me back to my brother's eMachines, a "Walmart"
> computer that I had known about for many months. I wish I had "the good
> sense" to buy this computer last year - when I could have bought it more
> easily and for at least $100 cheaper.
>
> I also really regret that I didn't tell the eSens group about this computer
> as soon as I determined that it was a "tolerable" computer (at least for me)
> - especially in light of the lack of recommended brands/models of computers
> on eSens. It might have provided some helpful "lead" to someone. Now - since
> this computer is "last year's model", it is harder to find - and people may
> more likely have to go through less "mainstream" vendors .
>
> I'm just knocking on wood that this computer lasts.
>
> I'm not sure if there is a current-model eMachines being sold - I think
> there may be. Hopefully - whatever eMachines did (or didn't do) to make this
> computer relatively-benign - they have replicated in subsequent models. I'd
> like to know what it is that makes this computer better than a lot of the
> others - is it something about the screen-technology, or what? It could be
> that some of the same factors that make this computer less expensive than
> others (last year, it was selling for two-hundred-something dollars at
> Walmart), makes it more tolerable. This experience leads me to conclude that
> it may be fruitful for eSens folks to search for cheap, "low-end" computers
> being sold at Walmart or Target or somewhere.
>
> Also – it is worth mentioning that Acer bought eMachines a few years back -
> so this computer was actually manufactured by Acer, I think. So maybe there
> are some Acer models that share certain characteristics with this eMachines.
> An "extreme" example of this is the possibility that this particular Acer
> computer is the *exact same* computer as my eMachines - it just has an
> "Acer" label instead of an "eMachines" label:
>
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AS5732Z-4867-15-6-Inch-Display-Laptop/dp/B00358XT5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270242214&sr=8-1
>
> I've also realized more than ever that software issues - at least for me -
> play an important role in computer tolerability. If the "wrong" software,
> spyware, or "bloatware" gets installed on this computer - it can become
> bothersome. For ex., when I installed the version of Malwarebytes that has
> real-time protection, I thought I noticed this computer immediately becoming
> bothersome - thankfully, I could disable the real-time protection. I also
> notice that using Mozilla Firefox is significantly less bothersome than
> using Internet Explorer: I guess it's a less "bloated", resource-hogging
> browser. One reason seems to be that Mozilla gives you the option of
> deleting individual cookies (I swear I sometimes notice an immediate
> difference when I delete cookies). I was nervous about the latest version of
> Firefox having "hardware acceleration" (the latest IE has this as well) - it
> just sounds like something that would increase emf. So I avoided upgrading -
> until circumstances sort-of "forced" me to upgrade. Fortunately, there is an
> option in the new Firefox where you can turn hardware-acceleration off.
>
> Looking back, I wonder if the worsening/progression of my
> electrosensitivity - when my symptoms really started "screaming" - was due
> to an accumulation of cookies/malware/crapware dumped on my computer
> harddrive. I really do believe this played a definite role. Maybe there was
> some "poorly scripted" crapware that put a particular strain on my
> resources/harddrive. More and more unwanted "stuff" kept getting dumped on
> my harddrive. I admit that I was lazy/naiive about installing an
> anti-virus/anti-spyware program - not that it would have made *too* much of
> a difference in the long run . I'm very skeptical about these anti-malware
> programs truly keeping rogue junk from eventually accumulating on people's
> computers.
>
> Another thing I did with this eMachines (I also did it on the Dell) that
> made a positive difference is change the monitor display settings from the
> default 32-bit color to 16-bit color...it seems to either decrease emf,
> and/or lead to eye-strain relief. There may be things I can do to further
> "tweak" the graphics to decrease computer stress, but I currently don't feel
> any urgent need to do them.
>
> Of course, the computer offers a variety of power-management settings - I
> think most late-model, Windows 7 laptops do. One thing that's good is that
> you can configure the computer to run on low, "battery"-type power settings
> - even when the computer is plugged in. But so far, I choose not to do this.
> I'm running the computer on the default "balanced" settings when it is
> plugged in.
>
> I just think it helps to keep the harddrive as "clean" and as "empty" as
> possible. In addition to trying to keep cookies/spyware/adware etc. off the
> harddrive, I think I'm going to try to minimize the amount of files I put on
> it.
>
> Another thing that I finally started doing was dialing down the power
> output of our satanic AT&T WiFry router. I remember you telling me that I
> could do this, but I was too lethargic/green-thumbed to pursue the matter.
> In the back of my mind, I thought there would be a lot involved...that it
> wasn't for the novice. But one day in desperation (after a confrontation
> with my father in which he ordered me to stop turning off the WiFi router,
> since it also turns off our landline phone service) - I stumbled upon the
> way to do this. I logged into our router settings. The power output is
> adjustable from Level 1 to Level 10 - of course, our WiFi was operating at
> the maximum level of 10 (which is the default). Each time I adjusted the
> power downward, I noticed relief - i.e., from 10 to 5, from 5 to 3, etc..
> Eventually, I decided to keep it at 1 - our computers seem to be dealing
> with the weaker signal fine. I also noticed a positive difference when I
> changed the setting to stop the router from cranking out both "b" and "g"
> signals. Now it only outputs "g" signals.
>
> Sorry for the loong novella. I just thought I'd update you on the status of
> things - just in case you thought I had died or something, lol. No, the
> radiation hasn't claimed me quite yet. Thanks to an improved computer and
> WiFi situation, things are better than they were a year ago. Oh, make no
> mistake - I'm still very much eSens. I still fear that I've suffered
> considerable mental and physical damage. I fear that this computer may
> become more and more bothersome as the "surreptitious files" start to
> accumulate. I can still "feel" the WiFi in the air sometimes - though not
> nearly as much as I could. Even with the WiFi power at one, laying on my
> innerspring mattress bed was still very bothersome. I recently replaced my
> "wire-antenna" bed with a "wireless" latex one - although this situation is
> still in flux because I may have to return the latex bed (the
> offgassing/fumes have been a big problem for me).
>
> ~Svetaswan
>
>  
>