Continued

I meant it was too late to be Doing this.  Just goes to show that tablets and me don't necessarily get along!

This all came about in connection with the Lions fireworks display coming up in a couple of months. More and more people want to use debit or credit cards to pay the admission and whereas in past years we have been able to use card facilities provided by the venue, this year it will all be down to us. I decided to make a start on the preparations in good time, just in case of hiccups.

First, find a source of credit card readers. That proved fairly easy (thank you, Google) and I made a few phone calls. We really only need the machine(s) for one day a year and I was looking for short-term loan deals, but they were not to be had. Prices ranged from £275 A YEAR plus £5 a month minimum usage, plus £5 a month for something else... Then I found I could buy machines from Paypal at £80 each! So I bought three.(The price has since come down to £40!) The operating instructions are minimal, but they seem easy enough.

The idea was that they should be paired with Bluetooth. each to a different phone, and I had three volunteers lined up. Then I thought it might be better to use the venue's WiFi and, rather than tie up phones that might be needed for verbal communication, use tablets.  So I bought one, quite cheap, considering - and with a Windows 10 operating system. That's what I was using late last night, and I quite like it although I still prefer my desktop set-up. But then I discovered that app to run the credit card readers won't work on Windows. So I bought another tablet, Android system, for £65. The 10" screen provided readable-sized text - and I was able to link it with the card readers. Well, one of them.

I found I could buy smaller, 7" tablets for just £30, so ordered a couple. I spent most of yesterday trying to get them to work. The small screen didn't help, but I did eventually get to download the app. Or I tried to download the app - only to be informed that the machines are incompatible!

They will be returned this morning. I have ordered two more of the 10" screens and until they arrive have more or less sworn off computers!