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AlisterCompteron vs. the Evil Dell Tech Support January 30, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, Reviews, Technology.
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imagesLast fall, I bought the new Dell Inspiron Mini 9. Shortly thereafter, I began having problems with it. First I had an issue with the screen. There was an inch-wide column down the center of the screen that caused some green pixelation on pictures and windows. I sent the computer back and got that repaired.

Next, the computer began going into standby for no reason, even if I was using it. That was a hard one to explain to tech support. The techs I spoke with simply didn’t understand, and their fix was to turn off all the power save settings. I sent the netbook back again, only to have it return without anything done to it. One of the techs at the depot emailed to say he wasn’t able to reproduce the behavior I was seeing. I replied with detailed instructions on exactly how to make the computer to its automatic standby dance. Either he didn’t get my message, or still wasn’t able to reproduce the problem.

I called tech support again, and this time I decided to the let computer run for a few days without power saving settings. I even disabled the standby when I closed the lid. The Dell Mini stopped going to standby with all the power save settings off, but the screen would flicker instead.

So I called tech support again one evening, and after being transferred twice, giving my Service Tag number three times, and briefly explaining the problem three times, a tech realized that the computer was having a power issue, and probably needed to have the system board replace. THANK YOU! And duh. That’s what I suspected all along, but had to get them to realize it. Yes, I was partly at fault for not following through on the original instructions to keep the power save settings turned off, so mea culpa on that one.

I sent the Dell Mini in for a third time, and got it back today. I was eager to get it up and running so I could test for the issue. When I booted it up, I noticed that I no longer had a wireless adapter listed in Device Manager. I downloaded drivers from Dell, but each time I tried installing them, I got a message that the device wasn’t present. So another call to tech support.

The tech tried the driver installation again with the same result, and had me open the computer to re-seat the WLAN card (does re-seating a card ever work?). She said she would send out another WLAN card for me to swap, and she is also sending another box. So the Mini may be making a fourth trip to Texas.

If I didn’t love this little computer so much, I would have thrown in the towel long ago. But I just love the small size and portability of my netbook. I wasn’t sure what I’d actually use a netbook for when I got it; I mainly got it to see what all the buzz was about. I am having second thoughts, though, on buying a Dell over another brand. And quite honestly, I may be done with Dells after this experience.

I’ll post again after I get my replacement wireless adapter.

Apple may get Touchy with Palm after Patent Award January 27, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, News, Operating Systems.
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Palm just can’t catch break.  Earlier this month, Palm released WebOS, which will be the new OS on its devices and the Pre, what was supposed to be a game-changer device and perhaps the salvation for Palm’s survival.

But Apple had to go and spoil Palm’s comeback tour.  During Apple’s earnings call last week, Steve Jobs stand-in and Apple COO Tim Cook reasserted Apple’s supremacy in product designed, by saying, “Apple won’t let its intellectual property get ripped off; Palm, I’m looking at you.”

Apple was recently awarded a patent for “touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics,” features that sound simliar to those found in the Palm Pre.

Oh Apple, just let Palm have this one.  You can still crush them, and the victory will be sweeter when Palm’s a little bigger.  Besides, Palm is no Microsft; it’s not like they’re taking little bits of Mac OS X and putting it their OS.

Model-Specific Linux Distros Improve User Experience January 27, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, Operating Systems.
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A few months ago, I wrote a couple of posts about what I thought the Linux community could do to help the Linux OS become more mainstream.  The biggest thing, I wrote, that the Linux community could do is make Linux more like Mac OS X, in that the software and hardware work seamlessly together.  One of the big issues with Windows, is that there is so much hardware that works with the OS, that sometimes Windows and the hardware doesn’t work well together.

As netbooks, or small, low-powered laptops, are taking off in popularity, Linux seems to finding a niche on the netbook hardware platform.  There are several Linux distributions that have been developed or are being developed for specific netbook models.

HP and Dell have both developed Linux flavors tailored to their respective models.  These are primarily icon-driven OSes for doing specific types of tasks.  In fact, on HP’s web site, they specifically state of their Linux OS that the command line is not available.  Earlier this week, Kuki Linux was released specifically for the Acer Aspire One.

Part of the appeal of the netbook form factor is the low cost.  Many netbooks are priced below $500, and Linux helps keep the prices at least a little less than the same model equipped with Windows XP.  Recent improvements in the user experience of Linux should help reduce return rates of netbooks with Linux installed, and could possibly focus new attention on Linux for the desktop, too.

The Linux community could capture a good portion of the netbook market with well-integrated OS and hardware.  But here comes Microsoft with its slick Windows 7 that’s also been designed to run well on netbooks.  So the Linux community needs to create the best possible experience – some might even say a Mac-like experience -  to stay ahead of Microsoft.  If not, Microsoft will own the netbook market, too.

C’mon Microsoft, It’s Time to Update Notepad January 26, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Operating Systems, Random Thoughts.
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As a network administrator, I find that Notepad in Windows is one of most useful applications I use.  It’s a quick note-taking tool, a spot for copying and pasting, and a destination for data exported from Active Directory and such.

But from time to time, I need at least one more feature in the iconic text editor, and that’s a real-time spell checker.  I have good command of the English language, I just can’t spell.

The text editors in Mac OS and Linux both have spell checking.  The text editor in Linux even has tabs for all your open text files.

Will Microsoft add spell checking to Windows 7?  Based on the beta I downloaded, it doesn’t look promising.  Sure, I can download a more feature-rich text editor for Windows, but why should I have to since one is already built in to Windows.  Microsoft just needs to update it.  I mean it hasn’t changed since Windows 3.1.

World’s Trees Rejoice as Circuit City Liquidates January 16, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Business, News.
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circuitcityFair well, Circuit City.  I did what I could to help you stay afloat.  I feel bad for the front line employees losing their jobs.  Can’t say I feel the same about the stiffs at corporate, though.  Remember a couple of years ago when Circuit City management thought a good way to save money was to fire the all the higher paid store workers, and replace them with lower paid newbies?  “Thanks for your loyal service over the years, but you’ve become too expensive.”  It seems the Universe is back in balance as karma has caught up to CC.  Perhaps the geniuses at corporate should have thought of some other strategies to keep the business afloat, like getting rid of those big-ass receipts.

Don’t Do What Donnie Don’t Does January 16, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in News, Operating Systems.
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updates1Windows updates.  As an IT administrator you hate doing them: waiting for the maintenance window, reboot, and the inevitable user who’s using the system when you apply an update.

I had gotten a little lax on doing my updates, both for servers and for the desktops.  Then my wife’s company, which is a publicly traded on Nasdaq, got infected with the Downadup virus, you know, the one that’s gotten some news lately.

If you don’t know, the Downadup virus infects computers by exploiting a vulnerability in Windows.  No surprise there.  However, Microsoft issued a patch for this flaw back in October.  So all these computers getting infected could have avoided their fate had IT admins just applied the stupid patches.

Fortunately for me, I had applied some patches since October, despite my laziness complacency, and our computers were protected from the recent outbreak.  I got a good chuckle, however, listening to the stories my wife told about the mess her IT department had on its hands.

So, Windows patches are pain, but not nearly the pain that having to disinfect a bunch computers is.  Apply your updates.

Jott to end Free Services January 14, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Internet, Mobility, Web Apps.
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If you’re a Jott freeloader like me, you’ll soon need to upgrade to one of Jott’s paid plans or look elsewhere for a task and note manager.

In an email to users and on their web site, Jott announced that after February 2 the free services will not longer be available. Current users can upgrade to a paid plan for as little at $3.95 per month.

Jott says they are ending the free service because of the cost to continue delivering a high quality of service. An ad-based plan is not feasible, they say.

Well, Remember the Milk is still free, and there’s always good ol’ Outlook for those with smartphones. Of course, neither of those options offer speech to text.

It’s Been a While January 13, 2009

Posted by AlisterComputeron in Blogging.
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Boy, it’s been a while since I’ve posted to my blog. But that’s kinda how I roll. I’ll get up for posting for a while, then leave it, and then have a bunch of stuff to say again.

So I’m back, and will have some stuff to share soon. Hey how about this slick new WordPress Dashboard?