Kenneth A. Larson - General Site
Computer Information

This general site is just for fun.
Kenneth A. Larson has a quarter century of experience in design and construction of scenery for the Entertainment Industry and Theme Parks using Computer Aided and Traditional approaches to Design. Also experience in other areas of Design.

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Computer humor

Have you ever noticed that half the Spam we get is from people offering solutions to Spam. If these people really wanted to help us reduce Spam, they could stop sending it.

I wouldn't mind that Bill Gates is rich, if only Windows didn't crash three times before breakfast. Then again, my iMac doesn't work much better - but then, doesn't Billy own part of that too?

This page is under development.

My Plextor External DVD recorder worked fine for about two months, then slowly over a week's time, I experienced problems. I always make 4 copies, each on a different brand. Over a few days, I experienced problems with one brand, then another, then five brands brands. The computer was new and up to day and had only a one other peripheral and only a few programs installed. The disks at first could only be read in the machine that recoreded them, but later, not even the recorder could read them.

Had the problem been software, it would have begun suddenly, not slowly progressing. I spent a day testing and trying to solve this problem.

I replaced the cables trying both USB2 and Firewire. I removed and reinstalled the software that came with the drive.

When I called Plextor tech support, I was told that the DVD recorder had passed the self test and therefore could not be at fault, even though I burned several disks successfully, but these disks still couldn't be read, even by the recorder that recorded them.

The tech told me that I was using incompatible media. He said that the DVD technology was so sensitive that only select brands and types work. The tech insisted that even name brands are not consistent and that a single ten pack could include disks from several manufactures and that was why the first half of the 10-pack worked and the second half didn't. It was a one in a million coincidence that all five packages from different manufactures suddenly changed from compatible to incompatible disks at the same time. Anyone else I know can go to the store and buy the cheepest brand and get to work, but I bought one of each brand in the store and non worked. I questioned selling a product so fussy.

When I told the tech that I didn�t believe his BS answer about the media, he then told me to call Compaq, the manufacturer of the computer, to ask them why my Plextor DVD recorder wouldn�t work. When I told him that Compaq would tell me to get help from Plextor, he indignantly told me that the DVD recorder was not at fault and that Compaq needed to fix the problem with my Plextor recorder, even though the only symptom that the computer was the fault was that the DVD was plugged into it. The tech told me that it was not his responsibility to fix my Compaq computer and refused to consider the possibility that the Plextor DVD recorder had gone bad

He then told me to take it to a computer store for repairs. When I told my computer consultant what the tech said, he said that the tech shouldn�t be in that field of business and to call Plextor back. And I wondered if Plextor would pay my repair bill if it turns out the Plextor drive was defective.

I told him that in my experience, when a recorder records and only it can play back and others can't read the item, it's because the head is out of adjustment. Even though I had successfully recorded a number of disks that were unreadable, he insisted my computer wasn't feeding the data correctly or the media was not consistent, anything besides the possibility that the slow development of this problem was a part in the recorder wearing out.

Finally as the tech got increasingly rude, I got upset, and he hung up on me. I have never been treated so rudely and badly by a tech support person. I have never experienced a tech support person with such a "The customer is always wrong" attitude. This tech supporter was so disinterested in supporting the product and helping the customer, all he wanted was to shift the blmae anywhere else he could. If I had unplugged everything and the device taught fire, he would have blamed anything else. After two full days of trying to fix the problem myself and carefully trying everything, I didn't need this type tech support. I didn't spend an hour on hold to have some "inside the box" thinking tech pointing the finger at anything other than the device he was offering support for.

In the end, it turned out that the recorder had an intermittent problem related to heat. Yes, it passed the "self-test" the first time when the machine had just been turned on, but later when it was warmed up, it failed the test. A good tech would have suggested retesting when warmed up.

I will never buy another Plextor product again.

E-mail etiquette

E-mails should be as well written as snail-mail. this assumes you took grammar and learned how to write a letter on paper.

The subject line should be specific. "Just to say hi" is better than "no subject." "Hope you are well" sounds better than "hi." "My trip was great" is more interesting and more likely to get attention than "trip." If it's a business e-mail, "Inquiry about widgit sales" is better than "widgit" or "sales." With so much spam, a subject needs to be specific and brief. Don't let your e-mails get deleted with the spam that says, "about my wife" which is really trying to sell enhancement drugs that you and I don't need.

When replying or forwarding a e-mail, clean it up. Delete the long list of all the others in the chain unless there is a good reasons to include them. Delete the adds inserted by some e-mail servers. Use the "bc" or "blind copy" command rather than the "cc." Clean up all those headers and footers that really don't relate to the purpose of the e-mail.

When replying to a question, copy only the question into your new e-mail, then answer. Avoid hitting the "reply" button, just copy and paste what you really want for reference. Never send an e-mail with only an unreferenced answer. I sometimes get e-mails that say "Yes" or "6" and I have to dig back a week to remember the question.

Address and sign your e-mail as you would a written letter. The "To" and "From" may identify you, but it's still sometimes confusing and starting a letter with the message is impersonal. "Hi Jo" or "Phil" is more personal.

And sign your name or provide a signature line. You don't want them to forget who you are.

Don't get lazy and skip capitalization. Use proper grammar. The receiver starts to wonder is you went to school. I often get e-mails where I have to guess what the person is trying to say.

Don't TYPE IN ALL UPPER CASE, IT'S LIKE SHOUTING. It's too intense and you seem lazy. The receiver starts to wonder if you don't know what should be capitalized, so you just do them all.

This page last updated 3-17-05

This site maintained by Kenneth A. Larson.
Copyright © 2000 - 2005, Kenneth A. Larson. All Rights Reserved.
Website content including photographic and graphic images may not be redistributed for use on another website.

This site is a light hearted alternative to my commercial design portfolio site. This site's only purpose is for your enjoyment. There is no advertising and I make no profit. If you are in the need of a designer, please check my commercial site www.kesigndesign.com.

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Kenneth A. Larson - General SiteComputer Information

E-mail etiquette

This page last updated 3-17-05

Kenneth A. Larson - General Site
Computer Information