After yesterdays little error (yes I am being nice about it), Demon left me little option but to buy a fully compatible ADSL 2+ router.

Before I get comments saying so – I KNOW that the first router would connect, but not at the ADSL 2+ speeds. The original router would only have connected at 2Mb max, the new router syncs at about 19Mb!

Once installed, there was a little problem with the password – I had to ask Demon to reset it – then I had the tackle the inter-office VPN.
A minor issue with the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) meant I had to reconfigure the accounts on both the Scarborough router and the one in the head office.

OH HOW I LOVE REMOTE CONNECTIONS!

Finally finished, I left the client with a MUCH faster broadband connection, AND I had previously fixed the network issues so they could actually find things on the Internet ALL the time. Previously this had a tendency to ‘forget’ certain websites (Technically they lost the connection to the primary DNS server and were unable to resolve Internet addresses – if you understand that WELL DONE and I welcome you to the Dark Side )

Now I had some time on my hands so, on go the shades, and a nostalgic stroll down the promenade is in order; culminating in the purchasing of some highly desirable, fluorescent, souvenir pencils. Ahhhhh…..

Jumps in car – hears that the A64 (main link from Scarborough to Leeds) is CLOSED just outside where I am
Oh dear…

Feeling good for fixing stuff (and leaving a happy client)  - Feeling physically bad.  :cry:

P.S.
This training offer is proving VERY popular :) It’s opening all sorts of doors for us.
Our next event is already almost fully booked, and we are considering places for the third one!

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS – FREE TRAINING!!

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#Rant#

And the awarding of the second ‘Donkey Award’ goes to…..

Demon Internet – for causing most of their Scarborough users untold problems WITHOUT warning them!

Picture the scene…
I have a branch office using a database located in my head office.
It’s a permanently connected data link, sending product information across the group and onto a connected website. My products are always up to date because the data comes from my own database. :)
Good so far…
Demon Internet decide (in their wisdom) to upgrade their Scarborough network to the new ADSL 2+ system.
They neglect to tell the people who use their service.
The screw up the upgrade.
Now my satellite office is offline indefinitely
Also, my router needs updating to use the new system
Getting a router will take about 1 day + travelling time + install

Now I have an unhappy client (thankfully it’s not our fault!)
All it would have taken was a simple “we are going to do this” email and we’d have scheduled it in.

We found this out early this morning after I had added a fix to the network for failing connectivity yesterday.

Sigh…

#Rant over#

On the plus side – our client wants to move their broadband to a new supplier

Now it’s BEER → BATH → BOOK → BED!
Sounds like a plan…

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At last I managed to have a few days away!

Sunny Derbyshire our haven of choice this weekend.

We stayed in the gorgeous Ollerbrook Cottages just outside Edale. Not too far from Buxton.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

We stayed for the long weekend – doing Poole Cavern (and a massive walk up a bloomin’ huge hill!), the small guage steam railway at Leek, and Lyme Park (the image on the left)

#Rant#

Now we in Yorkshire are a canny folk – not too loose with the old purse strings, BUT I REFUSE TO PAY STUPID AMOUNTS TO WALK ROUND A GARDEN!!

I know most of us think that a paltry £8 for a visit to the house and garden at Lyme Park, is a small amount to pay, but this seems to be the exception for most Country Estates.

We WERE going to visit the Museum of Childhood at Sudbury hall, but check out these prices:

Gift Aid Admission (Standard Admission prices in brackets):

£7.10 (£6.45), child £3.60 (£3.27), family £17.80 (£16.18), Groups (£6.10).

Museum [only]:

£7.60 (£6.90), child £4.40 (£4), family £19.60 (£17.81), Groups (£6.80).

Joint [both museum and House]:

£13.20 (£12), child £7 (£6.36), family £33.40 (£30.36), Groups (£12.50).

So for myself and my GF (not being members of The National Trust) it was going to cost £26.40 if we gift aided the entrance fee, or £24 if not.

WHAT!!?!!?!?!! I can get in to a bloomin’ theme park for less!! (in case you were wondering Gulliver’s World is near Matlock and ONLY £11.50, each adult, to get in! ).

That’s a SILLY amount of dosh to charge – especially when MOST museums in England are FREE!!!

On the subject of ‘Gift Aid’ too – why would I pay 65p more to ‘gift’ the entrance fee when there are few National Trust properties near here? My money will go into some HUGE pot to paint something NOT LOCAL TO ME as there is a dearth of National Trust properties near here (Leeds). Apparently the extra makes the entire entrance fee a gift (and eligible for the tax relief) so why ask for so much more?

Also – some your National Trust donations are going towards buying farms in the Peak district, and renting them back to their original owners at stupid rates!

The National Trust just seems like it’s lost it’s way a bit and become one huge money making machine…

#Rant over#

We DID have an excellent time though – needless to say, I only paid 2x £7.20 (the NON gift aid entrance fee) to see Lyme Park, and when asked “Did I want to join [The National Trust]?” I replied:

“I’d HATE to!”

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