“And so this is Christmas” ~ or so the song goes…
It’s a time of joy, and peace to all…
A time of happiness and excitement…
Except, it would seem, for postmen!

I visited a client to fix a few minor issues bugging them – the replacement of a failed DVD drive, mainly unused – the installation of a printer, used occasionally by one member of staff etc…
Whilst sitting at the desk of a user – directly in front of the main buildings front door – in walks the postie, carrying the usual business cheer (read bills!).
“Post” – says Mr. Postie
“Not me mate” – says I
Mr. Postie seems to take extreme umbridge at my reply and literally throws the post across the office, onto the floor (raising a few eyebrows I can say!) – Mr Postie walks out…
Just getting to the door (and because he’s SUCH a big man he waited until then) he shouts “Yeah, but you still effin’ work here don’t you”
“No! I don’t work here!” – I replied.
Mr. Postie walks pat the window giving me ‘The Eye’.

Christmas brings out the best in some people…
I guess he just got dumped or something!

Sigh..!

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BTW – it only took BT 10 days to rectify the problem referred to in the previous post – 10 days without Internet or Email, that will have cost my client £££s!
Grr…

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So BT, those lovable rogues, have decided to cut off one of our clients for not paying a bill THAT DIDN’T EXIST!

That’s right – the client cancelled the BT broadband, so BT decided that they would cut the client off after they didn’t get money for a service they were no longer providing.

Not only did they decide that the client could no longer have the cancelled broadband on the line, BT cut the entire line completely – meaning that ANY broadband on the line would no longer work, i.e. the company that was now supplying the broadband on that line.

Now this sounds like a bit of an inconvenience, and may be relatively minor for most companies, in this case though the clients systems are mainly Internet based – no Internet = no business. Also the client has multiple branches connecting to head office over the Internet – no Internet = no branch access to the head office…
You get the picture…

As usual there is no admission from BT, no acceptance of any fault on their part, and no apology coming – why oh why do we have to put up with this???

I’m popping over there tomorrow, though I think there is little I can do.
The ‘earliest’ BT can get an engineer out to “verify if there is an issue”, is THURSDAY!
Like this is any kind of solution – it’s costing the client £000′s

I’ll restrain from venting the true depth of feelings I have toward this once useful company – it’s their complete dominance in the telecommunications market that makes them blasé at best.
Suffice to say that regular readers will note my usual unhappiness with them…

Sigh…

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Google, in their infinite wisdom, have commissioned a survey which has found that the Internet accounts for 7.2% of the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP).

In monetary terms, that’s about £100Bn ~ or between £100,000,000,000 and £100,000,000,000,000 depending on whether you use a UK or US billion.
I believe the Yorkshire term for this is a ‘Boat load’

That makes the Internet bigger than the construction, transport and utilities industries.

Do you have an online presence?
If not you are missing out on potential clients left, right, centre, above and below!

Have a quick read of UK internet economy ‘worth billions’, and call us if you decide you are missing out!

08456 340 599

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In other news ~ a contact we know recently had to move his hosting after his previous supplier discontinued the service.

He went to an ‘Internet guru’ (this is the phrase used on the guys website!) who managed to completely screw up the emails – imagine a business, heavily marketing itself on the Internet not being able to email!

The hosting also is missing some vital components required for his website.

We stepped in and managed to get emails working within 2 hours of being asked to help.

We ARE good aren’t we?

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We’re on with a new project :)
It’s one of my favourite types – bringing technology to a business that’s been struggling with things for a while.

Now on the face if it that looks like a good thing – and don’t get me wrong here – it IS a good thing.
BUT
There have been a few ‘niggles’ along the way:

The original plan was to install a peer-to-peer network, then proceed to a server network once funds allowed this ~ not an unusual request here.
This meant that some of the engineering would need to be repeated, but the client was happy with that.

DAY 1
Off I go to install a new, peer-to-peer network…
At the beginning all was fine – until I tested the broadband: CONNECTION FAILURE ← No broadband
This meant I could not download the Microsoft Office package the client had purchased, nor activate any software or get any of the little tools I routinely add to client PCs for security (Antivirus, cleaning utilities etc…)
I had to leave site with the system usable but missing some key components…

DAY 2
Back the day after – Broadband UP
The client has also decided that their new server might as well be added now so it’s all done
The broadband is only connecting at ½Mb – this is bloomin’ slow! It took about 3½ HRS to download ONE of the Microsoft Office packages.
I managed to get one PC up and running fully before leaving, and left the others missing the Office software while it was being downloaded.

DAY 3
Phone call – “My PC says it has no Antivirus software on it…”
Oops! My fault this one – in all the confusion, I missed it…
Not to worry – the network is down for some reason anyway, so there’s no chance of getting a virus. I start to suspect that there’s a cabling problem. Phone calls finally reveal a “quick ‘n’ cheap” job was installed by the phone company – they do agree to go out to have a look at it though…
I’m due to go back tomorrow anyhow to install the server

DAY 4
Microsoft in their wisdom are moving to a different way of supplying software – mainly it’s all going online. Licenses for the ‘Open Licensing’ system are delivered via eMail and through partners licensing website.
Great if you’ve got fast reliable boradband (can you see where this is going?)
All the software was ordered, but for some reason it’s taking longer than usual to come through – I discover why when it becomes apparent that Microsoft have sent the licenses for Server 2003, when we ordered licenses for Server 2008.
Many phone calls later and were now at the mercy of Microsoft to get this sorted ASAP.
No server install today then

DAY 5
I’m taking the server to site today regardless – lets see what’s lurking in the dark for me today then…
Amazingly the client is being more than understanding, for which I praise the Lord!

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So, Apple – the company who, for some reason, command almost religious devotion to their products fall foul of patent infringement:

Apple faces $600m damages claim Oh how I laughed!

It seems that Apple, whom I personally think haven’t released anything original in years, have finally been uncovered for allegedly stealing others patented technology.
In this case FOUR times!

Now Apple say that there was sufficient doubt over the contents of the patents to believe that they were not valid ~ the courts thought otherwise.
That means that Apple were fully aware that they were using somebody else’s ideas but thought that they could get away with it.

Oh dear
Caught with their hands in someone else’s cookie jar. I feel a DONKEY AWARD coming on…

Too bad really, just another blow to the company that brought you a phone that couldn’t make calls

lol…

(better add that this is my opinion – before the lawyers call )

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