third world county

Been spending a more than usual amount of time on the phone this week with “support” personnel whose technical competence is generally limited to reading glurge from a script. Oh, and I’ve been spending (far too much) time exchanging emails with supposed “Technical Specialists” who are incapable of (or unwilling to) reading and/or understanding the plain English in the emails I send them. (I have mentioned that I can recommend a good remedial reading course, but I have gotten no response to that either. :-))

So, as a nice lil break and a treat for myself, and perhaps you, if you’re inclined to a bit of geekiness, here’s a not-too-technical handy reference to

Standard Error Codes/Messages [WARNING! PDF file. Right-Click and choose “Download” or “Save Target” or whatever your browser gives you there to download and scan with your AV-scanner before opening.]

These error codes are for all manner of PCs, OSes, peripherals. Now, these aren’t error codes as returned by your OS when something crops up, but error/service codes that may (repeat may) help in communicating with technicians when problems crop up on your equipment. They already help me track diagnosis and repair issues on client equipment, and they also help me in communicating to narrow things down over the phone, avoiding some few onsite calls.

At the very least, they may help you “think like a tech” when facing issues on your own equipment. No, not like the “techs” at my (still, until I work out one kink in transferring this site) hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (but whose initials are “F-A-T-C-O-W”).

Another nice resource is this page, offering a handy set of links to major IT manufacturers’ support pages.

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As a few folks have commented while commiserating with me via email about the crappy service I’ve been experiencing with my hosting service recently (the hosting service shall go unnamed, but its initials are F-a-t-c-o-w) to the effect that, as one person put it, “Seems there’s no such thing as ‘customer service’ in any realm, anymore.”

Well, duh.

🙂

What my hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named substitutes for customer service is front end “warm voices” that can effect no substantive changes themselves but are merely “cover” allowing crappy service to continue on the back end.

See my post here for the scant info I had up earlier today at a WordPress.com blog where I had to redirect my domain because of stupid,irresponsible, dumbass actions taken by the hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”).

All along, I’ve been able to talk to warm personalities who promise to “do all I can” to rectify the situation (but who, when pressed, admit they can do nothing). Meanwhile, I get emails from people claiming to be “Technical Specialists” indicating

a. They have not read the trouble ticket
b. They have not read my email answers to their queries/emails
c. They are idiots simply playing CYA games.

And the backend problems caused by the hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”) continue.

BAck last January, I switched this blog from a hosting account generously provided by a benefactor to the hosting account I’m using now. The old hosting account was on Fatcow, so methought, “Hmm, should be easiest to just get my own hosting account with the same service and switch it over.”

Wrong. Those of y’all who were around then may recall that it took a week for the backend guys to stop screwing around.

*sigh*

Let’s see if this posts. If it does, maybe I’ll continue to be hosted on hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”)… for about a week or so more.

When things settle down, I’ll get back to regular curmudgeonry.

Oh! The latest offer from hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”) was to restore the data NUKED by some idiot techie–material destroyed from Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Of course, when (IF) they actually do that, they’ll destroy everything (you can bet on it!) that’s come in since that conversation… and more.

Bet on it.

Idiots.

[pre-posting update: I had just finished this post and was ready to CLICK “Publish” when… yep. “Error establishing a database connection”. Yep, the hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”) has still not done anything useful to correct the problems caused by its server “upgrades”. Took a 30 minute wait, with multiple tries reloading, to get back this far. WTG, hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”)!]

OTOH, there are a few companies left that combine at least minimal competence and customer service. One of my broadband company’s nodes went down, affecting my service yesterday. I called. Was told, “We’re working on it,” and… they were. Back in service within 30 minutes. There are a few companies like that. A few.

UPDATE: As I predicted to the so-called “level 2 tech” last night, the hosting-service-that-shall-not-be-named (with the initials, “F-a-t-c-o-w”) has managed to completely misunderstand simple English (or is simply being obtuse). Instead of doing the impossible, as promised, and resoring the days nuked by incompetent “techies” the so-called “Technical Specialists” have struck again: “I have restored the site from snapshot four days back, i.e. 28th September 07”. Naturally the “Technical Specialist” did not restore the missing post and other data that another “Technical Specialist” had destroyed. Cos it was GONE.

Dumbasses.

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Ever have to do a repair install of WinXP? Often–in the past–if WinXP became unbootable, simply popping in a (genuine!) WinXP install CD and doing a repair install would solve the problem.

Not so, now. Microsoft, in its inscrutable campaign to become the most-hated software manufacturer on the planet, has made a repair install of XP much more difficult. Oh, the repair install will still work, but unless you have the lil tip below, you’ll be stuck with the “pristine” install of the OS exactly as it came on the install CD, with all the security holes and gaps still present, all the bugstomps and patches since the CD was pressed… unavailable.

Because Windows Update will fail, reporting only “a problem on your system”.

Nice going Me$$y$oft.

As it turns out, according to a report by Windows Secrets‘ Scott Dunn, attempting to update WinXP after a repair install will fail because some of the dlls in the most recent WU utility will not properly register on such an installation. The fix requires first installing the old WU installer (found here), using the command line and the /wuforce switch, and then attempting a Windows update. The new WU installer will then register its dlls properly and all will be as well with the WinXP install as can be with a WindowsXP install. (Meaning, so-so to headache after headache *heh*)

Until Me$$y$oift fixes its WU installer, better have the OLD WU installer in your back pocket just in case. ‘K?

(Yeh, yeh: you can manually register each of the WU installer dlls, instead–or write a batch file to do it–but unless you’re looking at a ton of repair installs, just having the old WU installer will work easily enough. Just (RIGHT-CLICK to) download wuinstaller_fix.txt and rename with a “bat” extension if you prefer a dll-registration approach.)

Two pieces of news this week bore seeds of encouragement that the arrogance of “leaders” (of two different kinds, approximately the same class of persons) may be ameliorated by pressure from the serfs.

The so-called “DREAM Act” which would offer green card status to illegals who entered the U.S. illegally before they turned 16 AND afford their relatives an easy way to bypass normal immigration procedures as well AND extend massive educational benefits not available to American citizens to those same illegal aliens… has been removed from attachment to the defense authorization bill by its sponsor, Dick “Turban” Durbin.

That’s one in the “win column” (for now–it’ll be back) for the little guys who brought massive “market forces” pressure to bear on politicians *spit* this week.

Another piece of news this week offers hope for the little guy. Businesses and individual users faced with the expense of hardware and software upgrades as we as with widespread software and hardware incompatibilities caused by upgrades to Windows Vista (or purchases of new computers with Vista preinstalled) can breathe a sigh of relief–for now.

Microsoft confirmed that changes were made over the summer to make it easier for customers to downgrade to XP. Microsoft changed its business practices so computer makers selling pre-activated Vista machines to order Windows XP discs that could be included with PCs or shipped to customers without requiring additional activation.

So far, major players in the “Get Out of Vista Free Card” offering include Lenovo, Fujitsu, Dell and HP, who will all at the very least include a “recivery” or install CD allowing installation of XP over an existing Vista install, at customer request.

Why would the 1,000-pound gorilla of software back off from killing XP in favor of Vista? Because people have been voting with their wallets to not support the OS the way Me$$y$oft expected.

Just as Dick “Turban” Durbin found too much opposition at grassroots level–enough opposition that even the arrogant elite politicians *spit* he listens to had to take notice–to keep his bill of treason afloat.

Sometimes, in spite of the fast sales pitches, smoke and mirrors, and outright lies, sometimes the sheeple rebel. Both Microsoft and the U.S. Senate have heard (and heeded–for now) the remote echoes of past peasant uprisings and even fainter echoes of the Revolutionary War that led to curtailment of past oppressors’ power.

Moderately encouraging news.

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Thirteen Ways to Have a Better Day

1. Think “happy” thoughts. (e.g.–“The guy who just cut in front of me and slowed down in 70mph traffic slowly lowered into boiling oil.”)

2. Smile at the world (and the world will wonder what the heck you’re up to).

3. Wear better-fitting shoes. (Or go barefoot. Sure, you’ll not be allowed in a McDonalds, but you are looking for a way to better your day, anyway, so that’s a win-win for ya.)

4. Avoid phones. (Don’t 90% of your hassles come from “miscommunications”?)

5. Uffda! Avoid “feeda“. *heh* (I once saw a graphic demonstration of the difference between the Norwegian expressions “uffda” and “feeda“–two guys walking; one pointed at the ground and said, “Uffda!” The other didn’t see “it” in time and said, “Feeda!” So, it’s uffda if you see “it” and feeda if you step in “it”… )

6. Be pleasant to idiots. (See the principle stated above. Uffda! You’ve been warned.)

7. Turn off the “news”. (Again, see numbers 5 and 6. *heh)

8. Eat some ice cream. (The joys of cold, sweetened fat!)

9. Take a nap. (There’s no problem that does not look better from behind closed eyelids.)

10. Laugh at life’s little “funnies”. (“So, two Muslim terrorists walk into a 230-grain bullet traveling at 830 feet per second… ” That’s both funny and economical! Don’tcha just love .45 ACP humor?)

11. Coffee!

12. Beer!

13. Pray “The Serenity Prayer”… Frequently.

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to hide the bodies of those I had to kill
BECAUSE THEY REALLY TICKED ME OFF!

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Noted at the Thursday Thirteen Hub and trackposted to Perri Nelson’s Website, Rosemary’s Thoughts, The Random Yak, Woman Honor Thyself, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Big Dog’s Weblog, The World According to Carl, The Pet Haven Blog, Pirate’s Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, The Yankee Sailor, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

*heh* Or, All the “News” That’s Fit to Fake. Or, “How to keep sheeple scared and angry over nothing so the real issues can slide our way.”

Even I get caught up in going apseshit over fake news from time to time. But I do at least try to discern the agendas of the “reports” before jumping on a bandwagon. Read the header on this blog. Currently it reads:

“A society whose citizens refuse to see and investigate the facts, who refuse to believe that their government and their media will routinely lie to them and fabricate a reality contrary to verifiable facts, is a society that chooses and deserves the Police State Dictatorship it’s going to get.” — Ian Williams Goddard

I got lucky in the recent story about the student who was reported to have attempted taking a “hoax device” (what a weasel worded hoax charge! “Device”? What? A “hoax spork”? *feh*) into Logan Airport.

Of course it was a “reality-based fantasy” hoax, perpetrated by hoax airport security theater, Mass Media Podpeople hoax news mentality and scaremongering. Predictably, folks all over the place, including blogs, went apeshit.

Will the truth that’s emerging get similar play in the “news”? Of course not. Excerpted from an email to Jerry Pournelle (from someone who’s demonstrated clear credibility in the past):

Last week was Career Week at MIT. As usually happens during such events, the students turned out in high numbers to speak with company representatives and examine the “free” items that are handed out to students who visit certain booths. Star Simpson, an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science major who enjoys playing around with electronics, wore a bulky handmade nametag to the event. It consisted of a breadboard, LEDs in the shape of a star (for her name), some wires, and a nine-volt battery. She taped it to her sweatshirt to keep it in place, possibly hoping that the company representatives would better be able to remember a student with a flashing nametag.

She also, as is custom, acquired a number of neat little items from the vendors there. I’ve seen some of what was available – bleach pens for clothing, large foam ‘pills’ that you could squeeze as a method of stress relief, small containers of Play-Doh. She picked up a canister of Play-Doh and placed it in her pocket.

Some time after this – I don’t know how long, sorry – she went to the Logan Airport to meet a friend of hers. I can easily see her losing track of time and being too rushed to put her sweatshirt away before leaving. Or perhaps she forgot the breadboard entirely – just as someone with a bandaged wrist will soon ignore its presence. Or perhaps she thought no one would care – she is from MIT, after all, and the culture here does not regard breadboards as weapons of mass destruction. Or perhaps she thought that it wouldn’t matter, since she knew that she would not be going through the security checkpoint.

For being an all-too-typical space cadet, Star Simpson recieved the scare of her life, was subject to massive false accusations by Mass Media Podpeople and metaphorically pilloried, keelhauled and otherwise villified by folks (including bloggers), near and far. I was lucky, I guess, in that I was immediately suspicious of the reports, simply because ANYYTHING coming from a.) airport security theater is about 90% fantasy and b.) Mass Media Podpeople “reports” approach 100% lies, especially when based on “facts” (that can be twisted into lies) even though c.) anything that sounds too stupid for words IS likely to have been done by the average Joe or Josephine on the street. So I didn’t exactly jump on the villification of Star Simpson Bandwagon. Just luck and cynicism paying off.

Go. Read the whole thing, including Pournelle’s reply. Look into the facts of airpoprt security theater, and think on this: whenever a man (particularly a lowbrow goon employed by the government to suppress the sheeple) does something he knows is wrong, he always claims it is his duty. Yeh, I butchered the centurion’s line from Shaw’s “Antony and Cleopatra” with my paraphrase. Let Shaw sue me.

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Inside the Northwest-Territory, Allie is Wired, Right Celebrity, DeMediacratic Nation, The Pink Flamingo, Cao’s Blog, , and Conservative Cat, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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Do Not Pass Go

Do Not Collect… on the WalMArt money orders recieved in the mail.

Readers of this blog are not likely to fall for it, but, according to an unconfirmed report from a “usually reliable source” with ties in WallyWorld Central, “Apparently someone in Argentina got ahold of WalMart money orders and is randomly sending them to people in the states. Some people (who need their sign-duh) cashed them and have been arrested.”

Do note:

1.) I have not checked this out further
2.) “WalMArt money orders”? Heck, who woulda thunk it? Are such things for real anyway?

So FWIW, if any of us DO recieve any such things in the mail, let’s all send them to someone else to cash. Preferably a politician *spit*, Mass Media Podperson or some despised neighbor. *heh*

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Only this weekend. By a fortuitous turn of events, I discivered that the only weekly elimination competition show on TV this last season is being shown in a rerun marathon this weekend… on MTV.

So You Think You Can Dance?

Well, these folks certainly can!

No, not that Fred: this one.

I don’t always agree with Fred Reed, but it’s hard to disagree with his take on “higher education” in the U.S.

You’ve heard of Kaplan, which sells prep courses to subvert the SATs. You know, vocabulary lists, drills, that kind of thing. If you are too witless to have acquired a vocabulary by graduation from high school, you memorize a bunch of those word thingies with all those, like, letters in them, and forget them the day after the test, but you’re in.

Which is what the universities want. Universities are about tuition. The money of the barely sentient spends as well as any other, and there are more of them. Like all businesses, the schools, if such they are, want to expand their customer base. They want to spread the wondrous radiance of cultivation over the autistic, the anencephalic, and perhaps the dead, who might be taught by channeling. Pets, arthropods, outcroppings of rock. Furniture. Rosy O’Donnell. George Bush. The potential clientele is large. Empty space, perhaps.

As it turns out, who would have thought it, some kids don’t have vocabularies, and largely don’t have brains, and either can’t read real books or would rather be poisoned, and consequently are totally incapable of study in a university. Thus the pressing need to get them there. It doesn’t make economic sense that a university should lose twenty K a year because some wretched prole can’t read Dick and Jane.

Read the rest at the link.

It’s doubly unfortunate that so many kids who are intellectually (and ethically–more on that another time perhaps*) unsuited to a real college education are steered toward college and away from meaningful work that suits them, because it not only cheats them, it cheats those who are suited, by the process of dumbing classes down to the level that dummies (or even just those who’d otherwise be out of their depth) need to survive.

Oh, well. The ones who are suited to real college work can always make their way to the library and play a few rounds of autodidacticism.

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Trackposted to Rosemary’s Thoughts, Woman Honor Thyself, The World According to Carl, Shadowscope, The Pink Flamingo, Phastidio.net, Leaning Straight Up, Cao’s Blog, The Amboy Times, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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* Continue reading “Fred on Ed”