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Richy's Random Ramblings

Techy Fun: What a rip-off!

August 20, 2007
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As I’m in the process of slowing shutting down other sites I’ve worked on (due to time constraints), I’m reposting them here. Here’s an article from “Behind The Frontline” which was going to be a cross between I Work With Fools, Worse Than Failure and Dilbert.

Categories: Just Plain Dumb and Timewasters. Author: Myself.

*Ring Ring*

Co-worker: Hello “Company Name”, how can I help?
Peon: Why has my account been suspended?
Co-worker: Can I take your domain name?
Peon: xxxxx
Co-worker: That account has been suspended for breaching our terms and conditions.
Peon: What do you mean?
Co-worker: The totally free web hosting package (which you don’t pay for) just asks for you to put a link back to our site from yours.
Peon: And?
Co-worker: Not including that link after 30 days is a breach of the free hosting terms and conditions.
Peon: But I didn’t know about that!
Co-worker: It’s displayed on the screen before you place your order, when you complete your order, when you receive email notification with your login details AND it’s displayed in your control panel.
Peon: Well, that’s a rip-off!

*Peon hangs-up*

So it’s a rip-off that we’re offering him a free hosting account and he can’t follow basic instructions that are repeated several times?

Techy Fun: When is 24 hours not 24 hours?

August 19, 2007
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As I’m in the process of slowing shutting down other sites I’ve worked on (due to time constraints), I’m reposting them here. Here’s an article from “Behind The Frontline” which was going to be a cross between I Work With Fools, Worse Than Failure and Dilbert.

Categories: Just plain dumb and Timewasters. Author: Anonymous

I had to call a supplier today and whilst queuing for an operator listening to “Your call is important to us – please hold” – isn’t it nice to think that your call is more important than anybody else’s in the queue, and if it’s true, why don’t they answer me first?..Where was I? Oh, yes, in a queue. Then an announcement came on “We are experiencing long wait times, please call back later – lines are open 24 hours a day – or stay on the line”.

Whilst I was tempted to call back later, I thought I’d stay on the line. A few “Your call is important to us”‘s later and “We are experiencing long wait times, lines are open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. Please call again during these times or stay on the line”.

How come their opening times changed from 24 hours a day to “just slightly longer than normal business hours” within a space of a few minutes?

Techy: Nokia Battery Withdrawal

August 15, 2007
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Nokia have just announced that they are having to recall 43 million mobile phone batteries which were supplied with a range of their mobile phones including the following models:

Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50, Nokia E60

If you’ve got one of those Nokia phones or think you may be affected (your battery will have BL-5C on it if it is possible it is affected), then go to Nokia’s product advisory page and enter the 26 character battery code and then press ENTER (don’t click submit as it doesn’t work: if you press enter after entering the code, it does work) and see if you will get a free replacement battery.

I’ve got the new battery for my year old Nokia 6230i on order now.

Techy Fun: Good idea shot down – no reason given!

August 15, 2007
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As I’m in the process of slowing shutting down other sites I’ve worked on (due to time constraints), I’m reposting them here. Here’s an article from “Behind The Frontline” which was going to be a cross between I Work With Fools, Worse Than Failure and Dilbert.

Category: Political Situations. Author: blankreg

Whilst trying to improve productivity at work (and consequently reduce my own workload a bit!), I proposed that we use this new simple to use CRM system (Customer Relationship Management : it’s just a piece of software which stores information and then sends it to the right people). This”ll make it easy for everybody to know what’s going on, what the situation is on everything and to keep customers updated (save us having to bother). Everybody else in the department thought it was a good idea, it’ll save a lot of time and it’ll hardly cost anything.

The Boss shot it down with “I don’t think it’s a good idea”. No other reason given despite us pointing out all the pluses. Turns out, he”s got his own way of working and he doesn”t want to change (even though it means more work for everybody else).

Fun: New Security Levels Announced

August 10, 2007
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From my other half:

The British are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved”. Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross”. The British have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz began in 1940 and tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorised from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance”. The last time the British issued “A Bloody Nuisance” warning level was during the great fire of 1666.

Also, the French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide”. The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France’s white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country’s military capability.

It’s not only the British and French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout loudly and excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

The Germans also increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbour” and “Lose”.

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.