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Family planning
I have greatly enjoyed PCW for many years, in particular as my computer needs have evolved with firstly marriage and then family, so you have informed my decisions to meet these challenges
However my family/home computer was now in trouble. Five years of accumulated programs and files despite annual clean reinstalls, and the now antiquated spec meant the machine was very slow. A five year pile of video tapes I had tried and failed to encode on the 500Mhz CPU was still growing. Worse of all I could not find a satisfactory or secure method to allow my children (younger than the computer!) to play their numerous games that demanded admin rights. This includes educational games from the BBC.
I decided I needed a new machine and invested in a small but not compact ASUS T2 AE1 which would allow me a full-height child proof CD (I'd give a slimline model 5 minutes with the kids). This enabled me to carry out my annual clean install of the old machine with just Windows, Office and games. The old machine now flies, is set to automatically log on as an administrator so all games play. In short I now 'need' it again.
The only cloud on the horizon was linking the systems together for back ups, music and pictures. At this moment they share a desk and I only need one monitor and keyboard. I linked them in a simple network which was great for backups and sharing, but I did not find the remote access from the kids' machine satisfactory for working on the new machine.
The solution to date is a D-Link 2-port KVM switch linking the two computers to the single monitor, keyboard and mouse. A bit low tech, but cheap, and it works. Two separate secure systems at the press of a button. The switch even has a USB port to which I have attached an external drive for backing up and accessing shared albums, so I do not need both machines on. Elegant on the desk (ignore the wires behind), and bringing new life to old equipment I thought was past it, so a two-for-one result.
No more children on the horizon, but we are moving next year at which point I will probably introduce a media player and broadband into the system and put the computer in the children's room and end up having to buy that other monitor. Now where's that recent TFT review..?
Thanks for being there, especially Tim Nott (PCW's Windows and Word hands-on guru).
John Stiles
Thanks, Belkin
The IT industry has a poor reputation for customer support so when things go well I think manufacturers should be praised and hopefully the market will reward them
Recently the transformer on my Belkin USB hub failed after about a year- like many people I often don't keep receipts for lower cost items so I was resigning myself to replacing it or finding a compatible transformer when I rang the company.
I was immensely impressed when I rang the Belkin helpline- although I was in a queue it took my number and as promised I was rung back within an hour. The staff arranged to post a replacement within days without any hesitation and even apologised that it may take up to a week to arrive - in fact it came after 3 days.
Although providing good service costs companies money it will undoubtedly effect my purchasing decisions in the future and hopefully such companies will prosper. I am sure that companies can pool information to detect the small number of people who might abuse such facilities. Keep up the good work!
Martin Andrew
Noview Freeview
Your article on Home Theatre PCs was both interesting and informative. Unfortunately, as with virtually all similar articles, the issue of digital terrestrial reception was brushed aside with the line; “If you live in a freeview area with good reception.....”; continuing on as if we all do, completely ignoring the fact that approximately 25% of the population of the UK patently do not.
How about some advice on ways to improve reception in areas that are partially blocked? And what about news of any progress for areas without reception, like you occasionally used to do for the advance of ADSL.
I live in an area where the vast majority of households do get good reception, but because of geographical anomalies and sheer bad luck, there’s a small enclave of twenty or thirty properties that are in some kind of ‘dip’ where reception is poor (reception is also poor for analogue TV, but the only effect of this is that we get a little ‘ghosting’, the image itself is usually reasonable). Houses just across the road or around the corner have no problem.
These enclaves are apparently quite numerous, nationally and there’s little prospect of improvement anytime soon, as there’s no easy (or cheap) way to force the signal to go “around” whatever is causing the blockage. The powers that be are aware of the situation, because when you look up my post code on the freeview.com website, they acknowledge our plight with the line; “SORRY - FREEVIEW doesn’t cover your area for the postcode...”.
I’ve tried a couple of set-top boxes, borrowed from friends and although we do get a signal and some of the channels, the picture can be pixellated and for some reason, contrast/colour is very poor. It’s like watching TV through a fog.
My main concern is for the future. Sometime in the next five to ten years, analogue transmissions are due to end. What happens then? One thing’s certain. I won’t pay for a TV licence if they things don’t improve.
I am of course aware of the alternatives, such as cable and satellite; and they are available, but I don’t want them. I’m happy with the five terrestrial channels and do not wish to swap my 8Mbit ADSL for a vastly inferior, bunged up, cable connection. And before you suggest it, I won’t pay for both.
I suppose I ought to say “thanks for a great magazine” and all that now, but after that letter, I’m not in the mood. Oh, all right then; “thanks for a great magazine”.
Nick Hawryliw
Sat Nav group test
I read with interest your article on satellite navigation (PCW January 2006 issue). I have been using Tom-Tom Mobile with my Nokia 6680 phone for a while now, I have it mounted exactly between the two dials in my car where it doesn't obstruct the window view and is inline with my view of the instuments.
I have built a Bluetooth GPS receiver into the dashboard, it sits under the plastic, and comes on with the ignition so that it cannot be seen. I always take my phone with me, so that aids the security and the fiddling with things that stops people using such a system after a while.
However, probably not the first to point this one out, but the process of determining your position with satellites is Trilateration. It differs from Triangulation because as you correctly point out, you know only the distance and not the direction of the satellite. Triangulation works by knowing where the lines cross, and to do that you need the direction.
Stuck in a broadband loop
I have been using a dial-up modem for a number of years and have recently been thinking about upgrading to broadband. After seeing a Pipex advert in your last magazine offering broadband for only a pound or two more per month than my dial-up account, I decided to take the plunge. BT's broadband checker said that I wouldn't be able to get a 2 MB connection, but that I might be able to get a 1 MB connection. I didn't think there would be a problem - I live in the middle of Southampton after all -- a major UK city -- getting a connection will be fine. So I signed up.
But it seems there *is* a problem. Pipex were told by BT Wholesale that the signal loss on my line was too great, so Pipex rejected my application. Now, I know where my exchange is, and I know it is broadband enabled. I live within 3km of the exchange, and although it is the length of the line that counts and not my physical distance from the exchange, I understand that a 1MB connection can now be made up to 6 km from the exchange, and there is no set limit for a 0.5 MB connection.
So I contact BT to try to find out what the problem is. But BT are only interested in my voice telephone connection, which works fine. Broadband is supplied through BT Wholesale - who will only talk to ISPs - so no help there. BT said that I should 'demand' (their choice of word - not mine) that Pipex should get BT Wholesale to investigate the problem, as there may be a solution such as rerouting my line.
But Pipex aren't interested - they say the problem is with the line, which is BTs. And I don't think I'm in a position to 'demand' anything from Pipex, to whom I haven't yet paid a penny, and to be fair to them it is going to cost them time and money to investigate a problem for a customer trying to sign up on their most basic package.
So it now seems that I'm a bit stuck. I originally chose Pipex as they had a cheap package with a 1 GB cap. I don't download videos or music so that should be fine. Now if I choose a more expensive package from, say, BT Broadband, then I suspect the problem with my line would get investigated and possibly resolved, but I would then be stuck with an expensive package I don't need on a 12 month contract. Shouldn't BT be willing to support its customers with broadband connection issues before they sign-up so that they can make a free choice of service providers?
Stuart Conner
Warning to those with Windows restore CDs
I have just had to reinstall Windows XP Home edition on a E-machines PC and could NOT use backups. The E-machine like a number of other systems, Acer, Advent, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, IT Works, NEC, Time, Tiny and Toshiba only provide Restore CD(s).
When used these restore Windows XP, but wipe the hard disk of any data or software that was installed or added after the initial factory installation, or any previous restore. This means a backup is not recorded on whatever backup software was used prior to the Restore. In addition you have no settings to use after the Restore for Outlook Express etc.
What you really need is COPY of everything that has been added after the system was started, My Documents in particular, plus a list of your settings, passwords and software key numbers kept as disk copy in a small database or the like.
I had to have data and downloaded software on my hard disk, prior to my Windows failure, professionally extracted onto CD and then added after the Restore and of course reinstall the other software for which I had the CD's. In the case of a failure of this nature the CD & DVD drives read but do not write and the hard disk has to be removed and copied elsewhere, at some considerable cost.
In the case of computer users with only Restore CD's, there must be quite a number out there, I would like to advocate NOT to backup but COPY regularly to a CD or DVD, it is easy enough with Windows XP. I also suggest that the system suppliers, listed above, take this into account and add something to their original instructions.
Tony Johnstone
No games consoles for me
Nice to see all the new games consoles being sent out for Christmas but I will not be buying any of them - ever. If I buy one I want to be able to buy it anywhere in the world, buy games anywhere in the world and use it anywhere in the world without Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo telling me what I can and cannot do. Why should I be denied the right to buy and use these machines and their programmes where ever I want to ?
John Kent
Vista on laptops
Since reading your article on Windows Vista (PCW, Nov 2005) there has been one thing troubling me. If the minimum system specs are a 3GHz processor and 512MB of Ram, what is going to happen to ultraportables..Most ultra portable laptops don’t have processors above the speed 2GHz. So is the new Windows going to be inaccessible to laptop users or is a different version being released for laptops.
Peter Budd
Rip-off postal charges to Northern Ireland
As a resident of Northern Ireland I feel there are a few injustices in the area of IT product delivery that need to be voiced. A few years ago, one was able to order from a variety of online retailers, mostly based in England, without incurring substantial surcharges. Sadly, those days have mostly gone. It seems that it is now fair game to add on up to £15 extra for a delivery to the Province. A quick survey of the major online retailers makes this abundantly clear – for example, Dabs charges £11.75 extra for NI delivery; Ebuyer £15; Savastore £14.95; Novatech £14.10 and Microdirect £15.
This issue was first brought to my attention when I tried to buy a game for the Xbox from Ebuyer, which had been competitively priced at around £20. However, when I proceeded through to the checkout, this almost doubled, given the £15 surcharge to Northern Ireland. Such companies must ask themselves if it is justifiable to charge £15 extra for the postage of a small light item to another part of the UK.
When you look at Royal Mail’s rates, you will find that using Special (next day) Delivery, a parcel of 2kg weight sent from London to Belfast with £500 compensation insurance, costs £6.95 in total – never mind the extra £10-15 pounds customer are asked to pay. As the majority of IT components will weigh less than 2kg, I feel that it surely is profiteering on the part of such companies to charge such exorbitant surcharges. Thankfully, there are still a few places, such as Overclockers.co.uk, which maintain one charge for the whole of the UK.
The companies may argue that their delivery agents charge them more for “overseas delivery”; I too can see the need to pay more for larger and bulkier items. However, I hardly think a PCI card or new processor would fit into such categories and hence would urge such retailers to reconsider their policy on behalf of all who live in “outlying areas”.
Maurice Hall
Print screen smoke screen
Why haven't computer keyboard manufacturers renamed the "Print Screen" key "Copy Screen"? That is what it does. Calling it "Print Screen" is still baffling and upsetting many computer users, even those who have been using computers a long time.
A recent incident at a meeting I attended has led me to write this letter. The two people opposite me were chatting before the meeting began and one of them put a photograph of a screen on the table to show his friend the problem he had with his computer, apologising because, as he said, it's difficult to take a good photograph of a screen. When I said that all he needed to do was press the "Print Screen" key, he immediately said, quite logically, that he had, but that nothing had happened. When I told him that it copies the screen and all one has to do is paste the picture into a document or graphics program he remarked "I've been using computers for fifteen years, but no-one's ever told me that".
Jean Elliott
Why no legal remedy for spam?
I'm writing with reference to the letter from Nigel Johnston, published in the August 2005 issue of PCW and regarding spam etc. I am also perplexed as to why no legal remedy can be made available.
I too know of instances where IT specialists have been called in by companies whose operations have been brought to a halt due to the fact their computers have been rendered inoperable due to both malicious (virus) infections and legal, but no by no means benign, installations such as spam and spyware. Mr Johnston makes the point that if he were to go on a wrecking spree in the local supermarket he would be brought to book toot sweet. However, there would be mens rea in that case and therefore subject to criminal proceedings.
Sending spam and spyware has no criminal intent and would have to be dealt with in the civil courts. One could make the point that we cannot sue individuals or organisations that send junk mail to the home, and the same applies junk emails and spam/spyware. But, that is a mere inconvenience and the mail can be binned, you don't have to hire an IT expert to rid your home of it.
A colleague of mine recently had to pay £680.00 to deal with such a problem. He winced at the cost, though it took 2 highly qualified and skilled people the best part of the day to get his computers running again, although he, as an Independant Financial Advisor charges a minimum £120.00 for an intial 1 hour consultation, but that's another story. Surely, there must some enterprising lawyer who can bring a class action, or a collective action whereby several organisations can bring an action against the offender.
As Mr Johnston suggests, a high profile precedent whereby those responsible were stung and stung hard is needed. Meantime, I've posted this query before but as yet, no reply. Is it possible to include mail rules where the mail client will only accept mails from enumerated sources, such as .co.uk?
Michael Bowker
Great service from Antec
I recently purchased an Antec SLK3000B case. After 5 weeks of use I discovered that I could only use the upper of the 2 front USB ports if the USB device was externally powered. Investigation showed the USB socket terminals had 'flattened' resulting in the loss of the +5v supply. They were carefully teased out and all was OK again. But as this was probably a temporary solution I emailed Antec. Within 24 hours I received a reply requesting my full postal address. 5 days later I received 2 spare USB PCB assemblies.
This is customer support without equal. Furthermore it makes a refreshing change from the countless depressing stories regarding customer support, or more accurately the lack of, that one reads in magazines and newsgroups.
Whilst I enjoy reading the reviews in magazines such as PCW, unfortunately, by their very nature, they can only reflect the limited experience of the tester, i.e. general appearance, build quality, ease of setting up, etc. Sadly no account can be taken of long term reliability or after-sales customer support. This is a serious omission as one may not have purchased that "Editor's Choice" if one had known that if that product failed, one would be left totally isolated.
I suppose one can only form some opinion after reading as many reviews as possible, and consulting the newsgroups. However, one always has to be aware that the person who is disappointed and frustrated with a recent purchase is far more inclined to post to a newsgroup than the thousands who are happy with the same product. This is why I feel that it is important to recognise excellent support when given, as with my case with Antec, and give that company full credit.
It's a pity magazines like PCW cannot do some type of "Name & Shame" article, identifying companies who repeatedly refuse to provide support for their products. Conversely, for those who do accept their obligations, the article could be used to enhance their reputation.
Bryan Wilson
Tabbed browsing for IE
In your December 2005 edition you advised John Page to wait for Windows Vista and IE7 so he could have tabs in IE. If he wants this feature right now he could download Maxthon which provides many of the features of the other browsers but is really just a wrapper for IE so Active X should still work.
Matt Dale
