My Life With IT

My old Starhub box failed to work just a few days before. So, I had a replacement box that freezes at odd intervals as if the channels are playing pirated DVD. Each and every channel is affected. Thus, it was brought back to Vivocity to get another box.

However, the freezing game continues. What is the problem? I don’t know. I called up Starhub and the guy was very patient; he explained to me that it could be the switch or the cable wires that is causing the problem. I followed the instructions to a T. The first method was to connect directly to the TV channel. It worked beautifully.

Image via Wikipedia

The next was to switch the cables for the box and MaxOnline and see if it works. That failed miserably. In fact, I have absolutely no idea what is the problem. Changing the box is not an option now as the box is working fine. The cables in the walls are working find. Perhaps it’s the switch? I don’t know.

I have lost 4 days of non-TV because of the box supposedly being compatible with every TV despite it being a digital box. However, it seems to fail miserably when connected with MaxOnline. Why am I paying for both if both lines are not compatible?

Don’t tell me I have to upgrade my modem set too. 3 trips to Starhub? Oh my goodness. Someone please explain to me why a new digital box is not compatible with the old modem that was given. Analog or not, the cable wire is the same. The screws are tight.

I don’t like watching any TV channels that freeze every 5 seconds. That’s not I’m paying for more than 10 channels.

Image via Wikipedia

Frankly speaking, a new toy is always fun to play with until you reach the stage of boredom. I am bored of Facebook. I still have incoming application requests and have resorted to blocking the applications as I find the them a hassle to keep myself active in more than 30 applications.

I read with amusement about the Facebook Anthem and found it rather endearing. Apparently, We didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel is popularly used to change the lyrics. I have more than 30 applications being loaded in my profile and it sure is loading very slowly.

It took me much sheer power to remove applications that I have no fancy for such as Ninjas vs Pirates, and other games that took too much time to upkeep the status. I’m hoping to remove Superpoke, Fun Wall, Make a Baby and other applications in future.

Facebook, it was good while it lasted.

I use a laptop and I store quite a number of data in it. It’s my precious. With today’s mobile technology getting more robust; free Wifi being offered at Starbucks, McDonald’s and more, it isn’t a wonder to see laptops being setup in those places.

To protect my data, Fast N Safe has a new product, easySafe that will protect the data. This is a hardware based cryptography product. Software tends to be decrypted more easily as we can see from websites that have experienced such cases.

For the mobile warriors, data such as clients’ and company’s information is very important. The loss will mean the integrity and the confidence level of the clients are affected badly. It is important to know that your laptop is safe from being compromised when someone steals it or lost.

Installation of easySafe is easy as you just plug it into the USB drive that can be found in the laptops or computers. easySafe will create a virtual storage space to store the sensitive and confidential data. This is transparent to the users and will not affect the user in anyway.

Hardware security is safer because without the easySafe, anyone else attempting to pry their eyes to look for the data will be disappointed as the data is encrypted and can only be decrypted by easySafe itself. easySafe is portable and it takes up not much space as most thumb drives these days are getting smaller too.

With easySafe, you can travel with a peace of mind.

easySafe can be purchased at the following places.

• E2000 shop at Funan #05-02.
• Tec-Drome Technology at Sim Lim Square #05-78 and #06-74.
• IMM Challenger L2-49.

[Sponsored by Blog2u.sg]

I haven’t tried it but I smell a fish there. If I were to use this system, I have to put in $5,000 and the money will grow. Or so it’s supposed to. Just take a look at this guy in his boxers out there in the freezing cold. There is a warning about how it works and how a business is to be setup.

Entrepreneurs who have experienced their own business failures and success will know. They have first hand knowledge of managing businesses. Business is tough. You can’t just sit at home fiddling with your website even though it is comfortable and think money will start pouring into your account.

I don’t know who Ty Coughlin is but a search threw up titles with the word ’scam’ ended up in the first page. Apparently, this guy has a lot of different domains trying to lure people into paying him money. This time, he’s looking for a business owner, via ProBlogger Job Boards, no less.

All sorts of marketing needs work. Lots of it. The initial work is usually the most difficult but the sweet fruits of labour is worth it. I have seen too many single page websites claiming that they have earned $7,000 per week and more. Each page design feels 1990s. The key is to use large bold red fonts to attract people into signing up.

Each package usually requires you to pay a minimum sum of $50. I don’t know how long such a system can last but apparently, during the downtimes of the economy, people are often turning to online hoping to earn quick bucks and not be stuck in the office from 8 - 6.

I have blogged for more than 2 years with different platforms. When I first started out, I thought it was just to voice out my thoughts and feelings on things that affect me deeply. Albeit too deeply at times.

What I thought blogging was about:

• I can just voice my thoughts.
• I can vent my anger.
• I can write anything I want.
• I can earn some money.
• I can blog for life.

What blogging has evolved:

• I can’t just say anything about the bad bosses I had encountered.
• I can’t identify the companies unless it’s positive. This is still debatable.
• I can’t write about anything I want.
• I get spammed.
• I get comments about posts that I have written that talk about my perspective being wrong.
• I can’t really earn peanuts if I am not famous enough in the blogsphere.
• I can’t just rely on blogging alone.

I haven’t really lost interest in blogging here. I have been busy with looking at other concepts because I am jobless in a couple of weeks. I have tested a few of my concepts and it’s picking up slow because I haven’t inserted any sexy images for them. Besides, seductive images don’t work because they aren’t about exotic tastes.

I may reveal more of myself but at this moment, I am not ready. I hope to be able to do something useful in life for once besides mindless working. As for the perspectives being wrong, I am not wrong. You are.

I’ve done my share of IT projects for years. Throughout the years, I’ve often learnt some techniques from different teachers along the way. The different users I meet also gave me the opportunities to improvise despite being angry about the ways that things just change at their whims.

The Indecisive User

This user kept changing the requirements at every meeting. Likes to pick on things that aren’t functional. Is unable to decide if this function is more important than that function despite the impeding deadline.

Alternative: Give them the low down of the thing and confirm which are the important features to be rolled out 1st phase. Subsequent changes can be rolled out in the 2nd phase. This alternative may be time consuming but mention the word: budget in the communication tools and you’ll see miracles.

The Picky User

This user likes to pick on the colours, layout, functions, features and more. Even after massive overhaul based on the changes said, everything changes back to version 1 for the layouts, colours, functions and more.

Alternative: Backup every design for each phase and show them the demo upon the decided UAT date. Mentions keywords like user interface, budget and more. Hope for miracles.

The Forgetful User

This user likes to talk to you and forgets about it after that. Claims non-ownership even if the idea came from this user in the first place.

Alternative: Always follow up with an email listing the requirement changes and CC to the bosses who are involved. This way, you save yourself a major headache.

The Haughty User

This user has all the requirements laid out and likes to wait for you to fetch them to the UAT environment. Does not like to be delayed but will always be late for the testing. Prefers to talk to the higher authority than someone who is of a lower status.

Alternative: Send reminder emails about the date and venue. Include the test case. Let the higher authority know that you will be fetching them to the test environment. In the event the user wants the higher authority, let the higher authority know too.

The Know-it-all User

This user usually has some IT background and will instruct you how to develop, code and how the layout should look like. Sometimes, does not know what he/she wants. See The Indecisive User.

Alternative: Design a prototype and asked for more specifics as the requirements are often vague except for the programming portion.

The Want-it-all User

This user wants everything to work for the system. Likes the system to be 100% bug free. Prefers to have just 1 click and the system will do its magic. Expects the developers to be able to produce it in the shortest time possible when the requirements are not fully discussed. May be a little like The Haughty User.

Alternative: Give them the lowdown and explain that the system is unable to achieve everything if the deadline is too short to be able to fully test for 100% bug free launch. Send emails to confirm to prevent disputes. Documentations should include what the system is and isn’t able to perform.

I am not a project manager but I’ve seen mine using ways to calm down the users. There were times when I had to manage some projects on my own and recall how to handle it. While I’m not perfect, I learn them along the way.

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It is truly time for a replacement PDA phone. However, I’m still unable to decide which one to get despite the various choices of sexy PDAs available. Take the long wait for Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. The news for HTC Touch Diamond just came out too. It’s another piece of artwork by HTC.

HTC Diamond is so sexy that it reminds me of the coveted iPhone. The Asus Lamborghini ZX1 oozes with sleek form design too. Toshiba is known for producing laptops and desktops but this time, they want to let the world know that their Portege is also good enough to work as a PDA phone. See Toshiba Portege G810.

I’m thinking of HTC Touch Diamond, Asus Lamborghini ZX1 and MWg Zinc II. The problem? The first two are not launch yet. Was thinking of SE X1 but it’s a long wait. I just wonder if I would be able to afford the change. PDA phones are still expensive to buy.