If it's free then you're the product

...but isn't this taking it a bit too far. Perhaps they need a new accounting system at Microsoft.

You will SUBMIT

I just received an email from HP, apparently because my email address ended up on a mailling list somewhere (I did buy an HP laptop about 3 years ago!) that is so full of marketing speak and "glossy" pictures I can't tell what it actually wants me to do.

I promptly clicked on the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom - or so I thought - I missed it by 3 or 4 pixels and was taken to a page containing this:

I had to "LOL" at the "instruction" at the bottom. "Submit and Subscribe Now" - that's it - no alternative but to submit. You are going to subscribe, resistance is useless. Thank goodness for the back button!

How does this "Help"?

I'm installing SQL Server 2008 on a new PC today. I decided to actually spend a bit of time making sure I install all the features I want, and only the features I want.

So, what's this "Client Tools Backwards Compatibility" feature I see? Sounds to me like an educated guess might be, that it ensures I can open SQL 2005 databases with Management Studio - something like that??

Well there is this little frame to the right that seems to give some details of each feature as you click on it...so I'll click on "Client Tools Backwards Compatibility"...what does it tell me? Hmmm, it tells me that the feature is...... "Client Tools Backwards Compatibility", take a bow whoever added that helpful description in the details frame...

Not to worry, there's a help button on that installer dialog, I'll click it....nope...no mention of "Client Tools Backwards Compatiblity" in there.

Off to Google I go (well it's a brand new PC so "Bing" is still the default search engine...not for long. Search for "Client Tools Backwards Compatibility"... a few results down show me this, a forum on Microsoft's own site, with a closed issue from 8 months ago, where the SQL Server 2008 Education Lead reassures us that the SQL Features documentation has all been updated. Fabulous. Issue closed.

===========

update: This post provides a fairly useful answer to the "Client Tools Backwards Compatibility" feature - apparently something to do with being able to access or convert old DTS packages, from earlier versions of SQL Server. (Think I'll leave it out as I haven't looked at a DTS package since 2003.)

Completely useless interruption to my day

I was just sitting here, scrolling through my Google Reader articles when up popped a message stating that some software was searching for updates.

Not so bad, as no response was needed but a dialog appearing briefly in the middle of the screen seemed a little excessive.

…but then, this!

…a popup, to which I had to actually click on “Finish” to acknowledge something I hadn’t even asked for, had run and achieved nothing.

I have never seen a better example of useless, intrusive and rude software, clearly “designed” (if you could call it that) by a developer sitting in a back room who has not seen light of day, nor had human contact for far too long.

In the name of Security

My bank sent me a letter last week stating that there was a suspicion of some fradulent activity on my debit card and that they were taking the precaution of replacing it.

Now the card was not cancelled. I could keep using it until such a time as I could make my way into my home branch to collect my new card, at which point the old one would be cancelled and destroyed.

I found it strange that my card would continue working under the suspicion of fraud, but the facts weren't clear. There certainly had not been any suspicious or unaccounted transactions on my account. So far so strange!

Anyway, a couple of days later another letter arrived informing me of my new PIN. In the name of security it arrived on a purpose built form, where you tear a small portion of adhesive paper placed behind the new PIN away, supposedly revealing the new PIN, amongst a scrawly pattern of black "squiggles which is only visible when you hold it up to the light or against a white background.

Fail!

I could make out the first digit with no troubles. The remaining three were either 000 or 003 - or so I thought.

I took this "security" form into the bank when I went to collect my form. I explained the problem of having no way to read my PIN....blank face. At this point I made my questionable decision in all this - I decided to show the teller what I meant. Now she did acknowledge that she shouldn't, which I respect and asked her to do it anyway. So she did, quite decreetly and acknowledged she couldn't read it either.

We decided I should try what we thought it was, once, so as not to lose the card in the ATM. I did so, and of course, it didn't work.

I went back into the bank at which point a not so discreet teller came over, took the letter and annouced to basically the entire bank what she thought the number was. A little disgusted, I pointed out that in an over zealous attempt at securing my information, Bendigo Bank had just made it infinitely less secure because about 12 poeple now new what my PIN is - or at least what it may be. Turns out she was wrong too, so I left it.

The more helpful teller has requested a new PIN, which is on the way. Meanwhile, I can't use the card at an ATM or EFTPOS. Thanfully the card also has a credit facility which I can sign for so I shouldn't be stranded. I can also reset myPIN at any ATM once I receive it - I just hope I can read the next one!

Interesting Mobile Phone bill

I just checked our first mobile phone invoice from 3 Mobile (www.three.com.au). Interesting.

Two numbers are linked to one account. There is a $19 cap on each phone.

On the first phone, the monthly spend was $19.25. There was a 25c cap limit discount, making the total $19. So far so good. 

On the second phone, the monthly spend was $16.65 plus a "Minimum spend not reached" charge of $1.45. 

No complaints at all about the account, service or anything. It just strikes me as very strange, that we have two phones, one received a discount for exceeding the cap, the other incurred a fee for not reaching the cap.

Interesting concepts, looks like I need to spend as  much as I can, in order to get more discount and avoid those nasty charges...

Buying tickets online versus over the counter

Yesterday I had cause to purchase one adult general admission ticket for the upcoming Twenty20 cricket match at Skilled Stadium. (Why? - Well my Milo In2Cricket group of kids is lucky enough to be taking part in the pre-game entertainment.)

Anyway, as co-ordinator I receive a ticket as does Kieren being a participant. Toby, being under 6 yrs old, is admitted free of charge, so Rachel needs a general admission ticket only.

Aynway, while I seriously doubt this match will be a sell out, I thought it best to purchase a ticket ahead of time to ensure Rachel doesn't miss out.

I went to the TicketMaster web site looking to purchase my one general admission ticket. While all signage for the game say "adults $15" TicketMaster are charging $18.30?? Ah well, I can live with that. Then, as I proceed through the process, opting for the "print it myself" option I notice another $5.00 handling fee! A handling fee, for choosing precisely the option where nobody other than myself, has to handle anything! And $5. That's not 50c. That's $5. So to buy online from TicketMaster would amount to $23.30. ($8.30 more expensive than buying at the gate.)

That's annoying. Now for the stupid part. I bailed out of this online purchase and drove into Myer, Geelong the next day where I purchased tickets over the counter. This process involved a few minutes of a TicketMaster employee's time, printing on their preprinted ticket stationery, they even tucked my ticket safely away in one of their own envelopes...guess what, after all that handling, no handling fee!

Just plain stupid!