I work for Stream, an outsourcer who handles other companies tech support. I am on a very high profile contract of which if I said the name of the company you would instantly recognize it. We have certain metrics we must attain, such as an average handle time, etc. Most of our techs on my contract are competant. My handle time is less than half of the contract specified metrics and I take double the amount of calls of almost everyone else. Not because I "punt" (as we call it), but because I know what I'm doing and I fix issues very quickly.
These are my big pet peeves when taking a customers call:
1. Rambling on and on about how you're not technical and not computer literate. If you were you probably wouldn't be calling me.
2. Repeating yourself during your explaination. I'm a very smart individual and I generally get something the first time you tell me. You do not have to say it 4 and 5 times.
3. Spending 10 minutes to explain the issue. I don't care if you had five issues before this. No it is not necessary for you to tell all of them to me. No I do not care what you did to fix the previous issue. Just tell me what it is and shut up, if I need information I will *ask*!
4. Going ahead of me and doing the wrong thing. No, I did *not* want you to restart your computer before we changed the sittings requiring you to restart your computer.
5. Bitching about warranty. The warranty starts when you buy the unit. Just because you sat it on your shelf for a year and a half and just started to use it does not mean your units one year warranty is still good. Just because you have never called before in 4 years does not mean the 90 day free tech support warranty does not apply to you.
6. Incompetance. I realize you may not be the most technical person in the world however I do expect you to know how to use a mouse, how to read a serial number and how to count. "But I told you, I don't have a last 6 digits, there are only 14 digits!", "No I never called to get return authorization, I just put it in a box with a letter and shipped it to you, it's not MY fault you can't track it, how am I supposed to know you have to call in first!"
There are many more. If you want to know why tech support is horrible it's because the job is shitty and the support person - in the most part - does *not* want to be talking to you because all he/she ever hears is bitching, moaning, complaining and whining.
Distribution is not defined. That is one of the problems with the GPL.
Why must we redefine every english word? Emphasis mine:
distribute Pronunciation Key (d-strbyt) v. distributed, distributing, distributes v. tr.
1. To divide and dispense in portions.
2.
1. To supply (goods) to retailers. 2. To deliver or pass out: distributing handbills on the street.
3.
1. To spread or diffuse over an area; scatter: distribute grass seed over the lawn.
2. To apportion so as to be evenly spread throughout a given area: 180 pounds of muscle that were well distributed over his 6-foot frame.
4. To separate into categories; classify.
I mean, say I am working on a piece of code, based on GPL stuff. Say it's for internal use only within my office. I think we all agree that using it on my company's computers only is not distributing it. Now let's say I want to send a copy to Joe because I value Joe's input into UI design, so I send a binary to my pal Joe. AM I now obligated to give Joe source? I don't think so. I am not distributing my new work. I am merely SHOWING it to joe so he can give me feedback. The GPL should not prevent this.
Again, emphasis mine:
send1 Pronunciation Key (snd) v. sent, (snt) sending, sends v. tr.
1. To cause to be conveyed by an intermediary to a destination: send goods by plane.
2. To dispatch, as by a communications medium: send a message by radio.
These definitions would indeed corelate that sending something is infact distributing it and therefore would be bound by the GPL's source code terms. Now, if you allow Joe to look at it on one of your companies machines, that's different. If you give/send/hand/mail/email/ftp/upload/etc it to him then you are indeed distributing it and *if he asks* you must give him source code.
Well I would like to emphasize "closed" nature of the pay beta program. I am not an expert on this matter and I won't pretend to be one. Yet the way I see this is, the beta program of lindows is actually an internal process. The payers may access this internal process after signing a NDA. They are not selling or giving away their betas, betas are also not free to copy, they are closed and whole proces is internal.
One word: illegal. The GPL'd software may not be relicenced into this kind of a license unless by the author. Lindows cannot sell linux for $99 under NDA and tell people they can't share it. Internal means just that: internal. This process is anything but internal as they are distributing the software to third parties for a fee of $99. The only way it would be internal is if everyone were employees of Lindows.
These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it.
The only way they can get around not GPLing their software is if it is independant and not distributed as part of a whole.
In a nutshell this means that the software must not completely depend on the library to function, it must be able to survive having that library removed and still able to operate or else is it not independant but dependant on the library. Also it cannot be distributed with the GPL'd library as part of a whole program which does NOT necessarily mean statically linked but in the same package! Be that tarball or CD-ROM.
If these two conditions are not met then the software must be bound by the GPL regardless of object or source code, static or dynamic library.
You can use it with pretty much any VfW or WDM supporting card, I use it on my hauppauge WinTV-FM card and it works well.
Download the free version and try it out.
-- iCEBaLM
Re:Once again, Slashdotters want to have it both w
on
Read the Fine Print
·
· Score: 4, Informative
We've been complaining on this site for months, if not years, about Microsoft's security. They have a bug? We want a patch right away. We complain about downloading patches? Microsoft makes the system able to download and install them itself. All the user has to do is set up auto-install of new updates.
The problem is when you not only tell it you do NOT want auto-updates but also you STOP THE AUTO UPDATE SERVICE and then, when your computer becomes unbearably slow and unresponsive you check the process list and, uh, what's that, autoupd using all my CPU time?! But I told it I didn't WANT auto updates! ARGH..
It really happens... You cannot turn off auto updates in XP.
To put my money were my mouth is I have now registered my version of mIRC.
The rest, however, are grossly overpriced. WinZip, WinRAR and CuteFTP no longer find a home on my system. Replaced by UltimateZip and SmartFTP recommended by another commentor. Which I am going to donate $10 each to their respective projects.
Impossible, as a former MSN Tech Support weiner I can tell you that MSN uses standard PPP MS-CHAP dialups with a username of "MSN/" and your regular password.
These are all shareware applications I have installed on my computer. Some of them are going to be removed real soon because they are expiring. These prices do NOT include any kind of media, manuals, box, etc. All you get is to download and use the software. So why are they priced to rival boxed media?
If I were to buy all 6 programs it would cost: $180.95 USD. I live in Canada, that translates to: $253.33 CAD for 6 applications with no media!
Shareware companies need to rethink their pricing. If these applications cost $10-$20 I would buy them. They certainly shouldn't be priced comperable to retail software I can find in the store if I don't even get an original CD.
$40 for an FTP client, $30 for an archiver, ludicrous..
Hardware vendors beware, software should be free. All of it.
You cheap bastard. What you want sounds a little socialist; wouldn't you agree? Is it that you don't think the programmer should do everything for free, or is it that you can't afford any really nice software?
He was refering to Free as in Speech, not free as in beer. You can sell GPL code.
How would you feel if a company producing software you relied on went belly up? Would you not have any remorse for being 'one of them', the piraters?
The original poster was refering to software for a PDA, where the hardware is what makes the company the money. Of course software companies whos sole product is software should charge, and PDA companies who make software should add on a little to the price of the PDA for the software they produce for it. However, PDA software, especially since it was TAKEN from a Free (as in speech) project, should be Free (as in speech)...
Nobody disputes software makers need to pay rent and buy food, and if for some reason the company wen't tits up and you do have the source, you're covered.
You don't need as much ram with Palms as you do with PocketPC's. The applications for Palms are so incredibly small, the largest ones only take 1 MB, for those - use an expansion card, that's what it's there for.
I'm a scientist and therefore a skeptic. If I gave every crack pot the benefit of the doubt we'ld all be flying through space in cold fusion propelled star ships saying "I Captian, I'm givin her all I got".
The parallels are not there. However, if a lot of scientists much like yourself wern't closed minded and prone to dismiss things out of hand we might actually be doing the things you speak of. The trials and tribulations of Copernicus and Gallileo come to mind when you speak of such closed mindedness.
It seems to me like for all the progress that has been made it could have been made a whole lot quicker. People like you hold back the human race.
You can get a more travel friendly hotsync cable pretty cheap.
As for IrDA in linux, hrmm, I've never checked that out. I support palms, not on Linux but I wouldn't imagine it'd be too hard.
The way it works in windows is that it just uses the IR port using the serial protocol. Looking at the linux kernel it seems you could do this either with IrCOMM or IrTTY (both?) however I don't have time now to test it.
Slashdot Mirror
Thank you George Carlin.
I have the mp3, funny shit.
-- iCEBaLM
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to google search my nick, or just ask R.H. :)
Yeah man, I knew it was either you or J.P.
-- iCEBaLM
Or if the managers don't like you.
-- iCEBaLM
I will not confirm nor deny.
-- iCEPaLM
I work for Stream, an outsourcer who handles other companies tech support. I am on a very high profile contract of which if I said the name of the company you would instantly recognize it. We have certain metrics we must attain, such as an average handle time, etc. Most of our techs on my contract are competant. My handle time is less than half of the contract specified metrics and I take double the amount of calls of almost everyone else. Not because I "punt" (as we call it), but because I know what I'm doing and I fix issues very quickly.
These are my big pet peeves when taking a customers call:
1. Rambling on and on about how you're not technical and not computer literate. If you were you probably wouldn't be calling me.
2. Repeating yourself during your explaination. I'm a very smart individual and I generally get something the first time you tell me. You do not have to say it 4 and 5 times.
3. Spending 10 minutes to explain the issue. I don't care if you had five issues before this. No it is not necessary for you to tell all of them to me. No I do not care what you did to fix the previous issue. Just tell me what it is and shut up, if I need information I will *ask*!
4. Going ahead of me and doing the wrong thing. No, I did *not* want you to restart your computer before we changed the sittings requiring you to restart your computer.
5. Bitching about warranty. The warranty starts when you buy the unit. Just because you sat it on your shelf for a year and a half and just started to use it does not mean your units one year warranty is still good. Just because you have never called before in 4 years does not mean the 90 day free tech support warranty does not apply to you.
6. Incompetance. I realize you may not be the most technical person in the world however I do expect you to know how to use a mouse, how to read a serial number and how to count. "But I told you, I don't have a last 6 digits, there are only 14 digits!", "No I never called to get return authorization, I just put it in a box with a letter and shipped it to you, it's not MY fault you can't track it, how am I supposed to know you have to call in first!"
There are many more. If you want to know why tech support is horrible it's because the job is shitty and the support person - in the most part - does *not* want to be talking to you because all he/she ever hears is bitching, moaning, complaining and whining.
-- iCEBaLM
For a price of $50 you can sync a PocketPC with MacOS.
-- iCEBaLM
This means that new versions of Office, IE, ODBC, and Palm synchronization will be made available for Mac OS X.
Since when was Palm a Microsoft application?
-- iCEBaLM
Distribution is not defined. That is one of the problems with the GPL.
Why must we redefine every english word? Emphasis mine:
distribute Pronunciation Key (d-strbyt)
v. distributed, distributing, distributes
v. tr.
1. To divide and dispense in portions.
2.
1. To supply (goods) to retailers.
2. To deliver or pass out: distributing handbills on the street.
3.
1. To spread or diffuse over an area; scatter: distribute grass seed over the lawn.
2. To apportion so as to be evenly spread throughout a given area: 180 pounds of muscle that were well distributed over his 6-foot frame.
4. To separate into categories; classify.
I mean, say I am working on a piece of code, based on GPL stuff. Say it's for internal use only within my office. I think we all agree that using it on my company's computers only is not distributing it. Now let's say I want to send a copy to Joe because I value Joe's input into UI design, so I send a binary to my pal Joe. AM I now obligated to give Joe source? I don't think so. I am not distributing my new work. I am merely SHOWING it to joe so he can give me feedback. The GPL should not prevent this.
Again, emphasis mine:
send1 Pronunciation Key (snd)
v. sent, (snt) sending, sends
v. tr.
1. To cause to be conveyed by an intermediary to a destination: send goods by plane.
2. To dispatch, as by a communications medium: send a message by radio.
These definitions would indeed corelate that sending something is infact distributing it and therefore would be bound by the GPL's source code terms. Now, if you allow Joe to look at it on one of your companies machines, that's different. If you give/send/hand/mail/email/ftp/upload/etc it to him then you are indeed distributing it and *if he asks* you must give him source code.
-- iCEBaLM
Well I would like to emphasize "closed" nature of the pay beta program. I am not an expert on this matter and I won't pretend to be one. Yet the way I see this is, the beta program of lindows is actually an internal process. The payers may access this internal process after signing a NDA. They are not selling or giving away their betas, betas are also not free to copy, they are closed and whole proces is internal.
One word: illegal. The GPL'd software may not be relicenced into this kind of a license unless by the author. Lindows cannot sell linux for $99 under NDA and tell people they can't share it. Internal means just that: internal. This process is anything but internal as they are distributing the software to third parties for a fee of $99. The only way it would be internal is if everyone were employees of Lindows.
-- iCEBaLM
And here is the kicker, straight from the GPL:
These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole. If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works. But when you distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it.
The only way they can get around not GPLing their software is if it is independant and not distributed as part of a whole.
In a nutshell this means that the software must not completely depend on the library to function, it must be able to survive having that library removed and still able to operate or else is it not independant but dependant on the library. Also it cannot be distributed with the GPL'd library as part of a whole program which does NOT necessarily mean statically linked but in the same package! Be that tarball or CD-ROM.
If these two conditions are not met then the software must be bound by the GPL regardless of object or source code, static or dynamic library.
-- iCEBaLM
You can use it with pretty much any VfW or WDM supporting card, I use it on my hauppauge WinTV-FM card and it works well.
Download the free version and try it out.
-- iCEBaLM
We've been complaining on this site for months, if not years, about Microsoft's security. They have a bug? We want a patch right away. We complain about downloading patches? Microsoft makes the system able to download and install them itself. All the user has to do is set up auto-install of new updates.
The problem is when you not only tell it you do NOT want auto-updates but also you STOP THE AUTO UPDATE SERVICE and then, when your computer becomes unbearably slow and unresponsive you check the process list and, uh, what's that, autoupd using all my CPU time?! But I told it I didn't WANT auto updates! ARGH..
It really happens... You cannot turn off auto updates in XP.
-- iCEBaLM
Good information, WinZip, WinRAR and CuteFTP have been replaced by UltimateZip and SmartFTP on my computer.
-- iCEBaLM
To put my money were my mouth is I have now registered my version of mIRC.
The rest, however, are grossly overpriced. WinZip, WinRAR and CuteFTP no longer find a home on my system. Replaced by UltimateZip and SmartFTP recommended by another commentor. Which I am going to donate $10 each to their respective projects.
-- iCEBaLM
Impossible, as a former MSN Tech Support weiner I can tell you that MSN uses standard PPP MS-CHAP dialups with a username of "MSN/" and your regular password.
Kindof hard to not be compatible with that.
-- iCEBaLM
Is because it COSTS TOO MUCH, PERIOD!
Lets take a look at some often used applications:
WinZip: $29
CuteFTP: $39.95
mIRC: $20
WinRAR: $29
CustomizerXP: $24
CDRWin: $39
These are all shareware applications I have installed on my computer. Some of them are going to be removed real soon because they are expiring. These prices do NOT include any kind of media, manuals, box, etc. All you get is to download and use the software. So why are they priced to rival boxed media?
If I were to buy all 6 programs it would cost: $180.95 USD. I live in Canada, that translates to: $253.33 CAD for 6 applications with no media!
Shareware companies need to rethink their pricing. If these applications cost $10-$20 I would buy them. They certainly shouldn't be priced comperable to retail software I can find in the store if I don't even get an original CD.
$40 for an FTP client, $30 for an archiver, ludicrous..
-- iCEBaLM
Hardware vendors beware, software should be free. All of it.
You cheap bastard. What you want sounds a little socialist; wouldn't you agree? Is it that you don't think the programmer should do everything for free, or is it that you can't afford any really nice software?
He was refering to Free as in Speech, not free as in beer. You can sell GPL code.
How would you feel if a company producing software you relied on went belly up? Would you not have any remorse for being 'one of them', the piraters?
The original poster was refering to software for a PDA, where the hardware is what makes the company the money. Of course software companies whos sole product is software should charge, and PDA companies who make software should add on a little to the price of the PDA for the software they produce for it. However, PDA software, especially since it was TAKEN from a Free (as in speech) project, should be Free (as in speech)...
Nobody disputes software makers need to pay rent and buy food, and if for some reason the company wen't tits up and you do have the source, you're covered.
-- iCEBaLM
You don't need as much ram with Palms as you do with PocketPC's. The applications for Palms are so incredibly small, the largest ones only take 1 MB, for those - use an expansion card, that's what it's there for.
8-16 MB on a Palm device is sufficient.
-- Warren
It looks like the case they sell doesn't have the see-through LCD window, and the case and the player are a horrible white color, ick.
-- iCEBaLM
It would be nice if a title-tag was also included so you can see what the pearl does when you mouse over it.
What are you talking about? That's what the ALT tag is for.
-- iCEBaLM
I'm a scientist and therefore a skeptic. If I gave every crack pot the benefit of the doubt we'ld all be flying through space in cold fusion propelled star ships saying "I Captian, I'm givin her all I got".
The parallels are not there. However, if a lot of scientists much like yourself wern't closed minded and prone to dismiss things out of hand we might actually be doing the things you speak of. The trials and tribulations of Copernicus and Gallileo come to mind when you speak of such closed mindedness.
It seems to me like for all the progress that has been made it could have been made a whole lot quicker. People like you hold back the human race.
-- iCEBaLM
For finding me these sweet K'NEX battlemech sets. Screw christmas, I'm getting the Timberwolf (the *right* name for a madcat :) ) for myself.
-- iCEBaLM
You can get a more travel friendly hotsync cable pretty cheap.
As for IrDA in linux, hrmm, I've never checked that out. I support palms, not on Linux but I wouldn't imagine it'd be too hard.
The way it works in windows is that it just uses the IR port using the serial protocol. Looking at the linux kernel it seems you could do this either with IrCOMM or IrTTY (both?) however I don't have time now to test it.
-- iCEBaLM
Right, just like if you had balls you wouldn't be posting AC.
-- iCEBaLM
Yet another childish moderation. When will slashdot moderators stop smoking crack?
-- iCEBaLM