NIO Rocks!
I recently picked up the Java NIO book to gen up on the NIO support in Java. Although it’s been around for a while, I’ve never had to really use it in anger. But for a project that I have going at the minute, I need to do some really performance critical stuff with very large files. Seems like NIO is the way to go.
So far I like the book a lot. It’s well written and clear, with a good structure that adds complexity as you go. I chewed through the first 100 pages in a day (with only a little brain damage!) and based on that was able to whip together my first prototype. Compared to an implementation using the regular IO classes, it’s currently 30-40% faster!! Not bad for a first attempt.
Filed under Java, Technology, Updates | Comments (3)Dell sucks! (2)
So, further to my earlier post. I finally got my laptop fixed. Not without incurring further trauma though. On the second day of waiting, the tech turned up to fix my laptop. Nice guy, very personable. “Ok, I’m gonna replace the bluetooth chip for you“. Hmm, about the motherboard? That’s what the Dell technical support guy had diagnosed was broken. “Hmm, motherboard, no the sheet only says bluetooth. I don’t have a motherboard with me“. Are you kidding me!
I’m like, look again buddy. It’s definitely the motherboard and the bluetooth chip. Her peers at the order sheet. “Oh yeah, someone at the warehouse must have messed up. I’ll have to go and get it. It’s in Downtown.” Now, anyone who knows LA knows that a drive from Manhattan Beach to Downtown and back is not for the faint of heart. I pressed him “You’re sure you’re gonna come back?” “Yeah, sure“.
Anyway, back he comes two hours later, with all the parts. And here’s where the story gets better. Quick as a flash, he’s replaced both the motherboard and the bluetooth chip in my laptop. And it’s back to its former glory. Finally!
The moral of the story is… hmm, there isn’t one. Just that DELL SUCKS!
Filed under Rants, Updates | Comments (9)Dell sucks!
What is it with Dell nowadays? I used to love that company. Their laptops were cool, and just worked out of the box. And their tech support was excellent. No longer! I’ve had a lot of experience with Dell over the years, and I can definitely say they are failing fast. At my previous company we used to order laptops from them on roughly a monthly basis. So I’ve lived their grim slide down the path of customer (un)service and (un)satisfaction. The straw that broke the camels back, so to speak, was my recent experience with their customer service. My laptop just stopped working. Wifi and Bluetooth card just get reinitializing every 10 seconds. Isn’t that USB sound annoying??
So I ring customer service and attempt to navigate my way through the phone maze. Thing is, when I’m asked to state what type of problem I have, the system just moves on and I end up in the Dell Dimension call queue. I redial three times but each time the system won’t wait for my option to be entered. Ok, I figure, the Dimension queue is roughly 10 mins they say, I can wait and get forwarded. 10 mins? More like 40! Finally I get through to some dude called David. Hmmm, David? Sounds more like a Pradesh! Anyway, I try to tell him I’m in the wrong place and can he forward me. He insists on working through his script, getting info. Ok dumbass, let’s do this dance.
Finally he says, “Oh sorry, this is a laptop problem, I’ll have to forward you to the laptop line“. No shit genious! I could have told you that if you’d listened. He forwards me, and again the queue. Finally, some lady tech comes on, I’ll call her Vidya, and goes through the same script. “What? It’s a problem with your wifi card. Oh, you need the wireless dept, not the laptop one.” Grrrr! Another forward and I finally talk to a guy called Tony who definitely was not Indian, more of the brotherly variety, comes on line. Seems like he knows what he’s doing. Within 2 mins we’ve diagnosed the motherboard has had it, and so has the WiFi/Bluetooth card. Since I was smart and bought a good warranty, he says the new parts can be shipped out over night and a tech can come around the next day to do the installation. Sweet I think! Ok, the phone system navigation sucked, but this at least was always Dell’s forte. Getting parts out and fixing problems on site.
At least it used to be! That night, some dude from the service repair rings, sets up the appointment. 10 – 5!!! WTF! Why is it that the service industry find it impossible to pin down a time when they’ll arrive at your door? But that’s another story! Anyway, suffice to say, I sit at home all day, waiting for the tech to arrive. Never does. I ring the number I’m given to talk to central dispatch to figure out where the tech is. Turns out that Dell has outsourced service repair to Unisys. Guess what? All they can do is page them. Can’t call them. How stupid is that? How the fuck are you supposed to be able to coordinate a service work force if all you can do is send page messages? They are pretty easy to ignore!
“Well Sir, I can page their supervisor, and get them to follow up with you“. Sure, why not. What have I got to lose? Nothing it turns out as the supervisor clearly is out to lunch too. No call back.
Finally, the whole day has gone by and no contact at all from any of the service techs. All the central dispatch can do is book another appointment w/ me the next day. So here I sit, vainly hoping someone will turn out to fix my now dead laptop.
Not happy with the service, I file a complaint with the dispatch center. The lady there is very helpful. She assures me that it’ll get escalated. I ask her, “What is that process by the way?“. She looks it up in her resources. Turns out that all complaints get sent back to Dell. Funny eh? They outsource all the important stuff, stuff that’ll keep customers happy. But in source dealing with complaints!! I guess that makes it easy to ignore, because clearly I am not the only person who thinks DELL SUCKS!
Filed under Rants, Updates | Comments (6)Family Blog
Since I’ve been loving Wordpress so much, but admittedly not using it as much as I should, I just set a new version up for the family section. Check it out.
Filed under Updates | Comment (0)
