Plugging in...
Today's task went a little like a visit to the lab to have some blood drawn. Not MY blood, but the client's! Only no hand like a fist, no blood vials, no lab technician, no bandaid on the arm.
The Tutor thought the task was to connect a USB cable from a computer to a glucose monitor to transfer results from the small hand-held meter to a large [easy-to-read], handy, date-driven, comparative graphic chart. Sometimes it's dangerous to think.
Intead I learned how to use a lancet to draw blood from a quick finger prick; insert a testing strip into the opening on the One Touch Meter; watch the "patient/client" place their droplet of blood let loose by the lancet onto the testing strip; see the One Touch Meter display the almost instantaneous results in the Meter's window.
Ok then. I am not a diabetic, but if I were, this would be a must-have gadget. After completing the blood drawing and receiving the results, it was time for the Tutor to get busy so the computer could show a week's worth of glucose results on one large, colorful screen.
The only tricky part of the procedure was: the One Touch Meter had to be OFF and the USB cable could not already be connected to the PC. The USB cable, as it turned out, must be removed after the results are transferred. Each time. The client had left the cable in the USB port, connected to nothing for many months. Neither the computer nor the One Touch Meter were very happy about that. In other words, they couldn't find each other. So, out came the cable, off went the Meter, in when the cable and voila - they found each other like Romeo and Juliet.
For the record, one should NEVER leave a USB cable plugged into a computer if it isn't connected to anything on the other end. When it's plugged in, it's taking some power and resources AWAY from what you're trying to do on the computer. Lord knows, speed is king in computing, so give the speed back to the computer by removing ALL non-essential cables.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it plugged in too early, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Hide and Seek
Plugging in...
Where DO things go when you put them in a computer? Can you always find them? Were they there a minute ago and disappeared the next? The disappearing act is a myth, just like a magic show. Sorry to burst your bubble but you didn't honestly believe the woman on stage was cut in half, did you?
Back on point. The Outlook program, a popular email program, has the ability to make manila folders just like the ones you file in a filing cabinet. There too, file folders can be accidentally tucked inside each other, right? Well, a recent client learned how to make a folder to save emails from the Outlook inbox into a more suitably named folder for future use and reference. The Tutor's demonstration went well. Created new folder, dragged desired emails into new folder. Smile on client's face, clean inbox, Tutor leaves the building.
Several hours later a panicky phone call from the client stated the new, aptly named manila folder was GONE. Gone, she told me, gone. But while leaving the voice message, the client was clicking around and hadn't noticed the tiny plus sign to the left of the inbox until that very second. If you're not familiar with the concept of a plus sign in a computer program, it means CLICK ON ME to expand what's below me. Plus sign means show more (expand), minus sign means show less (collapse). Anyway, the client "found" the missing folder when clicking once on the plus sign and marveled at the ingenuity of being able to play hide and seek with the folders.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it collapsed, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Where DO things go when you put them in a computer? Can you always find them? Were they there a minute ago and disappeared the next? The disappearing act is a myth, just like a magic show. Sorry to burst your bubble but you didn't honestly believe the woman on stage was cut in half, did you?
Back on point. The Outlook program, a popular email program, has the ability to make manila folders just like the ones you file in a filing cabinet. There too, file folders can be accidentally tucked inside each other, right? Well, a recent client learned how to make a folder to save emails from the Outlook inbox into a more suitably named folder for future use and reference. The Tutor's demonstration went well. Created new folder, dragged desired emails into new folder. Smile on client's face, clean inbox, Tutor leaves the building.
Several hours later a panicky phone call from the client stated the new, aptly named manila folder was GONE. Gone, she told me, gone. But while leaving the voice message, the client was clicking around and hadn't noticed the tiny plus sign to the left of the inbox until that very second. If you're not familiar with the concept of a plus sign in a computer program, it means CLICK ON ME to expand what's below me. Plus sign means show more (expand), minus sign means show less (collapse). Anyway, the client "found" the missing folder when clicking once on the plus sign and marveled at the ingenuity of being able to play hide and seek with the folders.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it collapsed, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Ch ch ch changes
Plugging in...
Change is inevitable. The computer industry thrives on it. Seasons, hairstyles, cars and tastes change. But changing Internet, phone and cable services, well, they can be problematic for some. Don't trust the snappy commercials and flashy brochures. There is always more to it than they say, write and sometimes know.
A recent client canceled high speed internet from Comcast due to financial contraints. The client's light usage of a computer for email led her to choose a dial up service instead, for less money each month. Sensible. But the dial up service wouldn't work, no way, no how. Turns out, if one chooses to use digital voice phone service, the cable modem used for the digital phone, doesn't allow for the use of a computer based modem to dial out and connect to a another internet service provider.
In English: it can't be done. The tones going through the modem don't translate properly so the dial tone technically doesn't exist for the modem to dial out. Comcast's tech support said the client could use THEIR dial up service, but not the one she had chosen and already signed up with.
This should have been easy. A simple switch to save money ended up costing the client for the Tutor's services to figure out what was wrong. The client resigned herself to going back to Comcast's internet service, at their lowest and slowest price point, still double what she would have paid for the other dial up service.
When the client called to cancel the account for the unusable dial up service, they tried to talk her into keeping their security software and they grilled her endlessly as to why she was canceling the account. The Tutor had to take over the conversation to make the cancellation happen while holding another phone on the other ear, getting Comcast to re-instate the canceled internet account. It was a frustrating experience. Did I mention the client just had her 90th birthday??
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, have any changes been recently made, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Change is inevitable. The computer industry thrives on it. Seasons, hairstyles, cars and tastes change. But changing Internet, phone and cable services, well, they can be problematic for some. Don't trust the snappy commercials and flashy brochures. There is always more to it than they say, write and sometimes know.
A recent client canceled high speed internet from Comcast due to financial contraints. The client's light usage of a computer for email led her to choose a dial up service instead, for less money each month. Sensible. But the dial up service wouldn't work, no way, no how. Turns out, if one chooses to use digital voice phone service, the cable modem used for the digital phone, doesn't allow for the use of a computer based modem to dial out and connect to a another internet service provider.
In English: it can't be done. The tones going through the modem don't translate properly so the dial tone technically doesn't exist for the modem to dial out. Comcast's tech support said the client could use THEIR dial up service, but not the one she had chosen and already signed up with.
This should have been easy. A simple switch to save money ended up costing the client for the Tutor's services to figure out what was wrong. The client resigned herself to going back to Comcast's internet service, at their lowest and slowest price point, still double what she would have paid for the other dial up service.
When the client called to cancel the account for the unusable dial up service, they tried to talk her into keeping their security software and they grilled her endlessly as to why she was canceling the account. The Tutor had to take over the conversation to make the cancellation happen while holding another phone on the other ear, getting Comcast to re-instate the canceled internet account. It was a frustrating experience. Did I mention the client just had her 90th birthday??
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, have any changes been recently made, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Kinky Cables
Plugging in...
Do you remember your mother or father telling you not to twist, tangle, push, pull, bite, or bend any kind of power cord when you were a wee one? NO, you don't remember? Here's a twisted tale of a kink-causing power failure...
Problem: monitor turns on and shows the desktop for 5-10 seconds before going black. Monitor is plugged in, power light is on, cables and cords securely plugged in. Both computer and monitor have been powered fully off and on again. No change in the dreaded black screen. Several days go by. No change. Phone call made to the Tutor, appointment made. Client says he's undone all cords and cables and re-attached them to no avail.
Could have been burned out internal capacitors (don't ask), bad luck, faulty power supply, video card failing, motherboard starting to go, bad windows update or the universe not in retrograde.
Solution: the client looked one last time before the Tutor's subsequent arrival and what did he find? A GIGANTIC kink in the monitor cable. It was stuffed behind a desk (as many of our cables are) and twisted almost in half. A clear power blockage resolved simply by straightening out the cord. Wish they were ALL that simple!
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it straight, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Do you remember your mother or father telling you not to twist, tangle, push, pull, bite, or bend any kind of power cord when you were a wee one? NO, you don't remember? Here's a twisted tale of a kink-causing power failure...
Problem: monitor turns on and shows the desktop for 5-10 seconds before going black. Monitor is plugged in, power light is on, cables and cords securely plugged in. Both computer and monitor have been powered fully off and on again. No change in the dreaded black screen. Several days go by. No change. Phone call made to the Tutor, appointment made. Client says he's undone all cords and cables and re-attached them to no avail.
Could have been burned out internal capacitors (don't ask), bad luck, faulty power supply, video card failing, motherboard starting to go, bad windows update or the universe not in retrograde.
Solution: the client looked one last time before the Tutor's subsequent arrival and what did he find? A GIGANTIC kink in the monitor cable. It was stuffed behind a desk (as many of our cables are) and twisted almost in half. A clear power blockage resolved simply by straightening out the cord. Wish they were ALL that simple!
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it straight, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Monday, May 18, 2009
Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring Needed
Plugging in...
Has anybody ever seen a printout like this:
meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" meta name="description" content="Blogger is a free blog publishing tool from Google for easily sharing your thoughts with the world. Blogger makes it simple to post text, photos and video onto your personal or team blog." meta name="keywords" content="blogger, blogspot, blog, blogger.com, blogspot.com, free blog, personal blog, weblog, create blog, new blog"
You would recognize this seemingly illogical gibberish if you were a web designer or web programmer. It is HTML, HyperText Markup Language, a language used to format YOUR paper-based scribbles into eye-catching, easy-to-navigate webpages for viewing on the internet. Would your head go into a point if every time you clicked print, this is what appeared on paper? And not just a paragraph or two, but 30-45 pages! Every time. Arrrrrrrrggggh - big head point visible on client.
If it looks like "code", acts like "code" and prints like "code", where the blazes does one find the de-coder to print just the contents of the single, email that was on the screen before the print button was clicked?
Hmmmm. Hello Google? Yep, yes, come on, really? Wow. Ok - uh thanks. This code-producing computer didn't have the Internet Explorer set as the default web browser. Who knew this one, little unchecked item under Internet Options could cause so much trouble.
No Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring to the rescue this time. Sorry Annie, you've been replaced by GOOGLE! You're being punished for your role in The Christmas Story, when you spelled out a "crummy commerical" while Ralphie locked himself in the bathroom to de-code his secret Ovaltine message.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is the default browser set, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Has anybody ever seen a printout like this:
meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" meta name="description" content="Blogger is a free blog publishing tool from Google for easily sharing your thoughts with the world. Blogger makes it simple to post text, photos and video onto your personal or team blog." meta name="keywords" content="blogger, blogspot, blog, blogger.com, blogspot.com, free blog, personal blog, weblog, create blog, new blog"
You would recognize this seemingly illogical gibberish if you were a web designer or web programmer. It is HTML, HyperText Markup Language, a language used to format YOUR paper-based scribbles into eye-catching, easy-to-navigate webpages for viewing on the internet. Would your head go into a point if every time you clicked print, this is what appeared on paper? And not just a paragraph or two, but 30-45 pages! Every time. Arrrrrrrrggggh - big head point visible on client.
If it looks like "code", acts like "code" and prints like "code", where the blazes does one find the de-coder to print just the contents of the single, email that was on the screen before the print button was clicked?
Hmmmm. Hello Google? Yep, yes, come on, really? Wow. Ok - uh thanks. This code-producing computer didn't have the Internet Explorer set as the default web browser. Who knew this one, little unchecked item under Internet Options could cause so much trouble.
No Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring to the rescue this time. Sorry Annie, you've been replaced by GOOGLE! You're being punished for your role in The Christmas Story, when you spelled out a "crummy commerical" while Ralphie locked himself in the bathroom to de-code his secret Ovaltine message.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is the default browser set, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
It's NOT as Easy as I Make it Look!
Plugging in...
Paper can be tricky. Two-sided, and sometimes we forget that other beautiful, blank, welcoming side. When we're really thinking, we "green" the paper, and actually print on the other side. On occasion, people try to help us be "green", but forget to tell us. That's what happened today.
A client called in a lather of confusion. Why, dear Tutor, is my incoming fax printing OVER the google driving directions I printed yesterday? Because, because, because: because of the wonderful things she does. Whoops, wrong lyrics. It's not the Wizard of Oz, it's the Wizard of Uhs.
Uh, the paper in the printer was already used on one side, uh no one told you, and uh, it was placed in the printer THE WRONG SIDE FACING UP? Uh-huh. Instant answer, instant gratification, problem solved, no money exchanged hands. Great for the client, the country and the stimulus package. The grateful paper was turned over, and the blank side that was begging for a story to be printed on it, got its wish.
Apparently it IS as easy as I make it look. This time. Not usually. OK, hardly ever.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is the paper right side up, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Paper can be tricky. Two-sided, and sometimes we forget that other beautiful, blank, welcoming side. When we're really thinking, we "green" the paper, and actually print on the other side. On occasion, people try to help us be "green", but forget to tell us. That's what happened today.
A client called in a lather of confusion. Why, dear Tutor, is my incoming fax printing OVER the google driving directions I printed yesterday? Because, because, because: because of the wonderful things she does. Whoops, wrong lyrics. It's not the Wizard of Oz, it's the Wizard of Uhs.
Uh, the paper in the printer was already used on one side, uh no one told you, and uh, it was placed in the printer THE WRONG SIDE FACING UP? Uh-huh. Instant answer, instant gratification, problem solved, no money exchanged hands. Great for the client, the country and the stimulus package. The grateful paper was turned over, and the blank side that was begging for a story to be printed on it, got its wish.
Apparently it IS as easy as I make it look. This time. Not usually. OK, hardly ever.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is the paper right side up, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Covies of Quail
Plugging in...
What do covies of quail and computers have in common? The Tutor will give you a minute on this one. Think. Harder. Thinking?
The hard "C" sound comes to mind. Computer, covey, quail. An illiteration. Anything else?
Basically, you're right. Not much else; unless one decides to automate 34 years of quail hunting data currently hand-written in log books. That was the gist of a recent inquiry. "Can you help us automate the hand-written log books of our quail hunting" dating back to 1975? Umm [thoughtful pause], yes, OK, can do.
The Tutor hasn't seen the logs yet, and hopes the data is legible. There's not much in the way of affordable automation technologies capable of scanning bound, hand-written log books into digital form, capable of being further manipulated into statistical, meaningful data, along with colorful, relevant graphs. What a mouthful. It won't be a quick process (think lots of data entry here), but the possibilities are endless, once the information is in an electronic form.
Watch out quail, we're coming to track you in more ways than you could possibly imagine!
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
What do covies of quail and computers have in common? The Tutor will give you a minute on this one. Think. Harder. Thinking?
The hard "C" sound comes to mind. Computer, covey, quail. An illiteration. Anything else?
Basically, you're right. Not much else; unless one decides to automate 34 years of quail hunting data currently hand-written in log books. That was the gist of a recent inquiry. "Can you help us automate the hand-written log books of our quail hunting" dating back to 1975? Umm [thoughtful pause], yes, OK, can do.
The Tutor hasn't seen the logs yet, and hopes the data is legible. There's not much in the way of affordable automation technologies capable of scanning bound, hand-written log books into digital form, capable of being further manipulated into statistical, meaningful data, along with colorful, relevant graphs. What a mouthful. It won't be a quick process (think lots of data entry here), but the possibilities are endless, once the information is in an electronic form.
Watch out quail, we're coming to track you in more ways than you could possibly imagine!
ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, and is it turned on?
Unplugged
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)