Computer withdrawal resolution continued

I sent the following as part of the Geek Squad customer survey:

Malcolm was very courteous and cheerful throughout his explanation of the tests made.

However, I think the Geek Squad didn't have an odd bit of information to explain the problem of my keyboard/trackpad being unresponsive.  These worked fine yesterday evening after I brought my Mac Book Pro home.  But this morning, it started going dead again.  I wondered if Outlook, which was acting slow and squirrelly might be the problem.  I quit Outlook, and maybe rebooted, and I haven't had a problem since.  I also duplicated the Main Identity and reorganized it.  Outlook now runs much faster and I'm still using the keyboard and trackpad without problem.

There always seems to be one crucial piece of information a customer doesn't supply.  See http://www.cpinternet.com/~mdmagree/tech_shortage_1999-10-14.htm.  Outlook was the missing program that none of us thought of.  At least this problem didn't take months to solve, if indeed it is solved (crossed-fingers).  Also, if I hadn't brought my laptop in to the Geek Squad, would I have thought of this solution???

Thanks, folks, for your help!

See also
Computer withdrawal symptoms
Good news about a large corporation
Computer withdrawal resolution

Computer withdrawal resolution

This is a follow-up to "Computer withdrawal symptoms" and "Good news about a large corporation".

I picked up my Mac Book Pro at Best Buy this morning.  The repair comments from the Geek Squad were:

"Unit passed all hardware testing, including trackpad diagnostic.  Unit did not display any issues with the trackpad or keyboard.  Mission complete!"

So, wha' happened?  Did I inadvertently make some preference reset?  Did my Bluetooth keyboard for my iPad get too close to my laptop?  That shouldn't be a problem because Bluetooth is turned off.  Did I accidentally turn it on and somehow turn it off again?

Maybe the problem was cured by the laptop being off for an hour or so.  Maybe it was cured when we ran it on battery at Best Buy.  Maybe the twists and turns of carrying it jiggled something just right.  Maybe my computer withdrawal anguish made the computer feel sorry for me.

As I wrote a few days ago "Magic really works!"  Taking your computer to a technician makes the problem go away.

Good news about a large corporation

Yesterday I wrote about my problems with the keyboard on my Mac Book Pro.  See "Computer withdrawal symptoms",  I didn't expect to see my computer again until tomorrow.

A few minutes ago I got around to checking my email.  Best Buy had sent me an email that my computer was ready for pickup.  The message was sent at 6:15.  I looked at the message after store closing!  I guess I'll hightail up there tomorrow after we run all our morning errands.

I have this strange feeling that the Geek Squad found nothing wrong.  That my moving it from home to the store jiggled something into place.  We shall see.

I have always had respect for The Geek Squad, ever since they started at Washington and Plymouth in Minneapolis a couple of decades ago.  After they fixed one problem with my Apple whatever that handheld was called, I should have taken it back to retrieve data when it bit the dust sometime later.  All those wonderful notes of wisdom that were lost:)

Computer withdrawal symptoms

Come on, Mel, how can you have computer withdrawal symptoms when you obviously are posting something to the web.  You can't do that without a computer!

True!  I am using a "computer" but it is not my very familiar laptop.  I'm using my iPad to write this and I'll probably use it to post this.

But it is not the same as using a laptop with hundreds of applications and many gigabytes of storage. Plus, even with my Logitech compact keyboard, my fingers are challenged even more to hit the right keys at the same time.

This morning, my Mac Book Pro suddenly decided not to move the cursor.  Nor accept any keystrokes on the keyboard.  I could reboot it and get some reaction for awhile.  I don't remember whether it was through my iPad or one of the few times the keyboard worked, but I found that one supposed fix was to mangle your fingers on reboot on the option, command, R, P, and turn on keys.  This, according to some advice in one of the Apple Support Communities, would reset the PRAM (Programmable Random Access Memory) and put things right.

This worked for one or two times for about fifteen minutes.  Then there was no way I could put things right.  I could use the USB mouse from my wife's computer to have some access.  But then she wouldn't be able to use her computer.

After awhile, my system kept looking for a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse.  I wasn't using one, and I could find no way in System Preferences to change this "demand".

So, off I go to Geek Squad at Best Buy where I bought the laptop less than two years ago.  I was unable to find my receipt, but Best Buy had the record and I had a three-year warranty.

When I get there, guess what?  The touchpad worked, the keyboard worked, and everything seemed hunky-dory.

The Geek Squad guy was very helpful in the sense of courtesy and understanding.  We agreed that it would be best to leave my laptop with them to more thoroughly check what may be going on.  He said that would take a day or two, but they might have to send it to their repair center if there were more serious problems.

I feel like the local priest in "Babette's Feast" turning away suitors for his two daughters.  They were his right hand and his left hand.  I have the feeling that I've lost my "right hand".

P.S.  Google on an iPad has made me feel like I've lost my "left hand".  Google just would not respond properly to Safari on my iPad.  When I went to my wife's iMac and used FireFox, I saw about six copies of this entry.  I've deleted all but this copy, and now I'll see if I can open it up to my loyal reader.

For the rest of the story and its resolution see
"Good news about a large corporation", "Computer withdrawal resolution", and "Computer withdrawal resolution continued".

Beware the Music Man

Harold Hill was a shyster salesman. He would come into town, make big promises about improving the town, collect the money, and never return. Our modern Music Men are the big corporations that make big promises about creating jobs, extract lots of concessions and grants from local government that local businesses never receive, stay a year or two, and then leave.

See Facebook comments to the Coffee Party's posting of "7 Ways to Support the Real Job Creators".

An efficient big corporation, sometimes

Since I complain so much about big corporations, I should say something nice when a big corporation gives unexpectedly good service.

We are going to make a trip this summer, and I finally got around to making our hotel reservations.  I got online to our favorite hotel chain, but I couldn't make the reservation for the full stay.  I kept shortening the stay until the reservation was accepted.

I then tried to make a reservation at the tail end of our planned stay.  The site said there was no hotel in the my desired location!!!  The hotel was even in the list of my confirmations.

I called the chain's 800 number to report the problem.  I also told the representative that I would call the hotel directly to get on its wait-list.  He confirmed that that was my best plan.

When I called the hotel, I got better than being on the wait-list; I got the reservation for the full planned stay.  And I received email confirmation of the updated reservation within minutes.

I think the "secret" to this excellent customer service is that employees are given quite a bit of leeway to satisfy customers.  Too many organizations (government and private) impose a rigid set of rules on their employees.  One could say that "liberal" organizations fare better than "conservative" organizations.

Right on with the Write-In Party

Are you tired of elections being determined by big pandering, big lies, and big money? 
Are you tired of the so-called two-party system that gives you a choice of electing a party that is in the pocket of big business and a party that is in the pocket of big business?  Are you tired of a choice of electing a party that claims it is for freedom (of big corporations from any regulations) and a party that claims it if for the people (as long as big corporations are given subsidies to "create jobs").

Now you have a choice, join the Write-In Party!  The Write-In Party seeks no contributions from any interest group.  The Write-In Party is open to anyone who seeks change.  The Write-In Party has no big circuses (aka conventions) and no long-winded speeches that promise change and deliver nickels and dimes to the average person.

How do you join the Write-In Party?  It is both easy and hard.

The first requirement is that you have to promise to vote in every election.  You can't bring about change if you don't vote.

The second requirement is that you have to think about who you really would like to represent you for any particular office.  We won't go into what you should think about; that's your choice.  But you have to think outside the box.

Will the Democratic candidate represent your interests?  Will the Republican candidate represent your interests?  Will some other candidate on the ballot represent your interests?  If you find that a candidate represents your interest, place your mark by that candidate's name.  Do not be swayed by polls!  Almost every poll is biased in some way.  Do not worry about "throwing your vote away" by voting for a "third-party candidate".  Third-party candidates who came in last in the polls have won.  Think Jesse Ventura, last in the polls, became governor of Minnesota.  The only thrown-away votes are those not cast.

If none of the candidates on the ballot represent your interests, write in the name of somebody who you think does represent your interests.  Write-in votes are not thrown-way votes .  Think Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) of Alaska beating a Tea-Party candidate who won the Republican Primary.

How do you choose who to write in?  That is the hard part.  Not the actual writing a name in, but writing in a name that many other people will also write in.  Talk with your family and friends about the choices you have.  Talk in coffee shops.  Post ideas in forums.  Write letters to newspapers.  Maybe your suggestion will catch on; maybe somebody will make a suggestion that you feel is better.  But without this give and take, we'll be stuck with the same old revolving-door politics.

Now comes the third requirement.  VOTE!  If you don't show up, other people are going to decide for you.  If you don't show up, we will probably once again have candidates claiming a mandate when they receive the votes of less than half the eligible voters.

Which leads to the only slogan of the Write-In Party - 90% turnout!

How to know "sound science"

"Sound science" is a set of opinions that confirm certain politicians' agendas.

"Junk science" is that which scientists have shown to be true but is contrary to the agendas of certain politicians.