Wednesday 20 February 2008

Why this gap

No postings for a while, I know. Internet problems – is it the computer, the modem or the ISP? Next most stressful thing to buying a house. The nice part was the Apple Store in Kingston: I went in hoping I might be able to get a session with an Apple Genius (a row of technical experts they have behind a bar in their big stores: if you take a subscription to ProCare, you can book a session with them and they’ll help you, which they really do: the know their stuff and take all the time it needs). Not having the internet I couldn’t book a session (or thought I couldn’t; turns out you can book by phone). All the Geniuses were booked up but they have people hanging around just to help customers, unlike Marks & Spencers. One of these, name of Ben, approached me, told me the bad news about the Genii and asked what the problem was. Well, essentially he sorted me out, for nothing, without even demanding my ProCare credentials, to the extent of establishing that I needed a new wireless router, then went off to uni for his morning lecture. He knew his stuff, unlike the first person on the Belkin (wireless router) helpline later, who gave up and told me the senior technician would phone back, who didn’t and I had to phone, was told I was in a queue and it could be 24 hours, remonstrated and got someone one the line who did know his stuff and got me set up. Cost: Belkin £70, Saturday and Sunday struggling to get the old router to work and unable to do things I'd planned to do online (book a flight, for instance), then Monday visiting Apple and buying the Belkin and Tuesday till 2.00 failing to set it up and tear my hair out on the phone. Grrrr. Think of the blogging I could have done in that time.

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