[blindza] Re: A CALL TO A SUPPORT CENTER...
- From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacobk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 10:19:52 +0200
quad-core processor - as in hardware, with something like 4 modules somehow
implemented to run in parallel within CPU, whereas my desktop I5 is apparently
something like quid-core...LOL!
Here's an actual explanation of multi-core processors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-core_processor
Also they both have 4Gb RAM, although the 32 bit OS won't see more than around
2Gb, and other joke is my friend that got desktop for me put a terabyte hard
drive in, so now with windows 7 installed, along with all my software, some
music, etc. etc., there's still around 800Gb free...LOL!
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
----- Original Message -----
From: Boshoff, Deon (GP Health)
To: blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 9:21 AM
Subject: [blindza] Re: A CALL TO A SUPPORT CENTER...
I like DELL. "quad-core thing" you said? Sounds better than "Dual" I
think it actually needs Windows 7...
Deon [G. Boshoff, BA[Stell]UDC[Potch]
WESKOPPIES HOSPITAL SWITCHBOARD
Tel: 0123199735
Mobile: 0829699571
Fax: 0123277076
Bleeper: 0123199820, code 0002
E-mail:
Deon.boshoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Deon.boshoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
-----Original Message-----
From: blindza-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:blindza-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Jacob Kruger
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 9:09 AM
To: blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blindza] Re: A CALL TO A SUPPORT CENTER...
Funny enough, when my work laptop moved over from XP to windows7, it
actually worked somewhat faster/better - they reckoned it was something to do
with targeting technology or something, but who knows, and it's a dell
quad-core thing FWIW.
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
----- Original Message -----
From: Boshoff, Deon (GP Health)
To: blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 8:59 AM
Subject: [blindza] Re: A CALL TO A SUPPORT CENTER...
Yep, I still use Win 98 on one computer at work, XP on3 other computers
and Win 2003 Server on the fith, while my back up laptop, my two desktops and
my main new HP laptop are now all running on XP, with SP2. However, can you
imagine how fast a computer which is capable of running W7, will run XP? I
tell you, I have to chain this thing down some times. The previous laptop I
bought, had Vista on, but, as it had only just enough memory, and so on, to be
able to run Vista, it was a bit slowish, so I downgraded it to XP.... Then it
was working fast!
Deon [G. Boshoff, BA[Stell]UDC[Potch]
WESKOPPIES HOSPITAL SWITCHBOARD
Tel: 0123199735
Mobile: 0829699571
Fax: 0123277076
Bleeper: 0123199820, code 0002
E-mail:
Deon.boshoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Deon.boshoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
-----Original Message-----
From: blindza-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blindza-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Jacob Kruger
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 8:12 AM
To: blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blindza] Re: A CALL TO A SUPPORT CENTER...
I know what you mean, but I am quite happily working on 3 different
OSes - windows XP on my backup laptop, windows 7 32 bit on my work laptop, and
windows 7 64 bit on my primary private desktop machine.
Either way, not too relevant, but when I speak to people like this on
the phone, and want to give them an idea of what am talking about, and if
they're using windows at all, I generally tell them to hit windows key + U, to
start narrator so at least they can get a vague idea of what a screen reader
doews.
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
----- Original Message -----
From: Boshoff, Deon (GP Health)
To: blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 7:45 AM
Subject: [blindza] A CALL TO A SUPPORT CENTER...
Well, I guess that, if one is working at some kind of "Call Centre"
or "Support Centre", or anything of that kind, all you hear the whole day, must
be COMPLAINTS, COMPLAINTS and COMPLAINTS?
Well, I usually don't do as others do, so here's my story;
About a month ago, I bought myself a new Laptop again, as I do
yearly. This time, I decided to just as well add a few bucks, and buy the best
I could find. So, I went for the HP Probook 4515s, from Hewlett Packard. What I
liked about it was it's full sized keyboard, Dual Core processor, and 4GB of
RAM. As all my experiences with Vista were not as happy as with XP up to now, I
still tried out Windows 7 on this machine. I found Windows 7 much better than
Vista. B
During this period, I received a lot of support from my Planeteer
friends, at www.inclusiveplanet.com; I can still remember Surendra's, Sonu's
and Avinash's help with this, so I could at least get J11 talking a bit on my
new machine, with it's Windows 7.
Of course, through all this, NVDA could come up for me every time, so
at least I knew where I was? On Windows 7, which was completely new to me? But
NVDA doesn't have a Video Intercept driver, and this was what the problem
actually was.
But as so many of my favourite programs didn't want to work, I
decided to downgrade to Windows XP. This, I could't do myself, as the HD of the
Laptop was partitioned in such a way that my normal XP CD didn't want to boot
it up. So, I took it to a computer shop, which first made an image of my
existing HD, and then downgraded it to XP. The first problem was the audio
drivers, which we could find on the www.hp.com <http://www.hp.com> website, but
still Jaws did not want to operate correctly. And soon, all kinds of problems
developed; it would suddenly stop speaking, don't want to turn on or off, and
generally kept on hanging, whenever it felt like it. So, I repeatedly re
installed XP, and trying out all the drivers I could find on the Web.
This went on for four weeks, getting worse by the day. No one now has
more experience in installing XP than I do!
First, I need to explain that I am blind, and thus need to use a
screen reader, which reads out to me what's on the screen; otherwise, a
computer is just about useless to me. But, as I have been using these things
for so long, I can nowadays do a lot of things with a computer, as long as I
can get it talking.
As far as I know, blind people actually need computers much more than
sighted people, and I can frankly, not imagine a blind person without a
computer, so I believe computers should be made accessible to the Blind. That,
unfortunately, is not always the case, as manufacturers and sellers of
computers do not really know and understand what the problem is, so most of the
time, we blindies need to adapt these things to our own good use.
So, here I was sitting with this grand portable computer, and I can't
make it work for me, leading to a lot of frustration. Many a day, I thought of
just throwing the thing against the nearest wall, and go out and buy myself a
Zo-zo-tronic, or something. I tried to find support on the HP website, but the
one link led me to the next, more useless link. I have some other HP equipment
here at work, too, so, one day, when the HP printer brought up another
unwelcome "Support" screen, which I have to click away every time, I thought of
getting on the telephone.
The tenth number I got from Enquiries; got me through to to someone I
could actually talk to, and tell her about my frustrations. She knew nothing
about screen readers, but at least listened to me, and understood my need for
XP. I think her name was Kalpana.
I told her about all the drivers I tried out, and all the funny kinds
of problems I am experiencing. I'm sure you don't want to know about it!
From what I told her, she suddenly came up with the idea of a
"Recovery " CD, and I immediately felt better, as I understood what that is.
With all my other previous computers that I bought, there came usually two CD's
in the box, one for the recovery of the OS, and the other is usually called
"Drivers and utilities". This time, with the HP, though, there were no CD's in
the box; the recovery data was all on the HD, which was partitioned into 4
parts, of which most of the total space on the HD was hidden, so useless to me.
Kalpana then promised me, after taking down all my details, as well
as the model and serial number of the computer, that she would "Ship" the
Recovery CD's off to me, within 3 working days. And, when I enquired of her the
cost it would be to me, do you know what she said? No cost to me, can you
believe it?
And, even though this was over Christmas time, it still arrived on
the fourth day! And, as soon as I came home, I tried them out, and everything
worked just fine, better than ever before. I must have installed too many wrong
drivers every time, while this CD just knew which ones to install!
So, after, for four weeks of frustration, I was coming to believe
that blind people should not buy HP products, as they seem to be less
accessible to blind people than other, cheaper makes.
However, I can, out of experience, tell you that their Customer Care,
or Support is excellent, and highly professional it must be mentioned that each
user is different, and that I had my own special needs and requirements. This
model wasn't really designed with me in mind, but the After-Service, which I
got from HP Support, made up for it, and more!
So, all you Executive ladies Reception ladies, Secretaries, go out
and buy yourself that lovely HP laptop, you're worth it, and I believe you will
have less problems with it than I had, you will just love this computer. And,
all you Visually Impaired, I can tell you, you can spend a bit of money on a
decent computer, you need it, and you also deserve it. And, remember, in South
Africa, at least, HP has a very good Support Centre.
Yes, I do believe that HP, like all other computer manufacturers and
sellers, should take more interest in accessibility, as many of your customers
have special needs, and no two persons are the same.
I also talked a bit with two gentlemen at this Support Centre, but I
cannot remember their names.
So, let me thank you guys for your curtsy and your professional
behaviour towards me during this difficult period.
And, just watch out what new HP model I will buy next year...
Prateek replied;
Great, salute to your patients and all the work-arounds that you've
done with your new laptop. In fact, if yu ask me what's the most attractive
part about HP if you have to compare it with other companion companies, i'd say
is their excellent technical support. Good that you've got your problem
rectified, but i understand, it was not so easy for you to cope with the kind
of troubles you had. I wish some day accessibility will be a part of training
for technical support staff, not just in hp, but in all the companies in the
world. At least, you can dream like this, there's no harm in dreaming.
Deon [G. Boshoff, BA[Stell]UDC[Potch]
WESKOPPIES HOSPITAL SWITCHBOARD
Tel: 0123199735
Mobile: 0829699571
Fax: 0123277076
Bleeper: 0123199820, code 0002
E-mail:
Deon.boshoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Deon.boshoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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