Credit Card Fraud - Your Fault?
By DanB | March 11, 2007
From Stuff.co.nz:
If criminals steal money from your bank or use your credit card remotely, the chances are you’re to blame.
Click here to read the full story…
Good article on basic ways to protect your card. The parts about you being responsible for fraud are worth noting and frustrating. Basically the credit card industry wants to shift the blame to either merchants or card holders for problems with the card companies systems.
Popularity: 14%
Topics: privacy/security | 1 Comment »
TNPC - Ribbons, Landscapes, and Fonts…
By DanB | March 7, 2007
More free utilities, accessories, and reviews…
TNPC Newsletter
by Dan Butler
TNPC Newsletter
by Dan Butler
07 March 2007
Al Gordon says “I love the Ribbon. But I hate having to learn to
use the Ribbon.” What is he talking about? Find out below. Plus
pointers to a couple of freebies, and a book review.
Next week we start another TNPC giveaway. Watch for details.
First go read the last issue at the blog:
http://www.tnpcnewsletter.com/blog/category/newsletters/tnpc/
*Managing Fonts*
The free font utility last issue received a lot of interest.
TNPC reader Gideon B. reminded me of “The Font Thing” another Read the rest of this entry »
Popularity: 43%
Topics: Technology, TNPC News | No Comments »
Sonic and Ketchup Packets
By DanB | March 6, 2007
I am constantly fascinated by the lack of thought given to customer service. Tonight I went to the local Sonic Drive-In to pick up hamburgers for our dinner. The order was 12 hamburgers with everything on them.
The order arrived and I requested ketchup to go with the hamburgers - she handed me four packets, for 12 hamburgers. After asking for a bit more ketchup and was told “I can only give you so much.” I explained I had 12 hamburgers and was told “I’ll see what I can do.” She brought back a small handful of ketchup packets.
Sonic includes peppermints with your order. My order of 12 hamburgers included five peppermints. Keep in mind I was driving a 15 passenger van with eight passengers. There was quite the commotion over the five mints!
Enough fussing. My point is simple. Why come across as stingy toward your customers? I realize a few extra ketchup packets included with each order add up. You should train employees to be reasonable when handing items like this out. You should also train them to be aware of their customer and their specific needs. That is all I ask.
Someone asked why I find myself fascinated with situations like this and not frustrated. On the one hand it is an opportunity to observe service in action. On the other hand it gives me an opportunity to practice certain communication skills.
Always look for ways to turn frustration into fascination.
Popularity: 10%
Topics: Customer Service | 2 Comments »
TNPC observations, cool tool, and changes….
By DanB | March 6, 2007
A nifty app…
TNPC Newsletter
by Dan Butler
Helping you stay more productive.
Hi ~
Hope you are having a productive week.
This week Al Gordon takes a first look at the new Microsoft Office
file formats and what they mean to you. Like it or not Microsoft’s
file formats affect all of us eventually. Personally, I am sticking
with my old version of Microsoft Office 2000. It does everything I
need and I can not justify the price of upgrading.
+++————– Visit Our Sponsor ————————–+++
Have you thought about starting your own business on the
Internet? Then check out the new book I have been working on and
just finished. It will tell you how to start, setup, and grow
a business of your own with your own product. I call it Quick
and Effective Internet Business. Take a look here:
http://www.tnpcnewsletter.com/p/quickbiz/
+++———————————————————–+++
We also discuss a few more loose ends with Microsoft Vista and a
cool piece of freeware I had forgotten about. You will like the
freeware.
Popularity: 47%
Topics: TNPC News, Vista | 4 Comments »
Vista vs. my NEC Superscript 870 Printer
By DanB | February 28, 2007
Microsoft Vista has no native support for my NEC Superscript 870. What is the solution? Install the printer using the HP LaserJet IIP driver. The downside to this is your printer will only print at 300 DPI instead of 600 DPI.
You will also lose all of the cool tools you had with the printer under Windows 98 and before. That right you lost a lot of functionality by moving to Windows 2K, Windows XP, or Windows Vista if you used this printer. So what to do? Install FinePrint. FinePrint gives you back all of the print options you had and more. In fact I have used FinePrint as my default printer on systems in the past. It just works great.
So how do you install your NEC printer as an HP printer?
Popularity: 43%
Topics: Technology, Vista | 18 Comments »
Playing DVD’s in Windows Vista Home Basic
By DanB | February 26, 2007
Microsoft has outdone itself in trying to take control away from you. I had to buy a new PC when mine died and the new one came with a copy of Microsoft Vista Home Basic. What was Microsoft thinking when they released this?
Just now I went to play a DVD that I had been waiting for. The CD is on an obscure topic and made by an individual who is an expert on the topic. Only one problem - the DVD will not play on my computer. At first I thought it was because the home made DVD might be faulty. Turns out that Windows Vista Home Basic will not play a DVD inside Windows Media Player. Seriously.
Popularity: 25%
Topics: Vista | 4 Comments »
Vista vs Time & Chaos
By DanB | February 16, 2007
The first software challenge I ran into was Time & Chaos v.6. I’ve used Time & Chaos since v.1 way back when. Well over ten years in fact. It has been interesting to watch the growth of the company over the years.
When I first registered the program I called to ask where to send the check. Spoke with the author of the program and he gave me the unlock code on the spot without waiting for the check to be mailed. Then spent a while teaching me to use his program. Well things change. The program is still nice albeit a bit larger.
So what is Time & Chaos? Simply a nifty Personal Information Manager (PIM). It tracks the things you want to track and doesn’t bog you down in options. Version 6 of the software does not work in Vista. You have to upgrade to v.7. I don’t like that but that is the case.
You can download and install v.7 from the Chaos Software website.
Popularity: 17%
Topics: Time Management, Vista | No Comments »
TNPC Vista first looks…
By DanB | February 9, 2007
by Dan Butler
When it rains it pours. Last week I told you my main system died. After setting up a new PC and cleaning up the cable mess behind my desk my Linux server was dead too. Fortunately the Linux machine just needed a power supply. My Windows machine was not so fortunate. I replaced the machine.
+++————– Visit Our Sponsor ————————–+++
Have you thought about starting your own business on the
Internet? Then check out the new book I have been working on and
just finished. It will tell you how to start, setup, and grow
a business of your own with your own product. I call it Quick
and Effective Internet Business. Take a look here:
http://www.tnpcnewsletter.com/p/quickbiz/
+++———————————————————–+++
This issue some quick initial observations on Microsoft Vista, TNPC
drawing winners, and an interesting product I have been playing with.
Don’t miss the P.S. at the bottom of the letter.
Read the rest of this entry »
Popularity: 46%
Topics: Technology, TNPC News, Vista | No Comments »
Getting Older Windows Help Working in Vista
By DanB | February 8, 2007
Scan through this post to find a quick solution to getting Windows Help working inside of Vista:
http://www.itwriting.com/blog/?postid=535
I found two copy of Winhlp32.exe on my old Windows 2000 box - one in the \Windows directory and the other in \Windows\System32. You want to use the one in the Windows directory.
Note that this may not give you full functionality for older Windows Help but it should give you enough to get up and running.
Popularity: 14%
Topics: Technology, Vista | 9 Comments »
Vista Home Basic and Samba Working Together
By DanB | February 8, 2007
I was having trouble getting Vista Home Basic to access my Samba shares. This article got me going. Specifically the comment by Tim about editing the Registry.
http://www.builderau.com.au/blogs/codemonkeybusiness/viewblogpost.htm?p=339270746
Popularity: 19%
Topics: Technology, Vista | No Comments »