Jul 19 2009

Life with Mac – Stuff that Worked

Optical DiscsSoftware.  Without it a computer would be an expensive door stop or paper weight.  With it, a computer can become far more.

Over time we all end up with our favourite applications that let us do what we need in the way we are used to doing it.

In moving from Windows to Mac I was determined not to just cop-out and install Parallels and XP and just keep using all the Windows programs I was used to using.  I wanted to do as much as I could in native Mac.

As a starting point, I went looking for programs I’m used to using in Windows that have an equivalent in the Mac world. More →

By David • Apple, Computers • • Tags: , , , ,

Jul 15 2009

Intro to Mac-land

White MacBookIn the past, I’ve enjoyed some fairly nice computer hardware.  A fringe benefit of owning a computer business as well as a necessity for someone asking a lot of their day-to-day computer.

I’ve been using a laptop as my main computer for almost ten years.  I’ve found this works for me and suits my needs pretty well.

After a few fairly ordinary laptops, I moved up.  First, to an Acer Ferrari 3400.  A nice laptop with, for it’s day a great high res LCD was truly lovely (1400 x 1050 on a 15″ LCD).  From there it was on to a Hewlett Packard NC8430.  Again, a very nice laptop and, again, the high res LCD screen (1680 x 1050 on a 15.4″ LCD) was a joy to use.

For a variety of reasons, when it came time to consider a replacement for the nc8430 I took a bit of a tangent.  At various times over the years I’ve used (and quite liked) Apple computers – all the way back to an Apple II when I was in high school (in the very early 80′s for anyone keeping score).

So, the new laptop in my life is a MacBook (a white one). More →

By David • Apple • • Tags: , , , ,

Jun 2 2009

How NOT to manage a customer relationship

Accor AdvantageFor the past eight years, I’ve paid for membership in Accor Hotel’s Advantage Plus loyalty scheme.  For a little under three hundred bucks a year I’m entitled to:

  • Up to 50% discount when dining in participating hotels and restaurants
  • One night’s complimentary accommodation that can be used at participating hotels across Asia Pacific
  • Exclusive Member’s Only special offers and a minimum 10% discount off the best rate of the day available to the general public for accommodation
  • Automatic enrolment in “A Club” at silver level so you can earn 50% more points
  • Earn and redeem points at more than 2,000 Accor hotels worldwide
  • Priority access and special offers for major tours, attractions and events plus Europcar
  • Dedicated member’s website and call centre.

(taken from their web site)

In general, I’ve been happy with this.  I’ve travelled away from home often enough each year to justify the cost.  I’ve enjoyed the convenience of just calling the booking service to get a room reserved handy.

But (there always seems to be a ‘but’ doesn’t there?)…

More →

By David • Personal • • Tags: , , ,

Apr 8 2009

The Build Disc – Part 5b (Extras – Office 2003)

Office 2003A fully standardised install only takes us so far.  At some point you have to cater to the stuff that doesn’t fit in with the standardised stuff.  This article is about the extra bits that help Office 2003.

What do I install?  Pretty much just the file format converters to allow Office 2003 to read files created with Office 2007.

(As an aside, the Office viewers normally only open Office 2003 files but if you install them and then install the converter, they will also read Office 2007 files.)

I’ve worked out an unattended install but for only one install it’s not really all that relevant.

For what it’s worth, this is the unattended install command:

Office2003-FileFormatConverters.exe /quiet /passive /norestart

This article is part of a series dealing with my standard system build.  It starts with this article and the post you’re reading now is directly related to this one.

By David • Build Disc, Unattended Installs • • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Apr 7 2009

The Build Disc – Part 5a (Extras)

copyA standard install is all very well but you reach a point, at least at the home user/small business level, where standardization falls down.  Not every computer is going to have the same version of MS Office installed (or even have Office), some computers will not already have Acrobat Reader (or have an older version pre-installed).

Having already dealt with service packs, Windows/Microsoft Updates and standard utilities, now it’s time to come up with a good way of handling these extra items.  I’ve set this up with our typical customers in mind and it handles the stuff we usually need.  Obviously once you get to this level there is almost infinite scope for how you might handle things.

More →

By David • Build Disc • • Tags: , , , , , ,

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